after
Imad ad-Din Zenki's campaign into Hakkari territory, the Hakkari tribesmen enlisted in the Zengid army as mercenaries, numbering over 4,000-6,000. They established the Hakkariyya regiment which was led by Sayf ad-Din Mashtub (son of Ahmad and grandson of
Abu'l-Hayja Al-Hakkari) and Isa Al-Hakkari. The Hakkariyya along with the
Hadhbaniyya, were the largest and most powerful
Kurdish tribes that made up the Military oligarchy within the
Ayyubid Sultanate.
Emir Mand, one of the Hakkari Emirs was granted the
emirate of Kilis. In 1185, Sayf ad-Din Mashtub the commander-in-chief of the Hakkariyya regiment, Took part in
Saladin's expedition against the
Zengid Emirate of Mosul. Sayf ad-Din Mashtub was assigned by
Saladin to take over
Jazirat ibn Omer. probably using him as a rallying point for his tribesmen, In fact many Hakkari Kurds gathered around him. but Saladin had to give up the campaign. During the
siege of Acre, Sayf al-Din was actively engaged in supplying Ayyubid troops through
Sidon. in the beginning of 1191, he was appointed to the post of commander of the garrison within the fortress besieged by the
Crusaders. Acre was in its throes. Sayf al-Din went out to meet the French Crusader king but the latter insisted on an unconditional surrender, There began desertions from the fortress. Saladin could not break the ring of the siege and Acre fell on 12 July 1191. Sayf ad-Din Mashtub was captured and closely guarded, but he was able to escape. He appeared before Saladin on May 15 1192. Sayf ad-Din was granted the Fiefdom of
Nablus, but died on 6 November 1192. After Saladin, the Hakkariyya regiment were under the service of
Az-Zahir Ghazi and his successors. The Hakkariyya remained the dominant military oligarchy within the Ayyubid emirate of Aleppo, until they were eventually replaced by the
Qaymariyya as the Dominant Kurdish tribal military oligarchs. ==Later years==