Soon after King Richard the Lionheart departed Acre to return to Europe Salah al-Din's health was deteriorating The toll his body took the last few years depleted his health. Ibn Shaddad suggested to Salah al-Din that it was time to fulfill the religious obligation for all Muslims, the pilgrimage to Mecca but Salah al-Din never began his journey. To stay within his religious beliefs Salah al-Din made up for missed days of fasting and fasted for more than a month against his doctors direction. In November of 1192 Salad al-Din returned to Damascus where he spent the last months of his life spending time with family and friends. At the end of February of 1193 Salah al-Din became ill becoming confused, loosing concentration, causing his mind to drift. After the dawn prayer on the 12 day of his illness Salah al-Din passed away. For the sultans burial the products used had to borrowed since he owned nothing due to him giving everything away.
With Saladin's death becoming convincingly closer his son al-Afdal began to obtain an oath of allegiance to the sultan for the duration of his life. Then when Saladin's life come to an end, the allegiance would transfer to al-Afdal. Salah al-Din's son Al-Afdal continueed in his fathers footsteps building a madrasa in Jerusalem a year after his father died but dismissed Salah al-Din's closest men and friends Ibn Shaddad, al-Isfahani, and al-Qadi al Fadil. With a different son individually taking Egypt, Damascus, and Aleppo on their own the Ayyubid empire was fragmented but limited due to the age of the sultans 18 children. It would be nine years of fighting before the Ayyubid empire obeyed one master. Al-Adil Saladin's younger brother took control taking over Damascus from his nephew al-Afdal who was unfit for leadership. Al-Afdal would later try to succeed his brother as the ruler of Egypt when al-Aziz was killed from falling off a horse but his uncle would not have it be.
The Mongols began to rise in stature in the area shortly after Saladin's death but a threat was not felt by the Arabs until 25 years later .
With Saladin's death becoming convincingly closer his son al-Afdal began to obtain an oath of allegiance to the sultan for the duration of his life. Then when Saladin's life come to an end, the allegiance would transfer to al-Afdal. Salah al-Din's son Al-Afdal continueed in his fathers footsteps building a madrasa in Jerusalem a year after his father died but dismissed Salah al-Din's closest men and friends Ibn Shaddad, al-Isfahani, and al-Qadi al Fadil. With a different son individually taking Egypt, Damascus, and Aleppo on their own the Ayyubid empire was fragmented but limited due to the age of the sultans 18 children. It would be nine years of fighting before the Ayyubid empire obeyed one master. Al-Adil Saladin's younger brother took control taking over Damascus from his nephew al-Afdal who was unfit for leadership. Al-Afdal would later try to succeed his brother as the ruler of Egypt when al-Aziz was killed from falling off a horse but his uncle would not have it be.
The Mongols began to rise in stature in the area shortly after Saladin's death but a threat was not felt by the Arabs until 25 years later .
"I was told that when the shaykh read the (Koran)verse that says, There is no God but God, on him alone do I rely, the sultan smiled. His face lit up, and then he gave his soul." Baha al-Din