alAdid

Al-Adid, whose full name was Abu Muhammad Abdallah ibn Yusuf ibn al-Mu'tasim, was the Fatimid Caliph of Egypt from 1160 to 1171. He ascended to the throne at the age of 17. His reign was marked by political instability and external threats, particularly from the Crusader states and the Zengids.

During Al-Adid's caliphate, the Fatimid dynasty was in decline. Internal power struggles and the growing influence of military leaders weakened the central authority. Several viziers wielded significant power, often changing rapidly, and vying for control over the young caliph. This instability made Egypt vulnerable to foreign intervention.

In the 1160s, Egypt became a battleground for competing interests. The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem sought to expand its influence, while the Zengid ruler Nur al-Din Zengi of Syria aimed to conquer Egypt and unite Muslim lands against the Crusaders. Al-Adid's viziers, in their attempts to secure their own positions, often sought foreign aid, inviting both Crusader and Zengid forces into Egypt.

The most significant intervention was led by Shirkuh, a general of Nur al-Din Zengi, who invaded Egypt multiple times. Following Shirkuh's death, his nephew Saladin rose to prominence. Saladin eventually became the vizier under Al-Adid, effectively holding the reins of power. In 1171, with Al-Adid on his deathbed, Saladin abolished the Fatimid Caliphate and declared allegiance to the Sunni Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad, marking the end of Fatimid rule in Egypt. Al-Adid died shortly after, and his death signaled the end of an era in Egyptian history.