World conqueror 2 counterattack12/28/2023 ![]() The aggressive actions of Reynald did help bring more Muslims to Saladin's banner. It would take several years for the tide to turn in Saladin’s favor, as the contestants jockeyed for advantage," wrote Man. ![]() His authority remained tenuous in a region seething with unstable elements. He caught Saladin off guard, attack his men at Montgisard in 1177, killing 2,000 of Saladin's men. However, before he could consolidate his power further he was attacked by Reynald de Châtillon, a Christian crusader who had been harrassing Muslim caravans. It was at this point he took the name Sultan Salah al-Din meaning 'Righteousness of the Faith'. Only Aleppo and Mosul remained outside his control. By 1176, when he returned to Cairo, he was master of Syria, Egypt, and much of north Africa and the west of Arabia," wrote Man ![]() Future unity meant that current enemies would one day be allies, so he was magnanimous, banning indiscriminate slaughter and releasing captives. Twice he survived attempts on his life by the most violent of the Shia subsects, the Assassins, dedicated to killing anyone of whom they disapproved. "It took two years to beat or cajole them into allegiance. While Saladin downplayed his ambition, Damascus offered a foothold in Syria, but the other major cities of Mosul, Edessa, Aleppo, Hama, Baalbek and Homs were all semi-independent. Saladin was invited by the governor of Damascus to take control of the city, and so he left Egypt, now much richer and prosperous. To do this, he had to get back to Syria," wrote Man. "Saladin saw he could fill the void by pursuing a grand vision: to unite Egypt and Syria, and on this foundation retake Jerusalem and drive out the Crusaders. In 1174, another fortunate turn of events played into Saladin's hands as Nur al-Din, his mentor, collapsed and died after playing a game of polo. The early years of Saladin's rule in Egypt seem to have been very successful with taxation of the rich, alms given to the poor and trade encouraged among all nationalities and religions. (Image credit: Photo Researchers / Contributor via Getty Images) Saladin united the Muslim world through alliances and conquest, joining Egypt and Syria under his rule. Saladin was now ruler of Egypt and still only in his early 30s. ![]() He was additionally aided by the surprising death of the caliph aged only 20, possibly from poisoning. 10, 1171), in the Friday prayers, he had the name of the local caliph replaced by that of the Baghdad caliph- the start of Saladin’s Ayyubid Dynasty (1171-1260)," wrote Man. On the first day of the Muslim new year (Sept. "In response, he built a ruthless secret service, put his father in charge of Alexandria and his elder brother in charge of the south, built up the navy and replaced Shiite officials with Sunnis. Meanwhile, the presence of so many Syrians in Egypt was raising tensions in the region too. However, he now found his loyalties divided between Egypt where he was now an advisor to the young caliph al-Adid, to the caliph in Baghdad and to Nur al-Din in Damascus. Saladin, his modesty unaffected by power and splendor, committed himself not just to jihad, but also to good government and service to the Sunni Caliph in Baghdad," wrote Man In a lavish ceremony, Caliph al-Adid confirmed him in office, spelling out in flowery words Saladin’s duty to wage holy war: 'As for the jihad, thou art the nursling of its milk… Gird up therefore the shanks of spears to meet it'. Baalbek - ancient, with crisp air smelling of orchards and gardens - was at the centre of the Muslim world, which reached from Spain to India and inspired glorious buildings, rich literature and first-rate science," wrote John Man, historian and author of " Saladin: The Life, the Legend and the Islamic Empire (opens in new tab)" (Random House, 2013) in "Saladin: The First Sultan" for All About History (opens in new tab) magazine issue 102. This was the first of many strokes of good luck that shaped his life. "His father, Ayyub, took him to Baalbek in today’s Lebanon to escape a family feud. He was the son of Najm al-Dīn Ayyūb, a politician and soldier, and the family moved around, living in Baalbek, then Mosul during Saladin's early life and later Damascus as he approached his teenage years. Saladin, full name Al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, was a Sunni Muslim Kurd, born in Tikrit, Upper Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) in 1137, known in his younger years as simply Yusuf. He also has a positive reputation in the West, despite having fought against the Crusaders, thanks to perceptions of his relative nobility and fairness. Saladin is remembered as a great military leader whose legacy as a uniting figure for different Islamic sects means he is a prominent figure in a number of cultures.
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