When Shirkuh, now vizier of Egypt, dies, the Shi'ite Fatimid caliph al-Adid instates Saladin as the new vizier. He hopes Saladin will be easily influenced due to his lack of experience. Saladin consolidated his control in Egypt after ordering Turan-Shah to put down a revolt in Cairo staged by the Fatimid army's 50,000-strong Nubian regiments.

After this success, Saladin began granting his family members high-ranking positions in the country and increased Sunni Muslim influence in Shia Muslim-dominated Cairo