late 12th century · Ayyubid naval commander
Husam al-Din Lu'lu'
Saladin's naval commander; in 1183 he pursued and destroyed the fleet Reynald of Châtillon had sent into the Red Sea, and brought supplies into Acre during its siege.
BIOGRAPHICAL DOSSIER
Life and historical role
Life and political setting
Reported to have been of Armenian origin, Husam al-Din Lu'lu' commanded Saladin's fleet in Egypt. The Ayyubid state used the navy inherited from the Fatimids for operations in the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean.
Role in the Crusades
In the winter of 1182–1183, ships launched by Reynald of Châtillon in the Red Sea attacked the coasts of Arabia and Egypt and threatened the holy cities of the Hijaz. Lu'lu' pursued the Frankish fleet with ships brought from Egypt, caught it near al-Hawra and captured most of it. During the siege of Acre in 1189–1191 he also took part in carrying supplies by sea into the besieged city.
Historical significance and source problems
Lu'lu''s Red Sea victory strengthened Saladin's reputation as protector of the holy cities. His dates of birth and death are unknown. Information comes mainly from Ibn Jubayr, Imad al-Din al-Isfahani and Abu Shama.
Biographical information is linked to the sources shown on the page and to the connected event records. Disputed dates are given as approximate, gaps are not filled by conjecture, and later literary or visual depictions are not treated as contemporary portraits.