Saladin's Forgotten Heir: The Rise and Fall of al-Malik al-Afdal

After Saladin's death in 1193, his empire fractured. This episode focuses on his eldest son and designated heir, al-Malik al-Afdal 'Ali, who inherited Damascus but lost it within a year to his own brother al-Malik al-Aziz and uncle al-Adil. We trace al-Afdal's brief rule, his defeat at the Battle of the Springs of Tell al-'Ajul, his second chance in 1196, and his eventual exile to a quiet life in a small village. Drawing on Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad, Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani, and Ibn al-Athir, we explore questions of inheritance, Ayyubid family politics, and the human cost of Saladin's 'unified' empire falling apart. No prior episode has covered al-Afdal's story in depth. #Saladin #AlMalikAlAfdal #AyyubidDynasty #Damascus #Cairo #BattleOfTellAlAjul #BahaAdDinIbnShaddad #ImadAdDinAlIsfahani #IbnAlAthir #AlAdil #AlAziz #ThirdCrusade #MiddleEastHistory #MedievalHistory #IslamicHistory #Crusades #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo