Saladin and the Abbasid Caliph Al-Nasir: A Fragile Alliance

When Saladin conquered Jerusalem in 1187, he was the most powerful Muslim ruler of his age. Yet he never fully won the trust of the man who could legitimize his rule: the Abbasid caliph al-Nasir li-Din Allah. This episode explores the tense and complex relationship between the sultan and the caliph, from Saladin's overthrow of the Fatimids to al-Nasir's secret dealings with the Assassins and his refusal to back the jihad. We also look at how the caliph's suspicion shaped Saladin's diplomacy, and how after Saladin's death, al-Nasir turned against his sons. Drawing on the chronicles of Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad and Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani, we uncover a political chess game that has been largely overlooked. #Saladin #AlNasir #AbbasidCaliphate #Crusades #Ayyubid #BahaAdDin #ImadAdDin #Hattin #Jerusalem #Assassins #Baghdad #Diplomacy #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #MedievalHistory #Legitimacy #SunniShia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo