Kürboğa I, Salghurid Sultan

Kürboğa (1135-1201) was the sixth leader of the Turkish Salghurid dynasty, and the first to take Egypt. Initially serving as Vizier to his great uncle  Ibrahim Mesud and Mesud's son  Zülkarneyn,  Kürboğa revolted in 1161, deposing Zülkarneyn and taking the title of atabeg of Jerusalem for himself. The war between the two continued for four years, before the final victory of Kürboğa in 1165. His defeated relative fled to Egypt, where Kürboğa pursued him. In 1166, he added Egypt to Salghurid territories.

Kürboğa's reign was dominated by war with the Romans, initially defending against the expansionist John II, and then going on the offensive against John's weaker successors. By 1200, he had succeeded in establishing Salghurid dominance over Syria, and marched east to invade Mesopotamia too, but was defeated and killed by the Seljuk Sultan Kayqubād at the Battle of Mosul in 1201. He was eventually succeeded, after seven years of civil war, by his youngest son Tuğtekin.



