Mu'in ad-Din Unur

Timeline

1. 1138–1144Damascus · DamascusOriginally of Turkish military slave origin, he became the power behind the Burid dynasty's nominal rulers. He reorganized the city's defenses, balanced domestic factions, and maintained a relatively independent political position for Damascus against outside powers' ambitions.
2. 1144–1146Damascus · DamascusAfter Zengi recovered Edessa, Unur watched Zengi's expansion warily while maintaining limited understanding with the Kingdom of Jerusalem to counterbalance pressure from the north. After Zengi's assassination in 1146 the Levant's political landscape was reshuffled again, presenting him with more complex choices.
3. 1147–1149Damascus · DamascusDuring the Second Crusade of 1147–1148, Unur first joined Nur al-Din to repel Conrad VII's siege of Damascus, then rejected the Franks' offer of an alliance to attack Aleppo. He died in 1149, after which Damascus fell into Nur al-Din's hands.