Saladin

1138 CE – 1193 CE

Retrace Saladin's life across the map — 30 events in chronological order, from a cinematic flythrough to a full timeline.

970 CE

Capture of Ramla

chronological order

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Life journey

Capture of Ramla970 CE
The Fatimid Caliphate, also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate that existed from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa and West Asia, it ranged from the western Mediterranean in the west to the Red Sea in the east. The Fatimids traced their ancestry to the Islamic prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatima and her husband Ali, the first Shi'a imam. The Fatimids were acknowledged as the rightful imams by different Isma'ili communities as well as by denominations in many other Muslim lands and adjacent regions. Starting in Ifriqiya during the Abbasid Caliphate, the Fatimids overthrew the Aghlabids and extended their rule across the Mediterranean coast and ultimately made Egypt the center of the caliphate. At its height, the caliphate included—in addition to Egypt—varying areas of the Maghreb, Sicily, the Levant, and the Hejaz.
Battle of al-Babein1167 CE
The Battle of al-Babein took place on March 18, 1167, during the third Crusader invasion of Egypt. King Amalric I of Jerusalem, and a Zengid army under Shirkuh, both hoped to take the control of Egypt over from the Fatimid Caliphate. Saladin served as Shirkuh’s highest-ranking officer in the battle. The result was a tactical draw between the forces, however the Crusaders failed to gain access to Egypt.
Siege of Alexandria1167 CE
The siege of Alexandria took place in summer 1167, during the third Crusader invasion of Egypt, when the Crusaders of the Kingdom of Jerusalem besieged the port city of Alexandria, nominally part of the Fatimid Caliphate but held by Saladin on behalf of his uncle, Shirkuh. Despite the small number of troops he had with him and the dubious support of the Alexandrians, Saladin managed to sustain the siege for three months, until food started running out. At that point Shirkuh arranged for a negotiated settlement, which saw Alexandria handed over to the Fatimid vizier Shawar, and both the Crusaders and Shirkuh's Zengid troops departed Egypt after the payment of tribute from the Fatimid treasury.
Battle of the Blacks1169 CE
The Battle of the Blacks or Battle of the Slaves was a conflict in Cairo that occurred during the Rise of Saladin in Egypt, on 21–23 August 1169, between the black African units of the Fatimid army and other pro-Fatimid elements, and Sunni Syrian troops loyal to the Fatimid vizier, Saladin. Saladin's rise to the vizierate, and his sidelining of the Fatimid caliph, al-Adid, antagonized the traditional Fatimid elites, including the army regiments, as Saladin relied chiefly on the Kurdish and Turkish cavalry that had come with him from Syria. According to the medieval sources, which are biased towards Saladin, this conflict led to an attempt by the palace majordomo, Mu'tamin al-Khilafa, to enter into an agreement with the Crusaders and jointly attack Saladin's forces to get rid of him. Saladin learned of this conspiracy and had Mu'tamin executed on 20 August. Modern historians have questioned the veracity of this report, suspecting that it may have been invented to justify Saladin's subsequent move against the Fatimid troops.
Siege of Ayla1171 CE
The siege of Ayla was a military engagement between the troops of Saladin and the Crusader fortress in Ayla. Saladin successfully captured Ayla from the Crusaders.
Ayyubid Conquest of Arabia1173 CE
1173–1228 conquest
Siege of Alexandria1174 CE
The siege of Alexandria in 1174 was a short-lived and unsuccessful attempt by the Normans of Sicily to overthrow Saladin in Egypt.
Siege of Damascus1174 CE
Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, commonly known as Saladin, was a Kurdish commander and political leader. He was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty and the first sultan of both Egypt and Syria. An important figure of the Third Crusade, he spearheaded the Muslim military effort against the Crusader states in the Levant. At the height of his power, the Ayyubid realm spanned Egypt, Syria, Upper Mesopotamia, the Hejaz, Yemen, and Nubia.
Battle of the Horns of Hama1175 CE
The Battle of the Horns of Hama or Hammah was an Ayyubid victory over the Zengids, which left Saladin in control of Damascus, Baalbek, and Homs. Gökböri commanded the right wing of the Zengid army, which broke Saladin's left flank before being routed by a charge from Saladin's personal guard. Despite around 20,000 men being involved on both sides, Saladin gained a nearly-bloodless victory by the psychological effect of the arrival of his Egyptian reinforcements.
Battle of Montgisard1177 CE
The Battle of Montgisard was fought between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Ayyubid Sultanate on 25 November 1177 at Montgisard, in the Levant between Ramla and Yibna.
Battle of Banias1179 CE
The Battle of Banias was a military engagement between the Ayyubid force and the Crusader force led by King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem. The Ayyubids routed the Crusaders.
Battle of Marj Ayyun1179 CE
The Battle of Marj Ayyun was a military confrontation fought at Marj Ayyun near the Litani River in June 1179 between the Kingdom of Jerusalem under Baldwin IV and the Ayyubid armies under the leadership of Saladin. It ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims and is considered the first in the long series of Islamic victories under Saladin against the Christians. However, the Christian King, Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, who was crippled by leprosy, was saved by his bodyguard and narrowly escaped capture.
Battle of Jacob's Ford1179 CE
The siege of Jacob's Ford was a victory of the Muslim Sultan Saladin over an unnamed Templar Castellan of Jacob's Ford. It occurred in August 1179, when Saladin conquered and destroyed Chastelet, a new border castle built by the Knights Templar at Jacob's Ford on the upper Jordan River, a historic passage point between the Golan Heights and north Galilee. Jacob's Ford is also known by the Latin name of Vadum Iacob and in modern Hebrew as Ateret. Many scholars believe that Saladin's reconquest of the Holy Land and Jerusalem in 1187 was heralded by this earlier victory.
Battle of Belvoir Castle1182 CE
The Battle of Belvoir Castle, also called the Battle of Le Forbelet, was a part of Saladin’s campaign in May — August 1182 against the Crusaders. Crusader forces led by King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem battled with Ayyubid forces from Egypt commanded by Saladin. Saladin took action in Damascus on June 11, 1182, together with his regent Farrukh Shah. Entering Palestine from the south of Tiberias, Saladin encountered the Crusader army coming from Transjordan near Belvoir Castle.
Siege of Kerak1183 CE
Kerak Castle, one of the most impregnable strongholds in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, underwent its first significant siege in late 1183. Saladin, ruler of Egypt and Damascus, besieged Kerak in early November 1183 after its lord, Raynald of Châtillon, conducted raids of Saladin's lands.
Battle of Al-Fule1183 CE
In the campaign and Battle of al-Fule, a Crusader force led by Guy of Lusignan skirmished with Saladin's Ayyubid army for more than a week in September and October 1183. The fighting ended on 6 October with Saladin being forced to withdraw.
Siege of Belvoir Castle1187 CE
In late 1187, the Ayyubids, led by Saladin, besieged the Hospitallers fortress of Belvoir Castle for an entire year before the Ayyubid forces were successful.
Siege of Tyre1187 CE
The siege of Tyre took place from 12 November 1187 to 1 January 1188. An Ayyubid army commanded by Saladin made an amphibious assault on the city, defended by Conrad of Montferrat. After two months of continuous struggle, Saladin dismissed his army and retreated to Acre.
Siege of Jerusalem1187 CE
The siege of Jerusalem lasted from 20 September to 2 October 1187, when Balian of Ibelin surrendered the city to the forces of the Kurdish Ayyubid Sultanate under sultan Saladin. Earlier that summer, Egyptian forces under Saladin had defeated the kingdom's army and conquered several cities. Balian was charged with organizing a defense. The city was full of refugees but had few soldiers. Despite this fact, the defenders managed to repulse several attempts by Egyptian army to take the city by storm. Balian bargained with Saladin to buy safe passage for many, and the city was peacefully surrendered with limited bloodshed.
Battle of Cresson1187 CE
The Battle of Cresson was a small battle between Frankish and Ayyubid forces on 1 May 1187 at the "Spring of the Cresson." While the exact location of the spring is unknown, it is located in the environs of Nazareth. The conflict was a prelude to the decisive defeat of the Kingdom of Jerusalem at the Battle of Hattin two months later.
Battle of Hattin1187 CE
The Battle of Hattin took place on 4 July 1187, between the Crusader states of the Levant and the forces of the Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt, led by Sultan Saladin. It is also known as the Battle of the Horns of Hattin, due to the shape of the nearby extinct volcano of that name.
Siege of Safed1188 CE
The siege of Safed was part of Saladin's invasion of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Siege of Trapessac1188 CE
The Siege of Trapessac took place in September 1188 between the Ayyubid Sultanate led by Saladin and the Knights Templar, who held the fortress of Trapessac. After 2 weeks of siege, the city was captured.
Siege of Al-Shughur1188 CE
The siege of al-Shughur took place in August 1188 between the Ayyubid Sultanate led by Saladin and the Principality of Antioch, who held modern-day Jisr al-Shughur. Saladin captured the two forts, Shughr-Bakas, lying there.
Siege of Laodicea1188 CE
The siege of Loadicea took place in July 1188 between the Ayyubid Sultanate led by Saladin and the Principality of Antioch, who held modern-day Latakia. After a few days of siege, the city was captured.
Siege of Sahyun Castle1188 CE
The siege of Sahyun Castle took place in July 1188 between the Ayyubid Sultanate led by Saladin and the Knights Hospitaller, who held Sahyun Castle. After a few days of siege, the castle was captured.
Siege of Acre1189 CE
The siege of Acre was the first significant counterattack by Guy of Jerusalem against Saladin, Sultan of Egypt. This pivotal siege formed part of what later became known as the Third Crusade. The siege lasted from August 1189 until July 1191, at which time the city's coastal position meant the attacking Latin forces were unable to fully capture the city and Egyptian forces led by Saladin were unable to fully relieve it, with both sides receiving supplies and resources by sea. It concluded as a key victory for the Crusaders and a serious setback for Saladin's ambition to destroy the Crusader states.
Battle of Arsuf1191 CE
The Battle of Arsuf took place on 7 September 1191, as part of the Third Crusade. It saw a multi-national force of Crusaders, led by Richard I of England, defeat a significantly larger army of the Ayyubid Sultanate, led by Saladin.
Massacre at Ayyadieh1191 CE
The Massacre of Ayyadieh occurred during the Third Crusade after the fall of Acre when King Richard I had more than two thousand Muslim prisoners of war from the captured city beheaded in front of the Ayyubid armies of sultan Saladin on 20 August 1191. Despite attacks by Muslim forces during the killings, the Christian Crusaders were able to retire in good order. Saladin subsequently ordered various Crusader prisoners of war to be executed in retaliation.
Battle of Jaffa1192 CE
The Battle of Jaffa took place during the Crusades, as one of a series of campaigns between the army of Sultan Saladin and the Crusader forces led by King Richard I of England. It was the final battle of the Third Crusade, after which Saladin and King Richard were able to negotiate a truce. Although the Crusaders did not regain possession of Jerusalem, Christian pilgrims were permitted entry into the city, and the Crusaders were able to retain control of a sizable strip of land stretching from Beirut to Jaffa.

Event data from Wikipedia/Wikidata (CC-BY-SA). Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected].