Saladin's Public Works: The Aqueducts of Jerusalem

After Saladin's conquest of Jerusalem in 1187, he didn't just restore Islamic holy sites—he launched an ambitious public works program. This episode explores the water system he built to supply the city: the aqueducts, cisterns, and fountains that brought fresh water from the Hebron hills to al-Quds. Lucas and Luna discuss the engineering challenges, the labor involved, and the political message behind providing clean water to all residents, Muslim and Christian alike. They touch on the earlier Roman and Crusader water systems, Saladin's use of waqf endowments to fund maintenance, and how these projects cemented his reputation as a just ruler. Specific sources include Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad and al-Maqrizi's accounts of the construction. A lesser-known aspect of Saladin's legacy that reveals his priorities as a builder and administrator. #Saladin #Jerusalem #alQuds #Aqueduct #PublicWorks #Waqf #WaterSupply #Cistern #Fountain #BahaadDin #alMaqrizi #Ayyubid #Crusades #MedievalEngineering #IslamicHistory #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo