The Art And Architecture of Islamic Cairo

CHAPTER FOUR
Ayyubid Architecture
100 The Art and Architecture of Islamic Cairo
Salah al-Din, son of Najm al-Din Ayyub, founded the Ayyubid dynasty,
which lasted in Egypt for just eighty-one years (1171–1252). It was an
age dominated by the Crusades, when Salah al-Din restored Muslim
self-esteem after the humiliation of the Frankish occupation of the
Levant and capture of Jerusalem in 1187. The conflict, however, was
not a simple contest between Muslims and Christians, because most
of Salah al-Din’s military campaigns were directed against his Muslim
adversaries rather than the Franks. This began almost as soon as he
assumed power in Egypt when he was still officially in the service of
the Zangid prince Nur al-Din. As he increased and consolidated his
power base in Egypt he gained more independence and paid only
lip-service to Nur al-Din, rendering little in the way of monetary or
military tribute. He continued to build his own formidable army and
conflict between the two men would have been inevitable had it not
been for Nur al-Din’s death in 1174. With his death the Zangid
territories in Syria and Mesopotamia disintegrated into small
principalities as various opportunists and members of Nur al-Din’s
family fought over the spoils.
Like Nur al-Din, Salah al-Din understood that the long-term
defeat of the Franks depended on reuniting these territories with
Egypt. He now had the will and strength to do this, and for the
best part of twelve years his energies were directed at his Muslim
opponents while keeping a circumspect distance between himself
and the Franks. When he had completely secured Ayyubid control
over Syria, he then turned his attention towards the Crusader
kingdoms. His caution with the Franks had finally evaporated with