Saladin's Siege of Mosul 1186: The Unification of Syria and Iraq

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Saladin's longest and most difficult siege — the 1185–1186 campaign against Mosul. While earlier episodes covered battles against Crusaders, this one focuses on Saladin's effort to unite the Muslim world under his rule. The key figure is Izz ad-Din Mas'ud, the Zengid ruler of Mosul who resisted Saladin for years. The siege ended not with a bloody conquest but with a negotiated settlement that brought Mosul into the Ayyubid sphere. Lucas explains the political backdrop: the shifting alliances among Zengid emirs, the role of the Abbasid caliph al-Nasir, and the challenges of fighting fellow Muslims. The episode draws on Ibn al-Athir and Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad, and highlights how Saladin's diplomacy was as important as his military campaigns in building his empire. #Saladin #Mosul #SiegeOfMosul #IzzAdDinMasud #Zengid #Ayyubid #IbnAlAthir #BahaAdDin #AlNasir #MedievalHistory #Crusades #IslamicHistory #Diplomacy #Unification #MiddleEast #History #FexingoHistory #Siege Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo