| Sayf al-Din Ghazi II | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emir of Mosul | |||||
 Coinage of Saif ad-Din (r.1170-1180), Zengid ruler of Mosul. Dated 569 H (1173-1174 CE). Obverse: Draped male bust facing slightly left, wearing foreknot; above, winged figures; AH date in fields. Reverse: Name and title of Saif al-Din Ghazi II in four lines and in margins.[1] | |||||
| Reign | 1170-1180 | ||||
| Predecessor | Qutb al-Din Mawdud | ||||
| Successor | Izz ad-Din Mas'ud | ||||
| Died | 1180 | ||||
| |||||
| House | Zengid Dynasty | ||||
| Father | Qutb al-Din Mawdud | ||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||
Sayf al-Din Ghazi (II) ibn Mawdud (Arabic: سيف الدين غازي بن مودود; full name: Sayf al-Din Ghazi II ibn Mawdud ibn Zengi; died 1180) was a Zangid Emir of Mosul, the nephew of Nur ad-Din Zengi.
He became Emir of Mosul in 1170 after the death of his father Qutb ad-Din Mawdud. Saif had been chosen as the successor under the advice of eunuch ’Abd al-Masih, who wanted to keep the effective rule in lieu of the young emir; the disinherited son of Mawdud, Imad ad-Din Zengi II, fled to Aleppo at the court of Nur ad-Din. The latter, who was waiting for an excuse to annex Mosul, conquered Sinjar in September 1170 and besieged Mosul, which surrendered on 22 January 1171. After ousting al-Masih, he put Gümüshtekin, one of his officers, as governor, leaving Saif ud-Din nothing but the nominal title of emir. The latter also married the daughter of Nur ad-Din.
At Nur ad-Din's death (May 1174), Gümüshtekin went to Damascus to take control of his son and entitled himself of atabeg of Aleppo. Saif ud-Din rejected his tutorage and restored his independence. The nobles of Damascus, worried by Gümüshtekin's increasing power, offered Saif ud-Din their city, but he could not intervene since he was busy in retaking Mosul. Thenceforth Damascus was given to Saladin.
Saladin took control of Biladu-Sham (Syria) but Saif ud-Din wanted to take over Aleppo, so he sent his brother Izz ad-Din Mas'ud at the head of an army to fight Saladin: they met in an area near Hama called Kron Hama (Arabic: قرون حماه) where Saif ud-Din was defeated. Later he prepared for another battle at Tell al-Sultan (Arabic: تل سلطان) near Aleppo, where he was also defeated; he went back to Mosul and sent messengers to Saladin offering his alliance, which was accepted.
Saif ud-Din died from tuberculosis, and his brother Izz ad-Din Mas'ud succeeded him in 1180.[2]
References
- ^ "Copper alloy fals of Sayf al-Din Ghazi II ibn Mawdud, al-Mawsil, 569 H. 1949.163.169". numismatics.org. American Numismatic Society.
- ^ Maalouf, Amin (1985). The Crusades Through Arab Eyes. Schocken Books. ISBN 9780805208986.
Sources
- Grousset (1935). Histoire des croisades et du royaume franc de Jérusalem – II. 1131–1187 L'équilibre.
This page was last edited on 15 March 2024, at 03:25