Crusader invasions of Egypt

Fatimid-Crusader conflicts
Part of the Crusades
Crusader invasions of Egypt
Date 1163–1169 Location Egypt, Fatimid Caliphate Result Zengid-Fatimid victory Crusaders withdraw from Egypt Fatimid-Crusader border changed Later establishment of the Ayyubid dynasty Territorial changes Zengids seize Egypt[1][2]
Belligerents
Kingdom of Jerusalem Byzantine Empire County of Tripoli Principality of Antioch Knights Hospitaller Knights Templar Armenian Principality of Cilicia French crusaders	Fatimid Caliphate	Zengid dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Amalric I Andronikos Kontostephanos	Al-Adid Shawar Dirgham	Nur ad-Din Shirkuh Saladin

Egypt was repeatedly invaded from 1163 to 1169 by King Amalric of Jerusalem, who wished to strengthen its position in the Levant by taking advantage of the weakness of the Fatimid Caliphate.

The invasions began as part of a succession crisis in the caliphate, which began to crumble under the pressure of Muslim Syria ruled by the Zengids and the Christian Crusader states. While one side called for help from the emir of Syria, Nur ad-Din Zengi, the other called for Crusader assistance. As the war progressed, however, it became a war of conquest. A number of Syrian campaigns into Egypt were stopped short of total victory by the aggressive campaigning of King Amalric. Even so, the Crusaders generally speaking did not have things go their way, despite several sackings. A combined Byzantine–Crusader siege of Damietta failed in 1169, the same year that Saladin took power in Egypt as vizier. In 1171, Saladin became sultan of Egypt and the crusaders thereafter turned their attention to the defence of their kingdom, which, despite being surrounded by Syria and Egypt, held for another 16 years. Later crusades tried to support the Kingdom of Jerusalem by targeting the danger that was Egypt, but to no avail.