Imad ad-Din Zengi

Timeline

1. 1100–1127Aleppo · SyriaZengi came from a family of Turkic military slaves of Ajam origin; between 1111 and 1120 he served among various factions in Syria and northern Iraq, accumulating military experience and connections. In 1124 he took part in besieging a Crusader stronghold, preparing for his later sole control of Mosul and Aleppo.
2. 1127–1146Mosul · IraqIn 1127 Zengi became atabeg of Mosul, later annexing Aleppo and establishing a military-political entity spanning northern Mesopotamia and northern Syria. He integrated local emirs to fight the Crusaders, captured the County of Edessa in 1144, shaking the Christian world and establishing the Zengid dynasty's position at the forefront of Islamic jihad.