Muslim opposition: (1144-1169) Nur ad-din's consolidation of power, 1146-54

Question 1

What were Nur ad-Din’s 2 initial goals?

Answer 1

• unite Syria under one Muslim ruler

- refuse the threat from the Franks on his western border

Question 2

What was Nur ad-Din’s closest Frankish neighbor fro his territory of Aleppo?

Answer 2

Antioch

Question 3

Who did Nur ad-Din form an alliance with in 1146?

Answer 3

Seljuk Sultan of Rum who, as their northern neighbour, also stood to benefit from the weakening of Antioch

Question 4

What was the first tentative move made by the Seljuk sultan of Rum and Nur ad-Din?

Answer 4

captured Hab and Kefer Lata, which would secure access to Aleppo

Question 5

How did a Damascene force help Nur ad-Din and the sultan of Rum in June 1149? And what battle did this lead to? What was the outcome of this battle?

Answer 5

helped with a direct assault on Antioch’s key strongholds

The Battle of Inab on 29 June 1149 - Raymond of Poitiers, prince of Antioch, was beheaded

Question 6

How did Nur ad-Din take advantage of his success at the Battle of Inab?

Answer 6

through a continued campaign in Antioch, before negotiating a treaty with the Franks

Question 7

What castle did Nur ad-Din capture following the Battle of Inab?

Answer 7

the castle at Tortosa, in Tripoli

Question 8

By the summer of 1150, what region did Nur ad-Din successfully control?

Answer 8

his border extended westwards to the line of the Orontes River valley

Question 9

What did the Edessans do in November 1146?

Answer 9

tried to take back control of the city from Islamic rule

Question 10

How did Nur ad-Din force the Edessans to surrender or flee their city?

Answer 10

In November 1146 he arrived with his Aleppan troops

Question 11

How many were killed in November 1146 in the massacre that followed Nur ad-Din’s ultimatum in Edessa?

Answer 11

30,000

Question 12

After providing support for Damascus (2nd crusade) who did Nur ad-Din rekindle his alliance with?

Answer 12

the Seljuk sultan of Rum

Question 13

Together, what did the Seljuk sultan of Rum and Nur ad-Din do?

Answer 13

subdued the rest of Edessa’s fortress towns after they’d been lost to the Byzantines

Question 14

What did Sayf’s death provide an opportunity for Nur ad-Din and how did he respond?

Answer 14

provided an opportunity to expand his empire eastward
He couldn’t act though, as this came at the same time as the death of the ruler of Damascus, the campaign in Antioch and the capture of an important Edessan noble

Question 15

What did Sayf’s death come at the same time as? (3)

Answer 15

• the death of the ruler of Damascus
• the campaign in Antioch
• the capture of an important Edessan noble

Question 16

When did Nur ad-Din try again to capture Damascus? and what happened?

Answer 16

June 1151

The Damascenes turned to the Franks and forced him to retreat in July 1151

Question 17

When did Nur ad-Din take control of Ba’albek?

Answer 17

June 1155

Question 18

Why was Nur ad-Din, after the successful unification of Musilm Syria, having to defend his power?

Answer 18

the power of the Franks grew under King Baldwin III and King Amalric

Question 19

How did Nur ad-Din defend Muslim Syria in 1157?

Answer 19

successfully repelled an attack on Shaizar by the Franks

Question 20

How did Nur ad-Din defend Muslim Syria in August 1164?

Answer 20

defeated the Christian forces at Artah. He was supported by the Artuqid Turks and at the Battle of Harim captured several Frankish nobles, including Bohemond III of Antioch and Raymond III of Tripoli. He also established complete Muslim control of Harenc

Question 21

What illustrates that Nur ad-Din’s power wasn’t without limits and he was prepared to turn on Muslim allies if necessary?

Answer 21

1159 the Byzantine emperor, Manuel Comnenus, threatened Aleppo with an invasion. Nur ad-Din chose to join Manuel in a truce against Kilij Arslan, the sultan of Rum, rather than fight with the odds against him

Question 22

What was one of the main reasons Nur ad-Din was unable to persue an all-out jihad against the crusader states?

Answer 22

Muslim Syria didn’t have enough resources to defeat them

Question 23

What was the temptation to launch an invasion of Egypt strengthened by?

Answer 23

thre threat it faced from the Christians - it would be a disaster for Nur ad-Din if Egypt fell to Baldwin III or Amalric, because they would be able to use its wealth to turn on him

Question 24

How many attempts did the Franks launch on Egypt in the 1160s

Answer 24

5 attempts

Question 25

What action did the Franks take in November 1168?

Answer 25

attacked Bilbeis and massacred the inhabitants

Question 26

What happened after the Frank’s brutal actions of 1068?

Answer 26

heir former ally, Shawar (vizier of Egypt) turned to Nur ad-Din for help.
Shirkuh along with Saladin, marched in response to Cairo where his army made camp in order to defend the capital from the Franks

Question 27

How, in September 1171, did Saladin act out of accordance with Nur ad-Din’s wishes?

Answer 27

Saladin and Nur ad-Din planned a joint offensive against the Franks. The plan was for Saladin to attack Shaubak and Nur ad-Din to attack Kerak. The pair would then meet in the middle. Saladin took Shaubak but then retreated before Nur ad-Din reached him.

Question 28

How did Saladin act of accordance with Nur ad-Din’s wishes regarding Egypt at a financial resource in 1173?

Answer 28

When Nur ad-Din ordered a financial audit of Egypt in 1173, Saladin replied with extravagant gifts rather than the promise of an annual tribute