Saladin's Kurdish Roots: The Tribe That Raised a Sultan

Saladin is often remembered as the great Muslim leader who recaptured Jerusalem, but his family background is less known. This episode explores Saladin's Kurdish origins, his father Najm ad-Din Ayyub and uncle Shirkuh, and the world of the Rawadid and Hadhabani tribes. We trace Saladin's journey from Tikrit to the courts of Zengid Syria, and how his Kurdish identity shaped his leadership, military strategy, and diplomacy. Drawing on Ibn al-Athir, Baha ad-Din, and Imad ad-Din, we examine the tribal networks that supported his rise and the tensions between Kurdish and Turkish factions in his army. Learn how Saladin's early years in Baalbek and Damascus, his education in Sunni theology, and his service to Nur al-Din prepared him for his later campaigns. Also covered: the role of his family, including his son al-Afdal and brother al-Adil, and how Kurdish traditions of hospitality and warfare influenced Ayyubid rule. #Saladin #Kurdish #Rawadid #Hadhabani #Ayyubid #NurAlDin #Shirkuh #NajmAdDinAyyub #Tikrit #Zengid #Baalbek #Damascus #KurdishTribes #IbnAlAthir #BahaAdDin #ImadAdDin #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo