Ayyubid Dynasty: Medieval Islamic realm founded by Saladin
Saladin: The First Sultan of Syria and Egypt
Saladin, also known as Ṣalaḥ al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyūb, was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty and the first sultan of Egypt and Syria. Saladin’s every act was inspired by an intense devotion to the idea of jihad, or holy war. He encouraged the growth and spread of Muslim religious institutions and tried to re-create the same zeal and enthusiasm that had proved valuable to the first generations of Muslims. He was born in 1137/38 in Tikrīt, Mesopotamia (now in Iraq) and died on March 4, 1193, in Damascus (now in Syria). Saladin’s every act was inspired by an intense devotion to the idea of jihad, or holy war. He encouraged the growth and spread of Muslim religious institutions and tried to re-create the same zeal and enthusiasm that had proved valuable to the first generations of Muslims.
Rise to Power
Saladin’s formal career began when he joined the staff of his uncle Asad al-Dīn Shirkuh, an important military commander under the emir Nur al-Din. During military expeditions into Egypt, Saladin emerged as a talented leader and was appointed commander of the Syrian troops in Egypt and vizier of the Fāṭimid caliph in 1169. In 1171, he abolished the Shiʿi Faṭimid caliphate and proclaimed a return to Sunni Islam in Egypt. Saladin began his rise to power in Egypt as the vizier under the Fatimid caliphate. His initial governance was marked by effective administration, including fair taxation and support for trade, which helped stabilize the region. In 1171, he capitalized on the death of the young Fatimid caliph, al-Adid, to abolish the Fatimid dynasty and align Egypt with the Sunni Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad, thereby establishing his authority and laying the groundwork for the Ayyubid dynasty.
Uniting Syria and Egypt
After the death of Nur al-Din in 1174, Saladin abandoned his claim to the regency and pursued the goal of uniting all the Muslim territories of Syria, northern Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Egypt under his own standard. He accomplished this through skillful diplomacy and the swift use of military force. By 1176, Saladin was master of Syria, Egypt, and much of north Africa and the west of Arabia.
Conflicts with the Crusaders
Saladin is remembered as a great military leader who united the Muslim world against the Crusader forces of Europe. He famously recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187, ending its nearly nine decades of occupation by the Franks. This kickstarted the Third Crusade as several kings of Europe, including Richard the Lionheart, headed to the Holy Land to reclaim the city.
