 Shawar died in 1169 and Shirkuh became vizier , but he too died later that year . After Shirkuh 's death , Saladin was appointed vizier by the Fatimid caliph al @-@ Adid because there was " no one weaker or younger " than Saladin , and " not one of the emirs obeyed him or served him " , according to medieval Muslim chronicler Ibn al @-@ Athir . Saladin soon found himself more independent than ever before in his career , much to the dismay of Nur al @-@ Din who attempted to influence events in Egypt . He permitted Saladin 's elder brother , Turan @-@ Shah , to supervise Saladin in a bid to cause dissension within the Ayyubid family and thus undermining its position in Egypt . Nur al @-@ Din satisfied Saladin 's request that he be joined by his father Ayyub . However , Ayyub was sent primarily to ensure that Abbasid suzerainty was proclaimed in Egypt , which Saladin was reluctant to undertake due to his position as the vizier of the Fatimids . Although Nur al @-@ Din failed to provoke the Ayyubids into rivalry , the extended Ayyubid family , particularly a number of local governors in Syria , did not entirely back Saladin . 
