Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi History 

Salahuddin (Saladin) and the Battle of Hittin.

History of Islam.

The divided Islamic world consolidated its power in the eastern Mediterranean and offered little resistance to the crusaders who ruled the region. The Seljuks, engaged in protecting the eastern flank against the Afghan Ghaznavids, thinned the western defenses. The pagan Turkic tribes that crossed the Amu Darya from the northeastern borders were a constant threat. The marching crusaders received invaluable help from the local Orthodox and Armenian communities. The Venetians provided the transport. Faced with constant attacks, Tripoli surrendered in 1109. Beirut fell in 1110. Aleppo was besieged in 1111. Tyro was defeated in 1124. Warring Muslim factions ignored Crusader invasions during this time. They saw the Christians as just another motley group of emirs, prelates and religious groups vying for power in West Asia.

Meanwhile, Egypt's domestic situation deteriorated. Power had long since departed from the Fatimid caliphs. Viziers became real rulers. Despite the defeat of the Egyptian army by the Crusaders and the loss of Jerusalem, Grand Chancellor al-Afdal was more interested in conducting politics in Cairo than recovering lost territory. Upon the death of the old caliph, Musta Ali, in 1101, al-Afdal placed the caliph's young son Abu Ali on the throne and became the de facto ruler of Egypt. But Abu Ali did not like it. Growing up, he killed Al Afdal. In turn, Abu Ali himself was killed in 1121.

Anarchy gripped Egypt. Abu Ali left no male heirs. His grandson Abul Maimun became caliph. However, it was overthrown and imprisoned by Prime Minister Ahmet. Abel Maimun hatched a plan and killed Ahmet in prison to avoid chaos. Abul Maimun was succeeded by his son Abu Mansur. Abu Mansour was more interested in alcohol and women than in affairs of state. His chancellor Ibn Salar led the administration, but his stepson Abbas killed him and became prime minister.

The Fatimid caliphs in Cairo were powerless and became pawns in the hands of the viziers. And the vizier's laboratories were taken over by all the ruthless and powerful people. In 1154, Nasr, the son of Prime Minister Abbas, killed Caliph Abu Mansur. Abu Mansur's sister discovered the crime and sought help from Ruzzik, the governor of Upper Egypt, to punish Nasr. They also appealed to the Franks in Palestine. Nasr fled for his life but was captured by the Franks and returned to Cairo to be crucified.

Egypt was like a ripe plum ready to be picked. The Crusaders knew that Egyptian control would be a devastating blow to the Muslim world. The local Maronite and Armenian communities would have welcomed them with open arms. From Egypt, they had a land link with the Christian community in Ethiopia, allowing them to control the trade routes to India. Several attacks were launched on Egypt. In 1118, the Crusaders landed at Damietta, destroyed the city, and began to advance on Cairo. The Egyptians repelled the invaders, but the resources used to defend their homeland were strained by the defense of Palestine. Ascalon, the last Fatimid stronghold in Palestine, fell in 1153.

Crusader rule in Jerusalem remained undisturbed for nearly a century, while Egypt fell and the Saljuq came under pressure from the Ghaznavids and the Karakatai Turkic tribes. Defense missions against military attacks from Europe were organized in northern Iraq and eastern Anatolia. Now these all are the  Kurdish provinces of Turkish Iraq, Syria and also Persia. Maudud, a Seljuk officer from Mosul, was the first to accept the invitation. In 1113 he defeated King Baldwin of Jerusalem in several battles. However, a Fatimid plot killed Maudud in 1127. Maudud's work was continued by another Turkish officer, Zengi. Zengi was a first class soldier, just, honest and a man of faith. He ruled with courage and made no distinction between Turks and non-Turks. In 1144 Zengi captured the city of Edessa. This led to another crusade involving Emperor Conrad of Germany and Bernard of France. Mold defeated the invaders and forced the Germans and Franks to retreat. However, two events occurred that delayed the mission to expel the Franks from Jerusalem. In 1141, the Seljuks faced the infidel Turk Kara Khitai and suffered a major defeat on the banks of the Amu Darya. In 1146, a Fatimid conspiracy killed the organ outright. His son Nuruddin Zengi continued the work with more energy. Nurudin, having extraordinary abilities, organized an organized operation to drive the crusaders out of western Asia. Nuruddin was a pious man with no evil intentions and a noble character. Uncertain military conditions allowed able-bodied men and non-Turkish soldiers to advance quickly in the army. Among them were two officers, Ayyub and Salahuddin's brother Shirkuh. Nuruddin's officers systematically gained control of northern Iraq, eastern Syria, and eastern Anatolia. Damascus was added in 1154. With the resources of this vast territory, Nuruddin was ready to challenge the Crusaders in Palestine and fight for control of Egypt. The key to Palestine was in Egypt. When the Fatimids ruled Egypt, coordinated military action against the Crusaders was impossible. Going to Egypt was very important. In 1163 Cairo had two rival prime ministers. One of them invited the Franks to intervene in Egypt. The second asked Nuruddin. Nuruddin requested that Shirkukh be sent to Cairo. In 1165, the Seljuks and the Crusaders invaded Egypt, but neither could establish a foothold. Two years later, Shirkuh returned to Egypt with his cousin Salahuddin. This time he managed to establish his rule in the Nile Delta. Mustadi, the last Fatimid caliph, was forced to appoint Shirkuh as prime minister. In 1169, Shirkukh died and his cousin Salahuddin was appointed in his place.

Salahuddin was a man of his time. He repelled several crusade attacks on Egypt, suppressed rebellion within the army, and allowed Egypt to end its ongoing civil war. Despite three centuries of Fatimid rule, the Egyptian people remained Sunni according to Sunni jurisprudence. In 1171, Salahuddin destroyed the Fatimid dynasty. The name of the Abbasid caliph was included in the Khutba. This important revolution was so peaceful that the Fatimid Caliph Mustadi died quietly a few weeks later, unaware of the change. The Fatimid dynasty, once powerful enough to rule over half of the Muslim world, including Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, faded into history. The Sunni view of history, supported by the Turks, won. The end of the Fatimid conflict left a unified Orthodox Islam susceptible to Crusader invasion.

Historians debate whether people influence history or whether their circumstances and circumstances determine the course of events. This argument misses the point. There is an organic connection between the behavior of men and women and the situations in which they act. Those who pioneer history-making bend the flow of events to their will with their own power, leaving a shining imprint on others. But they succeed because the circumstances are in their favor. 

 It is not known a priori how this important historical moment will end. The most famous Muslim soldier after Ali ibn Abu Talib (RA), Salahuddin made history with an iron fist. His success in driving the Crusaders out of Palestine and Syria is well known. Less well known is his success in creating a single Islamic political structure without internal divisions that allowed Muslims to dominate world events for a short generation. This Saladin generation not only recaptured Jerusalem but also established an Islamic empire in India and briefly checked the progress of the Crusades in Spain and North Africa. The fall of the Fatimid Caliphate in Cairo and the consolidation of Salahuddin's power in Syria and Egypt shifted the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean in favor of the Muslims. Arabia, Yemen, northern Iraq, and eastern Anatolia were also added to Salahuddin's territory. It was only a matter of time before the weight of this power fell on the Crusaders. Renaud de Chatellon was one of the Latin leaders who instigated hostilities. Reno was the king of the coastal cities of Palestine and Lebanon. The famous historian Bahauddin said: Once, when there was peace between the Muslims and the Franks, he made a dangerous raid and captured a caravan passing through his lands in Egypt. He captured these people, tortured them, threw them into pits, and imprisoned some of them in dungeons. When the prisoners protested after demonstrating that there was peace between the two peoples, they protested, "Ask Muhammad to set you free." Hearing this, Salahuddin vowed to kill the infidel with his own hands.

Sibylla, daughter of the former King Amaury, and her husband, Guy de Lusignan, ruled Jerusalem in the Frankish kingdom at the time. Salahuddin Guy demanded punishment for the robbery of a caravan in Lusignan. The latter refused. Salahuddin sent his son Al Afdal to find Reno. The capital, Karak, is under siege. The Franks heard of this siege and united and marched against Al Afdal. In turn, Salahuddin moved to help his son. The two armies met on July 4, 1187, on the shores of Lake Tiberias, near Hittin. Salahuddin established himself between the crusaders and the lake and prevented them from accessing water. The Franks attacked. Salahuddin's forces surrounded and destroyed the Franks by skilful maneuvers. Most of their leaders were either captured or killed. Among those taken prisoner were Guy de Lusignan, king of Jerusalem, and Reno, king of the coast towns, a bandit who had risen in hostilities. Among the rulers who fled were Raymond of Tripoli and Hugh of Tiberias. Salahuddin looked politely at Guy de Lusignan, but cut off Renault's head. The retreating Franks advanced on Tripoli, but Salahuddin gave them no rest. Tripoli was stormed. Accra was next. Nablus, Ramallah, Jaffa and Beirut opened their gates to the Sultan. Only Tripoli and Tire remained under Frankish occupation. Salahuddin now turned his attention to Jerusalem, known to Muslims as al-Quds. The city was well defended by 60,000 crusaders. The Sultan did not want to cause bloodshed and offered the option of peaceful surrender for free passage and access to the Holy Land. Your offer has been rejected. The Sultan ordered the city to be besieged. Having lost coastal support, the defenders surrendered (1187).

With his majesty, Salahuddin offered the mildest terms of surrender to his enemies. Franks who wished to remain in Palestine were accepted as freemen. Those who wished to leave were allowed to leave with their families and possessions under the full protection of the Sultan. Greeks (Orthodox) and Armenians were allowed to retain full citizenship. When the queen of Jerusalem, Sibyl, left the city, the sultan was so moved by the plight of her attendants that he ordered the imprisoned husbands and sons of the Weeping Women to be released to go with their families. In most cases, the sultan and his brothers paid for the release of the prisoners. Rarely in history has there been such a contrast between the chivalry of a conquering hero who treated a conquered enemy with generosity and compassion like Salahuddin, and the brutal massacre of the Crusaders when they captured Jerusalem in 1099.

The fall of Jerusalem shocked Europe. The Latin world is in turmoil. Among those who received the cross was King Richard of England. King Barbarossa of Germany; and King Augustus of France. The military situation in Syria favored Salahuddin by land and the Crusaders by sea. Salahuddin allied himself with the Maghrib Yaqub al-Mansur to secure the western Mediterranean. Yakub has his hands full with crusaders in his own backyard. Maghreb rulers underestimated the global scale of the Latin invasion. The alliance never materialized and the Crusaders were free to transport men and equipment by sea. The Third Crusade (1188-1191) was the most severe crusade that ever took place in Palestine. European forces moved by sea and made Tire their main base. Acre was the first stronghold in the advance of Jerusalem. Three European kings besieged the city, and Salahuddin marched to relieve it. Prolonged criticism and protests continued for over two years. Muslim armies invaded the city several times and brought alms to the city. However, when the sea route was opened, supplies were delivered to the crusaders and the siege began again. Then there was the epic battle between the cross and the crescent. Salah al-Din's army extended up the Syrian coast and inland to protect it from Crusader land attacks. The German Emperor Barbarossa advanced through Anatolia. There was only token resistance from the Turks. Barbarossa overcame this resistance, but drowned in the Saraf River on the way. After his death, the German army disintegrated and played a small role in the Third Crusade. Acre's defenders held out bravely, but were exhausted and exhausted after a long siege and surrendered in 1191. The victorious crusaders marched on the enemy, violated the terms of surrender, and slaughtered those who survived the siege. King Richard is said to have been killed after disarming the garrison. After resting at Acre, the crusaders marched along the coast to Jerusalem. Salahuddin followed the invaders closely. The 150-mile journey was characterized by many fierce battles. When the Crusaders approached Ascalon, Salahuddin found the city undefended, evacuated it, and completely destroyed it. While the Crusaders dominated the sea, Salahuddin protected the land supply routes. In England, Richard finally confronts the Man of Steel and realizes that he is close to peace. There was a meeting between Richard and Salahuddin's brother Saifuddin. Initially, Richard demanded the return of Jerusalem and all the regions liberated after the Battle of Hittin. Applications are not accepted. Richard then made a historic peace offer to Jerusalem. According to the contract, Richard's sister was married to Salahuddin's brother Saifuddin. Crusaders gave ribs to brides as dowries. Salahuddin gives Jerusalem to his brother. The bride and groom rule over a kingdom with Jerusalem as their capital, uniting the two religions in a family bond. Salahuddin welcomed these suggestions. However, most of the priests and Franks opposed it. The threat was created by King Richard's former connections. Tired and disgusted with the narrow-mindedness of his fellows, Richard wanted to go home. Finally, a peace treaty was signed between Richard and Salahuddin. Under the treaty, Jerusalem remains under the Sultan's control, but is open to pilgrims of all faiths. Freedom of worship is guaranteed. The Franks controlled the coastal areas from Jaffa to Tyre, but most of Syria and Palestine remained in Muslim hands. The Third Crusade concentrated all the armies of Europe on a single goal: the conquest of Jerusalem. But the combined resources of all the European powers and their masters were at their disposal in the pointless fortress of Acre. Salahuddin returned to Damascus in triumph and was praised by his countrymen for his bravery and courage. He accomplished what few before him had accomplished. A united Umma was formed against a common enemy. He devoted the rest of his life to prayer and charity, building schools and hospitals and establishing a just government. This warrior prince died on a, and was buried in Damascus.