SALADIN (Arab. Sala-ud-din, "Honouring the Faith") (1138-1193), first Ayyubite sultan of Egypt, was born at Tekrit in 1138. The brilliance of his career was only made possible by the condition of the East in the 12th century. Such authority as remained to the orthodox caliph of Baghdad (see CALIPHATE) or the heretical Fatimites (q.v.) of Cairo was exercised by their viziers. The Seljukian empire had, after 1076, been divided and subdivided among Turkish atabegs. The Latin kingdom of Jerusalem had existed since 1089 only because it was a united force in the midst of disintegration. Gradually, however, Christian enthusiasm had aroused a counter enthusiasm among the Muslims. Zengi, atabeg of Mosul, had inaugurated the sacred war by his campaigns in Syria (1137-46). Nur-ed-din, his son, had continued his work by further conquests in Syria and Damascus, by the organization of his conquered lands, and, in 1157, by "publishing everywhere the Holy War." The opportunity of Saladin lay therefore in the fact that his lifetime covers the period when there was a conscious demand for political union in the defence of the Mohammedan faith. By race Saladin was a Kurd of Armenia. His father, Ayyub (Job), and his uncle Shirkuh, sons of a certain Shadhy of Ajdanakan near Dawin, were both generals in Zengi's army. In 1139 Ayyub received Baalbek from Zengi, in 1146 he moved, on Zengi's death, to the court of Damascus. In 1154 his influence secured Damascus to Nur-ed-din and he was made governor. Saladin was therefore educated in the most famous centre of Muslim learning, and represented the best traditions of Muslim culture.
His career falls into three parts, his conquests in Egypt 1164 74, the annexation of Syria 1174-87, and lastly the destruction of the Latin kingdom and subsequent campaigns against the Christians, 11137-92. The conquest of Egypt was essential to Nur-ed-din. It was a menace to his empire on the south, the occasional ally of the Franks and the home of the unorthodox caliphs. His pretext was the plea of an exiled vizier, and Shirkuh was ordered to Egypt in 1164, taking Saladin as his lieutenant.
The Christians under Count Amalric immediately intervened and the four expeditions which ensued in 1164, 1167, 1168 and 1169 were duels between Christians and Saracens. They resulted in heavy Christian losses, the death of Shirkuh and the appointment of Saladin as vizier. His relations towards the unorthodox caliph Nur-ed-din were marked by extraordinary tact. In 1171 on the death of the Fatimite caliph he was powerful enough to substitute the name of the orthodox caliph in all Egyptian mosques. The Mohammedan religion was thus united against Christianity. To Nur-ed-din he was invariably submissive, but from the vigour which he employed in adding to the fortifications of Cairo and the haste with which he retreated from an attack on Montreal (I I 71) and Kerak (1173) it is clear that he feared his lord's jealousy.
In 1174 Nur-ed-din died, and the period of Saladin's conquests in Syria begins. Nur-ed-din's vassals rebelled against his youthful heir, es-Salih, and Saladin came north, nominally to his assistance.
In 1174 he entered Damascus, Emesa and Hamah; in Baal bek and the towns round Aleppo. The next step was political in dependence. He suppressed the name of es-Salih in prayers and on the coinage, and was formally declared sultan by the caliph in 1175. In 1176 he conquered Saif-ud-din of Mosul beyond the Euphrates and was recognized as sovereign by the princes of north Syria. In 1177 he returned by Damascus to Cairo, which he enriched with colleges, a citadel and an aqueduct. From 1177 to 1180 he made war on the Christians from Egypt, and in 118o reduced the sultan of Konia to submission. From 1181-83 he was chiefly occupied in Syria. In 1183 he induced the atabeg Imad-ud-din to exchange Aleppo for the insignificant Sinjar and in 1186 received the homage of the atabeg of Mosul. The last in dependent vassal was thus subdued and the Latin kingdom en closed on every side by a hostile empire.