Al-Adel

Al-Malik Al `Âdil Sayf AD-DIN ( Safadin known as “ the Juste ”), 1143 - 1218), sultan ayyoubide (1200 - 1218), brother of Saladin

Biography

Appointed governor of Egypt by Saladin whereas this one operates in Syria against the Francs, Al-Adel supports it at the time of the reconquest of Jerusalem after the Bataille of Hattin in 1187.

It takes part in the negotiations between the king of England Richard Lion-hearted and Saladin in 1191. Richard claims Jerusalem, the territory in the west of the the Jordan and the true cross, that the Moslems took in Hâttin. Saladin refuses in block, but opens the negotiations. Richard then proposes to give his sister, widow of king de Sicile, in marriage with Al-Adel. He would give the grounds which he controls, of Acre to Ascalon, with his/her sister, while Saladin would yield its possessions of the littoral to his/her brother. The cross would be entrusted to them, and the prisoners of the two camps would be released. The agreement likes Al-Adel. Saladin accepts, conscious that it is about a trick. Its refusal would have displeased with Al-Adel, and causes the discord between the brothers. Richard, uncovered, must move back: his/her sister refuses to marry a Moslem!

At the beginning of September 1192, a peace is finally signed for five years between Richard and Saladin: the littoral of Palestine, of Tyr to Jaffa, remains with the Francs whereas Saladin preserves the interior. The crusaders obtain the free access to Jerusalem.

With died of Saladin the March 3rd 1193, the sultanate ayyubide is divided into four branches. Al-Adel will reunify the possessions ayyubides (1193 - 1198). In July 1196, Al-Adel, to which his/her Saladin brother had entrusted the castles taken to Renaud de Châtillon on bank is of the Jordan, tears off Damas with its nephew Al-Afdhal Nûr AD-DIN Ali, who had been unable to control.

It takes again Jaffa with the Francs in 1197 then sign a truce with them for one five years and eight month duration (July 1st 1198). Al-Adel benefits from it to consolidate its capacity.

In 1198, Al `Aziz `Imâd AD-DIN `Uthmân, wire of Saladin, is killed while falling from horse during a hunting for the wolf in the vicinity from the Pyramids. Al-Afdhal leaves its retirement to take its succession, but his/her uncle Al-Adel does not have any evil to tear off his new possession to him and to return it to his life of recluse. He becomes sultan in 1200.

Under Al-Adel, which estimates that the holy war does not take place any more to be after the recovery of Jerusalem and the weakening of the Francs, the Arab world knows one era of peace, prosperity and tolerance. It adopts with regard to the Westerners a policy of coexistence and commercial exchanges, and encourages the installation in Egypt of several hundreds of Italian merchants.

In 1202, Al-Adel recommends to his/her son Al-Kamel, “the Perfect one”, viceroy of Egypt, to engage of the talks with the republic of Venice, principal maritime power of the Mediterranean. Al-Kamel guarantees to Venetian the access to the ports of the delta, like Alexandria or Damiette, and their protection offer and assistance. N the other hand, Venice promises not to support any Western forwarding against Egypt. The Venetian ones however made an agreement with Western princes envisaging the transport of almost 35.000 Francs warriors towards Egypt against the promise of a money large sum, and they prefer to keep this secret treaty. They are decided not to break any of their engagements. The doge Dandolo, against the payment differed from his services, diverts the Fourth crusade on Zara, port of the Adriatic belonging to the king of Hungary. The city is plundered (November 1202). The doge then manages to convince cross them to direct their action on Constantinople (June 1203).

In April 1218, the Fifth crusade lance an offensive against Egypt. Tens of thousands of crusaders put the seat in front of Damiette. Al-Kamel, viceroy of Egypt, goes against them but does not dare to face them, and installs its camp in the south of the port, to allow the supply of the city by the Nile. The city is defended in north and the east by a narrow marshy band. North and the west, the Nile ensures a permanent bond with the back country. A chain tended of the city to a citadel, bars the access of the Nile. The Francs are baited in vain three months on the citadel, until the moment when they have the idea to fasten two large vessels and to build a floating tower there arriving at height of the citadel, which taken by storm, fall the August 25th; the chain is broken. Al-Adel learns by a carrier pigeon the fall from the citadel, then succumbs, at 73 years, victim of an heart attack. Al-Kamel comes from to contain the crusaders and to prevent to them from completing to encircle Damiette, in their inflicting severe losses. But the death of Al-Adel involves an coup attempt of State to Cairo, where many emirs benefit from the distance of Al-Kamel to try to install one of his/her brothers on the throne. Al-Kamel must raise its camp and go up towards the capital to restore the order. The Francs can encircle Damiette.

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