ZANGID

Founded in 1127 by Imad ed-Din Zengi, the Zangid dynasty ruled in the name of the Great Seljuk Empire - a medieval Muslim Turkish empire that would eventually grow to become the Ottoman Empire [i]. The Seljuk Empire was known for producing successful proxy governments and fierce mercenary cadres that were hired by kingdoms along the Silk Road [ii]. The initial decline of the Zangid was solidified with the rise of Badr al-Din Lu’lu - a regent for the last Zangid ruler, Nāṣir al-Dīn Maḥmūd. Soon after Lu’lu’s rule, Mosul would fall to Genghis Khan’s grandson Hulagu in 1262 [iii].

As proxy rulers for the Seljuk Empire, the Zangid dynasty enjoyed the vast allyship of numerous governments under the Empire’s protection, including different branches of the Zangids themselves. However, when it comes to rivals, none are more prominent than the Crusaders. The two branches of the Zangid dynasty [iv] – the Syrian and Iraqi lines – would eventually reunite in 1181 after a divisive split, creating an even stronger fighting force against the Crusaders. One of the Zangid’s foremost generals, Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, would eventually found the Ayyūbid Caliphate [v] in Egypt and absorb the two united branches of the Zangid dynasty.

The Ayyūbid period spanned from 1171 to 1260, spearheaded by the leadership of the aforementioned General Salah al-Din (also commonly spelled as ‘Saladin’) from 1169-1193. Throughout this time, the territory under the Seljuk - and Zangid dynasty – continued to grow. During this period, revolutionary architectural feats and artistic practices were accomplished, from fortified citadels in Cairo and Aleppo to inlaid metalwork and ceramics [vi]. The dynasty also placed heavy emphasis on the use of higher academic institutions, religious education through madrasas [vii], and the role of women in the arts, both of which are practices that continues in the regions today.

With a dynastic ruling system, all leaders of the Zangid dynasty were of the same familial line of Imad ed-Din Zengi. After Zengi’s death, his two sons took control of the Zangid territory and divided it into two regions; Nūr al-Dīn Maḥmūd ruled Syria from 1146-1174 and Sayf al-Dīn Ghāzī I ruled Iraq [viii] from 1146-1149. There was an additional branch of the Zangid dynasty in Sinjār that ruled from 1170 to approximately 1220. The final Zangid ruler, Nāṣir al-Dīn Maḥmūd, reigned from 1219-1222 and appointed Badr al-Dīn Luʾluʾas his regent, signaling the concrete end of the Zangid dynasty rule.

The history behind the Zangid dynasty is deeply rooted in that of the Seljuk Empire. The Seljuks included two primary offshoots of a Muslim Turkish coalition that ruled large swaths of Central Asia and Anatolia [ix]. It’s important to note that only the Seljuks in central Asia developed to the level of “empire status” [x]. The diversity of the Zangid mirrors much of the variance in the Seljuk Empire which included academics, travelers, merchants, and religious activists. A target of the Crusaders and the Mongols, the Seljuk Empire lost most of its power and territory from 1194 to 1260.

In addition to becoming one of the leading forces launching counterattacks during the first Crusades, the Zangid engaged in large scale expansion under Nūr al-Dīn Maḥmūd [xi]. As well as the regional expansion, art was a core element of Zangid rule. The Great Mosque in Aleppo that was started by the Zangids (and later completed by the Ayyūbids in 1190) is a testament to the elegant and intentional artistry of the dynasty. Unfortunately, a minaret built by the Zangids was “the oldest structure of the mosque completely intact when it was destroyed in 2013 during the Syrian Civil War" [xii]

During his reign from 1146-1174, Nūr al-Dīn Maḥmūd had numerous accomplishments, but three largely benefitted the economy of the Zangid dynasty: 1) annexing Damascus in 1154, 2) conquering Egypt in 1168, and 3) supporting the leadership of General Salah al-Din who would go on to establish the Ayyūbid dynasty in Egypt. The arts also generated a large portion of the wealth of the Zangid dynasty, with the Mosul School of Painting and Mosul School of Metalwork [xiii] producing some of the most revered artists, art instructors, and architectural pieces [xiv] in that period of the Islamic world’s history.