وفاة صلاح الدين بدمشق

Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub died in Damascus in Safar 589 AH, according to Ibn al-Athir. ¹

Ibn al-Athir relates that he went out to meet the pilgrims, then returned and fell ill from that day with a severe illness that lasted eight days. ¹

Before his illness he consulted his son al-Afdal Ali and his brother al-Malik al-Adil about the direction they would head after finishing with the Franks. al-Adil advised Khilat, and al-Afdal advised the lands of Rum. Salah al-Din told both of them that they were mistaken, and resolved on the lands of Rum. He gave al-Adil leave to go to al-Karak, and he fell ill and died before his return. ¹

Ibn al-Athir gives two reports of his forbearance: a mamluk threw a spear-shaft at one of them, and it fell near him, and he turned to the other side to feign inattention. He asked for water five times and none came, and he said that thirst had killed him, and he did not blame the delay. ¹

See also al-Suyuti's account. The Gregorian date is derived from the Hijri date.