Kudüs

Kudüs (Beytülmakdis) is a city located in Bilâd-ı Şâm and frequently mentioned in Islamic period sources. In the corpus, Kudüs stands out as both the center of the Eyyûbî-Haçlı struggle and a destination for scholars and travelers.

In Geographical Literature

The city is counted among the important centers of the Şâm region in geographical literature; Ebü'l-Fidâ, while listing the borders and important cities of Şâm, also mentions Kudüs along with centers such as Yafa, Akkâ, Nablus, Gazze, and Askalan (Volume 2, p. 71). Makdisî, one of the greatest representatives of classical geographical literature, was born in Kudüs (Beytülmakdis) around the year h. 335/m. 946-47 (Volume 2, p. 22).

Selâhaddîn and the Eyyûbî Period

The most prominent historical context of Kudüs in the corpus is its capture by Selâhaddîn-i Eyyûbî and the repercussions of this event on the period's authors. Üsâme b. Münkız, whom Selâhaddîn consulted on military and political matters due to his experiences with the Haçlılar, passed away in Dımaşk in 584/1188 after having the joy of seeing Kudüs captured by Selâhaddîn (Volume 1, p. 153). The works of authors contemporary with Selâhaddîn, such as İbnü'l-Esîr, Bahâeddîn b. Şeddâd, İmâdüddîn el-İsfahânî, and Kâdî el-Fâzıl, are the primary sources consulted to determine the political and social dynamics of Eyyûbî history (Volume 1, p. 202).

Stop for Scholars and Travelers

Kudüs was also an important stop on the scholarly itinerary of the era's scholars and travelers. Bağdâdî, who completed his education in Bağdat, went to Kudüs in 1192 to meet and get acquainted with Selâhaddîn-i Eyyûbî; Selâhaddîn, appreciating his scholarly knowledge, appointed him as a müderris to Dımaşk Camii with a monthly salary of 100 dinars (Volume 1, p. 164). The Haleb historian İbnü'l-Adîm also visited Kudüs among the cities where he pursued his scholarly activities (Volume 1, p. 135).

The city was also one of the destinations for scholarly journeys undertaken for hadith studies. Münzirî organized scholarly journeys to İskenderiye, Dımaşk, Kudüs, Halep, Harran, Gazze, and Ruha, listening to hadith from scholars there (Volume 1, p. 174). Ebû Şâme went to Kudüs in 624/1226, and after staying there for a short period, returned to Dımaşk and joined the study circle of İzzeddîn b. Abdüsselâm (Volume 1, p. 178). İbn Vâsıl, a versatile scholar, pursued his scholarly activities in Dımaşk, Kudüs, Halep, Kerek, and Hama under the patronage of Eyyûbî rulers (Volume 1, p. 186).