 The Qal'at el Gundi fortress on the summit |
Qal'at el Gundi fortress was built in the 12th century by sultan Saladin. 3 pilgrimage caravan routes from the Mediterranean area and Africa going to Mecca converged at Qal'at el Gundi. So it was here that Saladin decided to build the fortress to protect the pilgrims. He also planned to use the fortress as a base for launching attacks on the Crusaders in Jerusalem. As it happened, Saladin managed to evict the Crusaders from Jerusalem before the fortress was completed. |
View from the summit
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 Saladin was the son of a high-ranking Kurdish officer in Nur el Din's army. Born in Tikrit, Iraq, in 1138 , he was named Yusuf ibn Ayyub but later he assumed the additional name of Salah el Din (rectifier of the faith) which later became westernised to Saladin.
In 1168 Saladin took part in an expedition to Egypt, under command of his uncle, to head off the Frankan take-over. They entered Cairo as liberators. Saladin's uncle died 2 months later and in 1169, at the age of 31, Saladin was appointed Sultan of Egypt.In 1171 Saladin founded his own dynasty, with the long task of unifying Islam. In the following 18 years Saladin unified the countries between the Tigris and the Nile under his rule.
On October 2, 1187, 90 years after the first crusaders took the Holy City, Saladin captured Jerusalem. Indignation in Europe brought on the 3rd Crusade led by Richard the Lion Hearted. After 5 years of battle Saladin and Richard signed a peace treaty under which Muslims kept Jerusalem.
At the age of 55 Saladin died in Damascus, a hero and a legend.
Although Saladin had the wealth of Egypt and Syrian at his disposal, power had no attraction to him and he gave away all his wealth to others. Although he could be inflexible and cruel, he disliked unnecessary bloodshed. He preferred negotiation and diplomacy to fighting. Besides providing a focal point for Islam, he helped his people in more fundamental ways. He encouraged the establishments of institutes and schools and set up courts of law.
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