Amalric I of Jerusalem
Saladin was a Kurd born in 1137 in Tikrit, a city in Iraq whose district is named Salah ad-Din after him. His father was Najm ad-Din Ayyub served as the warden of the city and had aided Zengi after his aborted attempt at Baghdad. Zengi in turn appointed Ayyub commander of his fortress in Baalbek. Saladin's military career began his uncle Shirkuh, a commander under Nūr-ad-Din. In 1163, Shawar, the vizier to the Fatimid caliph al-Adid, had been driven out of Egypt and requested help from Nūr-ad-Din, who dispatched Shirkuh, accompanied by Saladin. Shawar, once reinstated as vizier, demanded that Shirkuh withdraw from Egypt but he refused. Shawar then allied with Amalric I of Jerusalem, attacking Shirkuh at the second Siege of Bilbeis in August–October 1164, following Amalric's unsuccessful first siege in September 1163.