Yusuf was twenty-five, and still working for his uncle, when
news came of trouble in Egypt. Vizier Shawar wanted Nuradin’s
help to keep the country out of the hands of his enemies. He
promised to give a lot of money to the Syrians to make them
come, but it was only when Amalric, the Frankish King of
Jerusalem, decided to move into Egypt that Nuradin began to
think about sending his army. ‘The Franks mustn’t get to Cairo
and use the money that they find there to make their armies in
the Holy Land stronger,’ he said.