(April 1154) the caliph was murdered by his
vizier 'Abbas, according to Usamah, because the caliph had suggested to
his favourite, the vizier's son, to murder his father; and this was
followed by a massacre of the brothers of Zafir, followed by the raising
of his infant son _Abu'l-Qasim 'Isa_ to the throne.

The new caliph, who was not five years old, received the title _al-Fa'iz
binasr allah_, and was at first in the power of 'Abbas. The women of the
palace, however, summoned to their aid Tala'i' b. Ruzzik, prefect of
Ushmunain, at whose arrival in Cairo the troops deserted 'Abbas, who was
compelled to flee into Syria, taking his son and Usamah with him. 'Abbas
was killed by the Franks near Ascalon, his son sent in a cage to Cairo
where he was executed, while Usamah escaped to Damascus.

Frankish invasion.

Saladin.

The infant Fa'iz, who had been permanently incapacitated by the scenes
of violence which accompanied his accession, died in 1160. Tala'i' chose
to succeed him a grandson of Zafir, who was nine years of age, and
received the title _al-'Adid lidin allah_. Tala'i', who had complete
control of affairs, introduced the practice of farming the taxes for
periods of six months instead of a year, which led to great misery, as
the taxes were demanded twice. His death was brought on by the rigour
with which he treated the princesses, one of whom, with or without the
connivance of the caliph, organized a plot for his assassination, and he
died in September 1160. His son Ruzzik inherited his post and maintained
himself in it for more than a year, when another prefect of Upper Egypt,
Shawar b. Mujir, brought a force to Cairo, before which Ruzzik fled, to
be shortly afterwards captured and beheaded. Shawar's entry into Cairo
was at the beginning of 1163; after nine months he was compelled to flee
before another adventurer, an officer in the army named Dirgham.
Shawar's flight was directed to Damascus, where he was favourably
received by the prince Nureddin, who sent with him to Cairo a force of
Kurds under Asad al-din Shirguh. At the same time Egypt was invaded by
the Franks, who raided and did much damage on the coast. Dirgham was
defeated and killed, but a dispute then arose between Shawar and his
Syrian allies for the possession of Egypt. Shawar, being unable to cope
with the Syrians, demanded help of the Frankish king of Jerusalem
Amalric (Amauri) I., who hastened to his aid with a large force, which
united