Last article tackled Salah al-Din taking over the ministry of Egypt, the incident of Sudan, the death of Caliph Al-Adid at the age of twenty-three, a death which marked the end of the Fatimid State in Egypt. As for Salah al-Din, historian Abu Al-Mudaffar bin KazUghly said: “Salah al-Din joined Al-Adid’sfuneral, walked behind his casket at his funeral, washed and shrouded him, and buried him with his family. Salah al-Din seized the money, ammunition, antiques, jewels, slaves, servants, horses, belongings and all what was in the palace. The precious jewels that were in the palace were similar to none, no caliph or king owned them, they had been collected overyears… and they found unlimited and uncountable money. Salah al-Dinexcluded the family of Al-Adidaway from the palace, yet giving them all what they needed, and handed them over to a servant called Qaraqosh, who isolated men from women and confiscated them” .Salah al-Din distributed the palace’s money among the soldiers, he sold a number of maidservants and slaves,gave Judge Al-Fadelall the palace books he wanted, and sent gifts to King Al-Adel Nur al-Din in Aleppo. Hence, Salah al-Din Yusuf ibnAyyub took control of Egypt.
Sultan Salah al-Din ibnAyyub (567- 589 AH) (1171- 1193 AD)
He is Sultan Al-Malik Al-Nasir Abu Al-Muzaffar Salah Al-Din bin Yusuf, the son of Prince Najm Al-Din Ayyub. He was born in Tikrit in Iraq in 532 AH (1138 AD), on the night of his father’s departure from the Tikrit Citadel, as he had been its governor. Salah al-Din spent his childhood in Damascus, his youth in the court of King Nur al-Din, where his father and uncle became among his greatest men. Salah al-Din excelled militarily and came thrice to Egypt in the company of his uncle Asad al-Din Shirkuh, until he took over its ministry and was called Al-Malek al-Naser in 564 AH (1169 AD). Salah al-Din sent to King Nur al-Din asking to have his father Najm al-Din Ayyub, the king sent his father to Egypt in 565 AH (1170 AD); IbnTaghri mentions: “When Najm al-Din approached the Egyptian lands, his son Sultan Salah al-Din went out in the company of all the princes of Egypt to meet him, Salah al-Din and all the princes dismounted and walked in his procession. His son Salah al-Din said to him: “This matter is yours (referring to the ministry) it is the Sultanate now, and the management of Egypt, we are all at your service.”Najm al-Din answered: “My son, God has chosen you for this matter because you are worthy of it!” Najm al-Din refused to take over the Sultanate, however, his son Salah al-Din appointed him as a ruler of treasures, so he took from them all what he desired without consulting Salah al-Din”
Meanwhile, the wars between Salah al-Din and the Franks were going on, as the Franks reached Damietta and besieged it for two months; in the meantime, Salah al-Din asked Caliph Al-Adidfor money, so he sent him so much money that Salah Al-Din said: “I have never seen a more generous than Al-Adid! During the siege of the Franks on Damietta, he allocated for me a million dinars besides garments and other things.” The Franks departed after epidemic spread among them, killing a large number of them.
Salah al-Din was eager to reform the conditions of Egypt. Meanwhile, he received a message from King Nur al-Din from Damascus, ordering him to mention Banu al-Abbas instead of Al-Adidin their sermons. He asserted on this order until no mentions of Al-Adid were made in the sermons, Al-Adid was ill then and died shortly thereafter in 567 AH (1172 AD). IbnTaghri mentions that Salah al-Din regretted removing Al-Adid’s name from the sermons, saying, “I wish I had waited until he died!”…This was how Salah al-Din took over the rule of Egypt. While about his personality and rule… And… Stories about beautiful Egypt neverend!
The General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
