Power and legitimacy in the medieval Muslim world: the career of Imad al-Din Zengi (1085-1146)

While known for his accomplishments surrounding the Fall of Edessa in 1144, the career of Imad al-Din Zengi receives little coverage in the modern Historiography on the Crusades. Even though the careers of other famous Muslim warriors during the Crusading period tend to overshadow his accomplishments, Zengi had a remarkable career which provided him the opportunities to advance his own agenda within the larger Saljuq political structure. This structure allowed Zengi the opportunity to establish power within the Levant (modern day Syria, Iraq). Zengi succeeded in further stabilizing his own military position through manipulation of both political relationships and religious practices, specifically the calling for and waging of jihad, both of which allowed him to build toward developing his own independence from the Saljuq sultanate.