Page "Saladin" Paragraph 50

In the summer of 1181, Saladin's former palace administrator Qara-Qush led a force to arrest Majd al-Din — a former deputy of Turan-Shah in the Yemeni town of Zabid — while he was entertaining Imad ad-Din at his estate in Cairo.

Saladin's intimates accused Majd al-Din of misappropriating the revenues of Zabid, but Saladin himself believed there was no evidence to back the allegations.

He had Majd al-Din released in return for a payment of 80, 000 dinars.

In addition, other sums were to be paid to Saladin's brothers al-Adil and Taj al-Muluk Bari.

The controversial detainment of Majd al-Din was a part of the larger discontent associated with the aftermath of Turan-Shah's departure from Yemen.

Although his deputies continued to send him revenues from the province, centralized authority was lacking and internal quarrel arose between Izz al-Din Uthman of Aden and Hittan of Zabid.

Saladin wrote in a letter to al-Adil: " this Yemen is a treasure house ... We conquered it, but up to this day we have had no return and no advantage from it.

There have been only innumerable expenses, the sending out of troops ... and expectations which did not produce what was hoped for in the end.