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Secondary sourceSculpture2013-03-29

Statue of Saladin at the Cairo Citadel

Ahmed yousri elmamlouk (photographer) · 2013-03-29

A modern bronze-look bust of Saladin at the Cairo Citadel, named for him, with a plaque giving the dates of his sultanate.

A commemorative bust of Saladin at the fortress he founded in Cairo, marking his historic role as sultan.

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Black bronze-look bust of a man in a turban and high-collared coat with embroidered shoulder roundels, set on a dark base atop a red-and-brown granite pedestal. The pedestal holds a white plaque with Arabic and English text reading Sultan Saladin al-Ayyobi, 1169-1193 AD. Beige stone block wall behind.
Statue of Sultan Saladin al-Ayyubi, Cairo Citadel. Photograph by Ahmed yousri elmamlouk, 2013.

About this source

What it is

This 2013 photograph shows a bust of Sultan Saladin al-Ayyubi displayed at the Cairo Citadel, a fortress complex built under his rule. The bust shows a man in a turban and ornate coat, and its plaque gives the dates 1169–1193 AD.

Why it matters

Saladin founded the Ayyubid dynasty and ruled as the first sultan of both Egypt and Syria. The Citadel itself, built on his orders, remains a major monument to his reign, and modern memorials like this bust show how Egyptians continue to honour him as a national and historical figure.

Look closer

  • Why do you think this bust was placed at the Citadel specifically, rather than elsewhere in Cairo?
  • What does the plaque's wording tell us about how Saladin is officially remembered?
  • How might a bust like this differ from a true likeness, since no contemporary portrait of Saladin survives?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saladin on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Engraving of a mounted figure in a tunic on a pale horse, with a banner-carrying rider behind him and a scroll above reading a proclamation. Soldiers with spears and a tent camp appear on the left, and a walled town on a hill behind. Caption below in print reads that Saladin caused it to be proclaimed that he carried nothing with him to the grave but a shirt.Painting

Secondary source

Saladin Proclaims He Will Take Only a Shirt to His Grave

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Primary source

Cairo Citadel

Saladin · begun 1176

Sepia photograph of the Tomb of Saladin in Damascus. A large stone arch spans the left, behind a domed structure with arched windows and a striped-arch window. Ruined walls, a rubble courtyard, and a few people near a ladder stand in front. The caption reads 791 Tombeau de Saladin Damas, with the name Bonfils.Photograph

Secondary source

Tomb of Saladin, Damascus

Medieval manuscript illumination of mounted knights in combat on a grassy field with red-dotted ground. Riders with lances and shields charge; one rider labeled Saladin and another labeled Guy. Red and black Latin text fills the page above.Painting

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