Leaving his brother Tughtigin, surnamed the "Sword of Islam", as governor of Damascus, Saladin instantly pressed forward to reduce other cities which belonged to Nur-al-Din’s kingdom, but were now practically independent. It was the depth of winter, and the cold and snow were severe on the highlands; but his business brooked no delay. Traversing the beautiful Bikaa, the wooded valley of the Litany river, on the 9th of December he victoriously entered the opulent city of Emesa, where Aurelian once made sacrifice to the gods for his victory over Zenobia; and then, masking its castle, which was too strong to be taken by assault, descended the fertile valley of the Orontes to the land of lush fields and water-wheels, to Hamah,— the same Epiphania where the heroic queen of Palmyra lost her throne and liberty. The city opened its gates, and the citadel presently surrendered, on Saladin’s oath that he came as the viceroy and servant of es-Salih. Then he passed on to Aleppo, to the famous "Grey Castle" towering on its round hill above the plain, "a very bride for beauty", which held within its strong walls his nominal sovereign. The Governor and Vizier Gumushtigin had no mind to abdicate his authority to so dangerous a visitor, and prudently shut the gates in his face. Saladin opened a siege on the 30th of December, on the plea that he had come to rescue his liege-lord from evil counselors; but es-Salih, as much afraid of his deliverer as he was distrustful of his governor, came out of the palace, and riding amongst the people threw himself on their mercy. The child made so moving an appeal to the crowd, entreating them, with the tears running down his cheeks, not to deliver him up to this fierce invader who had stolen his heritage, that their hearts were touched; they redoubled their efforts, and their vigorous and repeated sorties made the invader pause.

1175] Attempt of the Assassins

The energy of the defense, joined to a new and disquieting danger, decided Saladin to abandon the siege. Gumushtigin, the vizier, resolved to leave no stone unturned to escape falling into the hands of the Egyptians, sought help from the Sheykh Sinan, the so-called “Old Man of the Mountain”, Grand-master of the Assassins of Syria. This redoubtable secret society, partly religious, still more political, had spread abroad from its cradle at the castle of Alamut in the mountains on the south of the Caspian Sea. Its corps of fidawis, or emissaries, trained to murder as a fine art, had used their daggers to some purpose in the wars which had tormented Syria, and the Society had been rewarded by the gradual acquisition of nine forts among the Ansariya Mountains, forming an almost impregnable chain of fortresses from Valenie (taken in 1125), on the coast, to Masyaf inland. These “Assassins”—Hashshashin or smokers of hashish (their name among the vulgar), more properly Ismailis, or Batinis, “Esoterics”—had taken firm root in Syria at the time of Saladin’s invasion, and were the terror of the country. Nur- al-Din had vainly attempted to subdue them, and had gained nothing by his endeavor except the unpleasant discovery of a warning pinned to his pillow by a poisoned dagger. In Egypt they had supported the lost cause of the Fatimids, from whose sect they were derived, and they probably had a share in instigating Omar’s conspiracy. The Master was therefore willing enough to assist the vizier of Aleppo by sending his fanatics to murder Saladin in his camp. They gained admission without difficulty, but were detected just in time. One of the wretches was cut down by Tughril, the lord chamberlain, at the very tent of Saladin, and the rest made a desperate defense before they were overpowered and slain.

This narrow escape may well have deterred him from incurring further risks. He was threatened from other quarters, moreover: the King of Mosul was raising troops to defend his cousin of Aleppo; and the Franks had already cut the road to Saladin's base at Damascus. Raymond, Count of Tripolis, had been for many years a captive of Nur-al-Din at Aleppo, and after his release on ransom (which was not paid) had become regent of the Latin Kingdom during the minority of Baldwin IV. The vizier of Aleppo, hard pressed by Saladin, appealed to the Count for assistance, and Raymond saw advantages, political and pecuniary, in helping the beleaguered city against the new aggressor. He therefore made a diversion, marching upon Emesa, which was still masked and blockaded by part of Saladin’s army.  The governor seems to have had some negotiations with Raymond, involving, as usual, solid cash. Cheered by this golden hope, the Christians opened the attack on the 1st of February, 1175, and had the satisfaction of succeeding in their main object — of raising the siege of Aleppo; for Saladin was heard of next day. He had already reached Hamah, and was taking up a strong position near the great stone bridge over the Orontes, where lies the village of Arethusa (al-Rashtan). The Franks immediately deserted the famous city, which once gave birth to Julia Domna and taught the child Elagabalus those Syrian rites which he afterwards brought as Emperor to Rome. Saladin entered Emesa, and reduced the citadel, after a stubborn resistance, in the middle of March. At the end of the month he occupied Baalbek. He was now master of all Nur-ed-din's Syrian kingdom, except the districts immediately depending on Aleppo.

1175] The Horns of Hamah.

These successes finally roused Sayf-al-Din Ghazy II, the Atabeg of Mosul, who, as head of the descendants of his grandfather Zengy, regarded Syria and Mesopotamia in the light of a family estate. As a member of the family he had felt no scruple in taking advantage of his cousin's youth and annexing his Mesopotamian possessions; but it was another matter when an upstart, who had no drop of Zengy's blood, ventured to usurp the family prerogatives. Sayf-al-Din accordingly mustered a large army and despatched it to Aleppo, where its arrival was anxiously expected. The combined forces marched against the common enemy, and found him near Hamah. Though he had recently been reinforced by the arrival of a contingent from Egypt, Saladin was evidently outnumbered; for he made overtures for an accommodation, even offering to abandon all his conquests north of the province of Damascus. The enemy, however, would listen to no terms, and roughly told him to retire to Egypt. Driven to an issue at arms, he took up a position by the gorge of the Orontes, on the hills called the Horns of Hamah, where a superior position made up for disparity in numbers. On the 13th of April, 1175, the troops of Mosul and Aleppo marched to the attack, confident in their strength; but taken at a disadvantage and caught in a ravine between the tried veterans of Damascus and Cairo, they were cut to pieces, and the battle ended in a shameful rout. Saladin pursued the fugitives to the gates of Aleppo, and es-Salih’s advisers were compelled to agree to a truce, whereby each side retained the territory it then possessed. By this agreement Saladin remained the undisputed master, not only of the provinces of Damascus, Emesa, and Hamah, but even of the towns of Kafar Tab, Barin, and Maarra, not far from Aleppo itself.

Now, for the first time, Saladin asserted his independence, proclaimed himself King, and suppressed the name of es-Salih in the prayer and coinage. This year he was prayed for in all the mosques of Syria and Egypt as sovereign lord, and he issued at the Cairo mint gold coins in his own name: “al-Melik en-Nasir Yusuf ibn Ayyub, ala ghaya”. “The King Strong to Aid. Joseph son of Job; exalted be the Standard!” So far as his words prove, he had done his best to convince the young King at Aleppo that he was ready to serve him loyally, though he had made it clear enough that he would allow no rivals near the throne. Es-Salih naturally perceived that such nominal service meant real mastery, and would have nothing to do with him. Positively repulsed in every overture of conciliation, Saladin felt himself absolved from further fealty, and in the circumstances there was no reason why he should not take to himself the dignity of King. His assumption of royal prerogatives received the gracious sanction of the Caliph of Baghdad, who sent him the customary diploma and robes of investiture as King of Egypt and Syria; they reached him at Hamah, where he was organizing his new possessions, in May, 1175.

1176] Battle of Tell-es-Sultan.

Administrative duties and the mustering of troops occupied the rest of the year, and nothing of any moment happened until the following spring. But the contest between the houses of Zengy and Ayyub was not ended by Saladin’s victory at the Horns of Hamah. Both sides were actively gathering strength for a fresh struggle. Seyf-al-Din was levying troops among the minor states of Diyar-Bekr and Jezira, with which, in the spring of 1176, he was able to cross the Euphrates at Bira. His army numbered 6000 men, and was further reinforced when he picked up es-Salih’s contingent at Aleppo. Saladin, who left Cairo with only 700 horsemen, had by this time brought up his forces from Egypt to join the troops of Damascus.

As he crossed the Orontes on the 11th of April, 1176, to meet the approaching storm, the sun was eclipsed, the earth was in darkness, and the stars shone clear in the midday sky. Despite this omen, he continued his march, but he had not advanced far beyond Hamah when the sinister import of the eclipse was revealed, for he narrowly escaped a serious disaster. Seyf-ed-din came up unexpectedly whilst Saladin's men were dispersed at the Turkman's Wells (Jibab et-Turkman) watering their horses. Had he attacked at once, the result must have been a victory; but he hesitated, and when he took the field next morning, Thursday 22nd April, he found Saladin ready for him near the Little Caravanserai on the “Mound of the Sultan”, fifteen miles from Aleppo. A bloody hand to hand fight ensued. The lord of Irbil overthrew Saladin's left wing, and was driving it before him, when the King himself charged at the head of his guard and turned the fortune of the day. A sudden panic seized upon the enemy, and every man ran for his life. Most of the Atabeg's officers were killed or taken prisoners, and Seyf-ed-din with difficulty made his escape from the field. The camp and horses, baggage, tents, and stores, all fell into the conqueror's hands.

Saladin showed himself worthy of victory. He treated his prisoners generously, set them free, and sent many of them away with gifts. The wounded, especially, owed their lives to his care, and many were eager to enter his service. As for the rich booty of the enemy's camp, he gave it all to the army, and kept not a thing for himself. In this he displayed alike the instincts of a generous nature and the foresight of a statesman. He bound both his own troops and the enemy's to him with ties of gratitude and personal devotion. The prisoners he had freed, some of whom were men of rank and influence, went back to their homes by the Great River full of his praises, extolling his clemency and great heartedness, and prepared to be his willing subjects. His own men, flushed with triumph and enriched with spoil, were ready to follow him anywhere.

1176] Second Attempt of the Assassins.

After a few days' halt before Aleppo, which still closed its gates, he led them on whilst their blood was hot. A day's march brought them to Buzaa, which they took; next day they stormed Manbij; then they turned west to the strong fortress of Azaz, which cost them thirty-eight days' siege and heavy losses, and nearly sacrificed Saladin's life. The leaguer began on the 15th of May, and on the 22nd Saladin was resting in the tent of one of his captains, when a fanatic rushed in upon him and struck at his head with a knife. The cap of mail which the King wore under his tarbusk saved him for the moment, and he gripped the assassin's hands; but, seated as he was, he could not prevent his going on stabbing at his throat. The dagger slashed the collar of his gambeson, but the rings of the armour kept it out of his neck. All this was the work of an instant, and in another, Bazkush had grasped the knife and held it, though it sawed his fingers, until at last the desperado was killed, with the knife still clenched in his hand. Another cut-throat followed, and fell dead; and yet a third; but the guard was now on the alert. Saladin mounted and rode to head-quarters in panic fear, scarcely realizing that he was alive. The sudden assault of the secret assassin had terrors which he never felt on the battlefield, and this second attempt by the agents of the “Sheykh of the Mountain” unnerved him. It was found that the three desperados had contrived to be enrolled in the bodyguard itself: Saladin hastened to change it, and searched the ranks for suspicious faces; but the emissaries of Sinan had the art to assume every disguise and elude all precautions, and there could be no real sense of security until their master was either crushed or propitiated.

Convinced that Gumushtigin was at the bottom of this dastardly attempt, Saladin redoubled his assaults against Azaz, and at last on the 21st of June the fortress capitulated. Then he hurried to Aleppo, to punish the plotter, and on the 25th began his third siege of the Grey Castle. His attacks were resisted as before, but sooner than risk being starved out, the garrison consented to treat. A general agreement was arranged (29 July) between the young King of Aleppo, the neighboring Artukid (=Ortukid) princes of Keyfa and Mardin (who had throughout supported him), and Saladin, by which he was finally recognized as sovereign over all the dominions he had conquered, and the four signatories bound themselves solemnly by an oath of mutual alliance.

When the treaty was concluded, there came to Saladin a young girl, the little sister of es-Salih. He received her with honor, and asked her "What is thy wish?" "The Castle of Azaz", she said. So he restored the castle to its old owners, loaded the princess with presents, and escorted her back to the gate of Aleppo at the head of his staff. The great Constable Humphrey of Toron had cause to be proud of his Knight.