The Battle of the Horns of Hama was an Ayyubid victory over the Zengids, which left Saladin in control of Damascus, Baalbek, and Homs. Although heavily outnumbered, Saladin and his veteran soldiers decisively defeated the Zengids.

Gökböri commanded the right wing of the Zengid army, which broke Saladin's left flank before being routed by a charge from Saladin's personal guard. Despite around 20,000 men being involved on both sides, Saladin gained a nearly-bloodless victory by the psychological effect of the arrival of his Egyptian reinforcements. The Abbasid caliph, al-Mustadi, graciously welcomed Saladin's assumption of power and gave him the title of "Sultan of Egypt and Syria".

On 6 May 1175, Saladin's opponents agreed to a treaty recognizing his rule over Syria apart from Aleppo. Saladin requested that the Abbasid caliph acknowledge his right to the entirety of Nur ad-Din's empire, but he was recognized simply as lord over what he already held and was encouraged to attack the Crusaders in Jerusalem.