<span lang="tr" dir="ltr">Kudüs</span> Fatihi Selahaddin Eyyubi (English: Saladin: The Conqueror of Jerusalem) is a Turkish/Pakistani television series produced by Turkey's Akli Films and Pakistan's Ansari and Shah Films. The series is based on the life of Saladin, the founder of Ayyubid dynasty. The television series started production in summer 2022. The producers asserted that the main target of the series are non-Muslims who are unaware of the Muslim history.
<big>Season 1</big>
The television series focuses on the life of 12th-century Muslim ruler Saladin and how he conquered Jerusalem Furthermore, it focuses on his struggles and battles against the Crusaders and his goal to unite the Muslim territories of Syria, northern Mesopotamia, Palestine and Egypt under his rule.
In the show, Saladin is depicted as the adopted son of Nur al-Din Zengi who doesn't know that he is adopted and doesn't know his real parents.
<big>Season 2</big>
After getting thrown into the well by Count Miles, Selahaddin gets out with the help of Balian of Ibelin, the younger brother of Hugh, who is on his deathbed. Balian plans to go back to France and live his life as a regular knight, away from all the messy politics in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but saving Selahaddin changes his fate forever. They both get captured by a slave trader and are taken to Egypt to participate in Dirgham's Spring Festival. The Fatimid vizier Dirgham allies with the new King of Jerusalem, Amalric and plans to let Crusader knights, led by Miles, into Cairo during the festival. Amalric's advisor William of Tyre and chief commander Lord Guy, sent by the Pope both arrive in Jerusalem. Sultan Nureddin sends Sirkuh and Yaruki with Kadñ Fazñl to go to Cairo and reinstate Saver as the Fatimid Vizier of Egypt. When they arrive in Cairo, they realize that Selahaddin is already there, they kill Dirgham and Miles, and Saver is placed back on the throne. Amalric releases Raynald de Châtillon from prison, and he raids the city of Gazze. Tensions ensue between Sirkuh and Saver, which ultimately results in the Zengids getting kicked out of Egypt. They are sent back to Egypt again, but this time alongside the army, with intentions to take Egypt from the Fatimids and Saver. On their way to Egypt, the army is poisoned and Selahaddin and his warriors are left alone to defend Egypt from the approaching Crusader army. Just when Selahaddin and Balian are about to clash their swords, the Zengid army arrives thanks to the help of Karategin and both armies clash in what results in a Zengid victory at Babein, the Crusaders are forced to retreat due to Nureddin taking Harim Castle during the battle. Selahaddin, Sirkuh and Yaruki march to Egypt and kill Saver and the rebel Fatimid soldiers. Sirkuh is placed on the throne, but on the same day as his ascension, he gets killed by Saver's son Kâmil. Selahaddin ascends and becomes the Vizier of Egypt, he clashes with both the Caliph of the Fatimid Dynasty and a famous trader Rakif, the power struggle between these 3 ends when Selahaddin's brother Boru arrives in Egypt, Rakif is quickly killed by Boru, after Amalric marries Maria Komnenos. Balian finds out that Amalric's son Baldwin, has leprosy and must be quarantined until a suitable doctor arrives with the necessary treatment. Amalric decides to march to Egypt with an army consisting of the Crusaders, the Knight Templars and the Byzantines. They arrive outside the walls of Egypt, but Selahaddin hears of Baldwin's illness and sends his doctor Latif to go and help heal Baldwin, upon seeing this, Amalric retreats with his soldiers, but Maria, Lord Guy and Raynald disregard his order and stay to take Egypt, a battle ensues but in the end, Sultan Nureddin arrives and kicks the Army of Jerusalem, out of Egypt, again. The Fatimid Caliph dies and Selahaddin is made the "Sultan of Egypt", he marries à Âemse Hatun and is given the duty of taking Sultan Nureddin's son, Melik ðsmail from Aleppo to Damascus. The governor of Damascus, Gumushtekin, frustrated by this news, ambushes Selahaddin on the road, kills Yaruki and kidnaps Melik ðsmail, so he can take him to Damascus himself. Lord Guy is sentenced to execution for disobeying Amalric's orders of retreating, but just as he is about to die, the news of Amalric's sudden and shocking death arrives, Lord Guy survives. Around the same time, in Damascus, Nureddin passes away before meeting Selahaddin one last time. Gumushtekin and Countess Mila kidnap Sultan Melik ðsmail and take him to Kerek, in order to trap Selahaddin. Selahaddin uses this as an opportunity to save the Sultan, kill Gumushtekin and make preparations for the Siege of Kerek. Gumushtekin is killed by Gokboru, the Sultan is saved and is taken back to Aleppo in order to stop a rebellion from other Zengid nobles.
Baldwin ascends the throne as the new King of Jerusalem, his sister Sibylla marries Lord Guy, sacrificing her love for Balian and to protect Baldwin from any harm that Lord Guy is capable of doing. Baldwin takes everyone to the Mount of Olives to show his miracle, the knights begin digging to find a chest, and after a while, a chest is found, inside, is the Holy Grail, everybody including Lord Guy recognizes this miracle and pledges allegiance to Baldwin as their King. Baldwin sends Balian for the defense of the Castle of Beytulahzan against Selahaddin. After a few days of the siege, Selahaddin comes up with a plan to dig tunnels underground and take the castle by surprise, the plan fails however and Selahaddin gets shot by a poisonous arrow by Lord Guy. This trap results in Baldwin's first victory as King of Jerusalem.
However, a Muslim sheikh saves Salah ad-Din from death and he, returning to Damascus, defeats the army of King Baldwin approaching the city walls. Subsequently, Salah ad-Din captures the castles of Ibelin and El-Karak, and his brother Böryu marries Seyra, the daughter of the merchant Rakif. After this, the health of the King of Jerusalem deteriorates and he tries to make peace with Salah ad-Din, and the treasurer of Mosul, who at one time took the blame for the crimes of the emir Kam-Elmas, ends up in the hands of Balian of Ibelin and William of Tyre. Peace is concluded between the Ayyubid state and the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but soon the power-hungry Guy de Lusignan kills King Baldwin the Leper, and the cruel knight Renaud de Chatillon kills Salah ad-Din's mother and Serya during an attack on a caravan. Sultan Salah ad-Din defeats the army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem on the battlefield near Hattin and takes King Guy de Lusignan and knight Renaud de Chatillon prisoner. Queen Sibylla and Balian of Ibelin organize the defense of Jerusalem, but the Sultan of Egypt and Syria still manages to conquer the city. Balian is forced to surrender the city to Salaheddin to save the city's people, and encourages Salaheddin to establish the kingdom of heaven there the Crusaders could not make.
Cast
On 20 August 2021, the agreement between , owner of Akli Film Production and Pakistan's Ansari & Shah Films producers Dr. Kashif Ansari and Dr. Junaid Ali Shah, on the production of this new series titled Selahaddin Eyyubi was signed in Belgrade. Emre tweeted:
On 18 October 2021, the delegation from Turkey landed in Islamabad International Airport to begin auditions for the drama series in Lahore and Karachi.
The series will feature actors from both Turkey and Pakistan. 75% of the show cast will be Turkish including Selahaddin and the rest of 25% cast will be from Pakistan. In this regard, Turkey's Akli Film Production announced to scout for talent in Pakistan from October 28 to November 1 of 2021 in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad.
The TV series is being shot in Turkey and is planned to have three seasons. Each season will have 34 episodes as revealed by Adnan Siddiqui. Production began on January 29, 2022, as producer, Emre Konuk posted an image with the caption, "Selahaddin Eyyubi yakñnda!" () on his Instagram.
Selahaddin Eyyubi will use sixteen writers over its three seasons. The historical series is being written by Turkish historians with the assistance of Pakistan's paleographers and research writers. Kashif Ansari imparted that screenwriters for the series have enlisted the help of Turkish historians, researchers and authors to make it as close to reality as possible. The initial work on the series was completed in September, after that, screen testing began once the casting was done.
Kudüs Fatihi Selahaddin Eyyubi premiered in Turkey on 13 November 2023 on TRT 1. It ended with its final episode on 26 May 2025.
The series first episode premiered in Pakistan on Hum TV on 6 May 2024.