The sun., 1901-05-05

The Fafmld Callph Was ovsr,hrown In
III by the famous Saladin. who founded
the AyyL bid dynasty, which reigned until 1880
saladn was born at Tekrit in llS-s lie
was tho son OF Kurdish o'lc"r In the en-
ployment first of the Bagdad Callph and
afterward Of the Atabeg ZenH OF Mosil
H. youth was undstlnguished and when
his father became Governor Of Damascus,
Saladn lived ten years at the court Of Sultan
Nur-ed-dln son of the Atabeg Zensn without
making any mark He took no part APP
parantly in the Syrian campaigns OF his
uncle. Skrkuh. who was Nur-ed-din's chief
General he loved retirement, and up TO the
aga Of Is remained in obscurity. he did.
however. accompany expeditions 20 Egypt
in 1894 and 1857 and exhibited great military
capacity in the ensuing campaigns; yet 1t
was with great reluctance that he joined a third
expedition in ll8s which for I'm proved To be
A tta.ping stone 10 empire His succession
TO the Office OF Vizier under the last Fatimid
Caliph on his uncle's death in March, il69,
seems 10 have been due partly T. his kinship
hu- chiefly 10 the belief entertained az the
Egyptian court that a man so young and
ostcn ,ibly unamb,ious would be easy TO
manage The Nizier's position WAS Curl
ou-ly anomalous He WAS az once the Prime
Mlais,ay 4 an hes"tical Shiite) Caliph. and
tho Ieutenant Of an orthodox (Sunnitc) King,
|ur-et-din. With fragrant Inconsistency,
the two names were included in the same
prayer every r day in the mosques. The
Nos,cm population was divided between
the two creeds, but the author of this hstor'
assumes that two centuries OF Fltlmld rule
had given some pIedominarce 20 the Shiite
doctrines To win the devotion Of the Egyp-
iian people was saladin's first object. In order
90 strengthen himself against the IN vitable
Jealousy OF his sovereign. the King OF Syria
and 70 pave ths way for the abolition Of the
Shlite cahphate and the foundation of Ar
independeut monarchy In the Nile Valley
Saladin's generosity and personal charm
soon gained him the confidence OF the Egyp-
tlans and the substitution Of his father anc
brothers in the place OF suspected Officers
OF the court strengthened his position
rising Of the Caliph's black troops wa
| r-pressed after some hard lighting In the
| streets. but hardly was the negro revolt
| cuelled, when Dametta was attacked br
| the combined fsets Of the Eastern Emp ror
| and the King OF Jerusalem. Saladin haC
! inst time 70 reinforce the garrison whiol
proved equal to repulsing even the powerful
! mang ,nels and movable Siege towers OF
the enemy, whilst the Csirens army hsr-
| ra-ssd them outside Famine and storm
came TO the aid Of tho Moslems, and the half
| drowned, starving invaders made peace
and returned In great detection 10 Palestine
| This was tho turning point IN the Franco
| Egyptian struggle Henceforth. ins;eed o'
going forth 20 attack. the Latin kingdom
| Of Jerusalem was forced TO stand upon II:
defence. Saladin followed up the relief Of
| pamietta by raid into Palestine, in th,
course ot which he plundored GAIA, and toob
! Eyla at tie head Of tho Gulf OF Akaba III,
! key " he Red Sea route for pilgrims 20 Mex
ka The result Of his successes against th'
infdels won such a measure oi popularity
| IN Egypt that Saladin felt strong enough
10 take a decisive step. As a richly ortho
dox Moslem, he had chafed under hts forced
recognition Of a heretical Caiph, and h'
| Ind only submitted 10 the situation because
| he did not feel sure Of support To educate
public opinion he had founded three ortho
dox colleges In li7O; and now. relying on
J the prestige OF the Holy War" successfully
waged in Palestine. he caused the name of ~
Ahha,id Caliph TO be proclaimed instead
Of the fatim.d In the mosques on Sept, ~
| III The eccleSastcll revolution passed
! of without Sc .Ggrmgr 'he as4e Uh"d con
gregauon merely looked surprised Th'
! last Of the Fatimids never heard o. his depo
/ sition lie had been reclu-e In his palace
/ since tho arrival OF Ssladin. and when hi'
| name was suppressed. he lay dying The
news was mercifullY withheld from him.
! aud he died ignorant NJ his fall Ill- family
and kindred IN the number OF i5e' were
maintained during their lives IN slded cap
tIvity, being inillged in every luxury except
posterity OF all the tre asures found n th'
| palaces Ssladin KEEP nothing for himself
He gave some to ais followers some h'
presented n his sovereign. Nr-ed din th'
library OF i2o,ooo manuscripts ho gave tc
his learned chancellor, the rest was sold foI