▁Dam asc us ▁with ▁a ▁concent ric ▁wall , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁possible ▁that ▁he ▁also ▁strength ened ▁the ▁def ences ▁of ▁the ▁cit adel . ▁Nur ▁ad - D in ▁died ▁of ▁an ▁ill ness ▁in ▁the ▁cit adel ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁ 1 1 7 4 ▁and ▁was ▁buried ▁there ; ▁his ▁body ▁was ▁later ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Nur ▁ad - D in ▁Mad ras ah ▁in ▁Dam asc us . ▁ ▁Sal adin ▁to ▁Al - Ad il ▁ ▁Im medi ately ▁following ▁Nur ▁ad - D in ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 1 7 4 , ▁Dam asc us ▁was ▁seized ▁by ▁Sal adin , ▁the ▁A yy ub id ▁s ultan ▁of ▁Egypt . ▁In ▁that ▁year , ▁Sal adin ▁rode ▁from ▁Egypt ▁past ▁the ▁Cr us ader ▁states ▁to ▁Dam asc us ▁with ▁only ▁ 7 0 0 ▁hors emen . ▁The ▁city ▁opened ▁its ▁gates ▁to ▁Sal adin ▁without ▁resistance , ▁except ▁for ▁the ▁cit adel , ▁which ▁surrender ed ▁to ▁him ▁later ▁that ▁year . ▁Sal adin ▁added ▁a ▁tower ▁to ▁the ▁cit adel ▁and ▁ref urb ished ▁the ▁resident ial ▁buildings . ▁Like ▁his ▁prede cess or ▁Nur ▁ad - D in , ▁Sal adin ▁died ▁of ▁an ▁ill ness ▁in ▁the ▁cit adel ▁on ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 1 1 9 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁initially ▁buried ▁inside ▁the ▁cit adel , ▁but ▁later ▁re bur ied ▁in ▁a ▁ma us ole um ▁near ▁the ▁Um ay y ad ▁Mos