The rule of the Kurdish Ayyubids in Egypt, Syria and Yemen, their wars against the crusaders, the fall of the Fatimids in Egypt at the hand of this dynasty and their defeat of the Zangid atabaks in the Jazira and Syria, Constitute some of the most important events in Islamic history. Before attempting a study of this dynasty’s rule in Egypt, Syria and the Jazira, their beliefs and practices or the buildings which have survived from the period, it is necessary to complete a scientific evaluation of the sources. In this paper, the existing sources have been divided into four groups. I have concentrated on the first group: original sources.
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