the split between sunni seljuk turks and the shi'ah fatimids of eygpt

what did the shi’ah muslims believe

that authority to be a political and religious leader comes directly from the prophet mohammed

by 1095 what 3 places did they have authority over

tyre, sidon and acre

what did the sunni seljuk turks believe

they believed that a government should be run by adhering to sunna, the customs of the prophet, and shari’a, the legal basis for a state

who died in 1090s which transformed the political landscape of the muslim empires

1. 1092 - malik shahs vizier was murdered, and malik himself died a month later (succession crisis which crumbled the seljuk empire)

2. 1094 - egyptian vizier died, fatimid caliph died shortly after (succession crisis)

what issues divided the turks

1. malik shah had left aleppo to his nephew ridwan who was very unpopular with the aleppans

2. the atabeg of mosul threatened ridwans hold on aleppo as he wanted to extend his power over northern syria

3. the emir of antioch joined duqaq of damascus in an alliance against ridwan of aleppo

what was the effect of all of this infighting

disintergration of the seljuk empire - this meant the fatimids were able to take jerusalem in 1098

the counter attack against the crusaders took a long time to organise and ultimately proved uneffective