The city of Bilbeis resisted with desperate fury. When at last it had been taken every inhabitant met the sword. This was to horrify and intimidate the people of Cairo and other cities. Yet according to the narrative of Ibn al-Athir, had King Amalric behaved magnanimously he would have taken Cairo with ease because the nobles had decided to surrender. The massacre at Bilbeis changed their minds. In the old part of the city they set twenty thousand jugs of naphtha afire, destroying markets, houses, stalls, mosques, whatever might be useful to invaders. And here came that same emissary, Shams al-Khilafa, to say they would burn up Cairo with all its wealth before they would deliver it to Frankish hands. And the caliph wrote hastily to Nur al-Din, enclosing a lock of female hair, explaining that he took this hair from one of his wives, all of whom beseeched Nur al-Din to rescue them from the Franks. Nur al-Din agreed to help. So the king, observing how these people in Cairo would do anything rather than submit, thinking he might be attacked from another direction by Turks, considered it prudent to withdraw. He demanded one million dinars in order to seem victorious, but did not wait for payment because of infidels gathering on the horizon. And most bitterly he reproached the Hospitalers for bad counsel.
The sea afforded clear passage to vessels from Europe while Egypt brought to the realm strange commodities. Further, moneys spent by unbelievers enriched the treasury and benefited private commerce. Now all was changed. Into what turbulence had immoderate lust for wealth plunged the Holy Land. William of Tyre laments that wherever one looked there was anxiety, fear, misfortune wrought by the cupidity of one man, Amalric, whose avarice clouded the serenity vouchsafed to Christian Jerusalem.
Perhaps the greed of Amalric did not exceed that of Nur al-Din. He, too, coveted the fabulous treasure that was Egypt. When the Franks threatened Cairo he despatched his most trusted general, Shirkuh the Lion, to defend the city, but also to obtain some purchase there. Shirkuh, they say, was blind in one eye, short and sturdy, given to howling rages, lowly born as was manifest in his features.
With the army went Shirkuh’s nephew, Saladin, whose name means Protector of the Faith. He was born in Mesopotamia of Kurdish descent and called Yusef, meaning Joseph, for these people bestow a Hebrew name when a boy is circumcised. As a youth he lived in a monastery where he studied and could recite the genealogies of Arab tribes. He knew the lineage of celebrated horses. Later in life he pondered curiosities and marvels so that whoever talked with him would learn things impossible to learn elsewhere. What he liked most to discuss was holy war.
He first became conspicuous by exacting tribute from Damascus whores, selling them licenses. Some palmist or haruspex, a Syrian whose name is lost, prophesied that he would one day be lord of both Damascus and Cairo. He was no more than twenty when he accompanied Shirkuh the Lion to Egypt. He went reluctantly, objecting, complaining that his heart had been pierced by a dagger. Were I granted the whole kingdom of Egypt, said he, I would not go. All the same, when Nur al-Din ordered him to take the road with his uncle, he obeyed.
No sooner did this Turkish host bivouac outside Cairo than here came the vizier of Caliph al-Adid, whose name was Shawar. Almost daily Shawar arrived bearing gifts. Who knows what happened next? Many stories are told. It may be that Shirkuh disappeared, leaving instructions to kill the vizier.
He has gone for a walk beside the Nile, said the instruments of death when Shawar arrived with more gifts. Then all rushed to stab him and sliced off his head.
Or it may be that he was invited to accompany some emirs who wished to visit the tomb of a saint. Saladin rode beside him feigning cordiality, then all at once seized his collar to arrest him. Caliph al-Adid demanded it. Why should the caliph want his vizier murdered? Because weak sovereigns hate and dread inferiors.
Now as the vizier plunged shrieking into that horrible abyss reserved for unbelievers, what did Shirkuh the Lion do but present himself to the caliph and got himself named vizier. So he dressed in the silk brocade of office and went to occupy the home of Shawar but found it empty as the day it was built. He could not find a pillow to sit on. Everything was stolen the moment people learned that Shawar was dead.
Three months later Shirkuh the Lion, having gorged on rich food, discovered he could scarcely breathe. Almost at once he followed Shawar to the dolorous house of hell.
Now here came Saladin into the presence of Caliph al-Adid and was named vizier because the caliph did not imagine he could be dangerous, and gave him a title, Victorious King, with sumptuous badges of office. A flowing robe lined with scarlet silk. A white turban embroidered in gold. A jewel-crusted sword. A fine chestnut mare, the saddle and bridle adorned with pearls. Some believe that Saladin carried a stick while going to pay homage and shattered the caliph’s skull with one blow. Next, he put
