Iftikhar ad-Daula

Iftikhar ad-Daula (also Iftikhar ad-Dawla, meaning "pride of the nation") was the Fatimid governor of Jerusalem during the siege of 1099. On 15 July he surrendered Jerusalem to Raymond of Saint-Gilles [Count of Toulouse (1093–1105) and marquis of Provence (1066–1105).] in the Tower of David and was escorted out of the city with his bodyguard.Crusades. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved August 25, 2007, from [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-25603 Encyclopædia Britannica Online] .]

Little is known about Iftikhar ad-Daula, although he is mentioned as governor of Ascalon following the fall of Jerusalem, which suggests he was Fatimid governor of the whole of Palestine.Nicolle, 2003, p. 19.] The Syrian chronicler Bar-Hebraeus refers to him as "a man from the quarter of the Egyptians," which could indicate that he was of Nubian or Sudanese origin as men of Arab or Turkish origin were generally specified as such. Usamah ibn Munqidh's autobiography mentions an emir of the local castles of Abu Qubays Qadmus and al-Kaf (Syria) called Iftikhar ad-Daula whose sister was married to Usamah's uncle, the ruler of Shayzar.

Defence of Jerusalem

Iftikhar ad-Daula had a strong garrison of Arab and Sudanese troops. Hearing of the advance of the Franks he poisoned the wells outside Jerusalem; moved livestock from the pastures inside the city walls and sent urgently to Egypt for reinforcements.Runciman, 1992, pp. 181-184.] He then ordered all Christians, then the majority of the population, to evacuate the city, but allowed Jews to remain within. Although the garrison was well-supplied it was insufficient to man all the walls and was overwhelmed after a siege lasting six weeks.

According to Ali ibn al-Athir's "The Complete History", written around 1232, the Franks killed 70,000 people in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and stripped the Dome of the Rock of great quantities of silver and gold. [Geary, 2003, pp. 428-429.]

Notes

Bibliography

*Geary, Patrick J. (2003). "Readings in Medieval History". Broadview Press. ISBN 1551115506
*Nicolle, David (2003). "The First Crusade 1096-1099: Conquest of the Holy Land". Osprey. ISBN 1841765155
*Runciman, Steven (1992). "The First Crusade". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521427053