Ayyubid Sultanate
Egypt, 1171–1250.
Saladin ended the Fatimid caliphate, returned Egypt to Sunni Islam and made it the base of a state that reached Syria and Yemen and fought the Crusaders.
Seat of power: Cairo Citadel
Rulers
Saladin
Sultan, 1174–1193
Ruled through a family network of governors and a professional cavalry army paid with land grants called iqta. He used Egypt's wealth to unite Syria and recapture Jerusalem in 1187.
Portrait of Saladin: Classical Numismatic Group (CNG), CC BY-SA 2.5, file
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Culture
- Work starts in 1176 on the Citadel of Cairo, the seat of Egypt's rulers for the next 700 years.
- Sunni madrasas (colleges) spread to train judges and scholars.
- The Jewish philosopher and physician Maimonides serves the court in Cairo.
Picture
The Citadel of Cairo, begun by Saladin. The domed mosque on top was added in the 19th century.
Image: Ahmed Al.Badawy from Cairo, Egypt, CC BY-SA 2.0, file
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