The last of the Fatimite caliphs, El-Adid, in 555 a.h., was raised to
the throne by Tataë, but his power was merely the shadow of sovereignty.
Tataë's tyranny, however, became so odious that the caliph had him
assassinated a year after his accession, but he concealed the fact that
he had instigated the murder. The caliph appointed Tataë's son, El-Adil,
as vizier in his stead. The governorship of Upper Egypt was at this time
in the hands of the celebrated Shawir, whom El-Adil dispossessed, but
in a test of battle, El-Adil was defeated and put to death. In his turn,
Shawir yielded to the more powerful Ed-Durghan, and fled to Damascus.
There he enlisted the aid of the Atabeg Sultan Nur ed-Din, who sent his
army against Ed-Durghan, with the result that Shawir was reinstated in
power in Egypt. He thereupon threw off his promised allegiance to Nur
ed-Din, whose general, Shirkuh (who had led the Damascenes to Egypt),
took up a strategic position. Shawir appealed for aid to the Crusaders,
and with the help of Amaury, King of Jerusalem, Shawir besieged his
friend Shirkuh. Nur ed-Din was successfully attacking the Crusaders
elsewhere, and in the end a peace was negotiated, and the Damascenes
left Egypt.

Two years later, Nur ed-Din formulated a plan to punish the rebellious
Shawir. Persecuted by Shirkuh, Nur ed-Din sent him with his army into
Egypt. The Franks now joined with Shawir to defend the country, hoping
thereby to baffle the schemes of Nur ed-Din. The Christian army was
amazed at all the splendour of the caliph's palace at Cairo. Shawir
retreated to entice the invaders on, who, advancing beyond their base,
were soon reduced to straits. Shirkuh then tried to come to terms with
Shawir against the Christians as a common foe, but without success.
He next thought of retreating, without fighting, with all his Egyptian
plunder. Persuaded at length to fight, he defeated the Franks and