Saladin The great:Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb Kurdish: (ca. 1138 – March 4, 1193), better known in
the Western world as Saladin, was a Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan
of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim opposition
to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant. At the height of his
power, his sultanate included Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Hejaz, Yemen, and
parts of North Africa.
Under his personal leadership, his forces defeated the
Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, leading the way to his re-capture of
Palestine, which had been seized from the Fatimid Egyptians by the Crusaders 88
years earlier. Though the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem would continue to exist
for a period, its defeat at Hattin marked a turning point in its conflict with
the Muslims and Arabs. As such, Saladin is a prominent figure in Kurdish, Arab,
and Muslim culture. Saladin was a strict adherent of Sunni Islam. His noble and
chivalrous behavior was noted by Christian chroniclers, especially in the
accounts of the Siege of Kerak, and despite being the nemesis of the Crusaders,
he won the respect of many of them, including Richard the Lionheart; rather
than becoming a hated figure in Europe, he became a celebrated example of the
priniples cof chivalry.
Table of contentsa
1. Early life:
2. Early expeditions:
3. In Egypt:
4. Sultan of Egypt:
5. Acquisition of Syria
6. Further conquests
7. Campaign against Assassins
8. Return to Cairo and forays in Palestine
9. Battles and truce with Baldwin
10. Domestic issues
11. Imperial expansions
12. Possession of Aleppo
13. Fight for Mosul
14. Wars against Crusaders
15. Capture of Jerusalem
16. Third Crusade
17. Death:
18. Family:
19. Recognition and legacy
20. Western world
3. In Egypt:
4. Sultan of Egypt:
5. Acquisition of Syria
6. Further conquests
7. Campaign against Assassins
8. Return to Cairo and forays in Palestine
9. Battles and truce with Baldwin
10. Domestic issues
11. Imperial expansions
12. Possession of Aleppo
13. Fight for Mosul
14. Wars against Crusaders
15. Capture of Jerusalem
16. Third Crusade
17. Death:
18. Family:
19. Recognition and legacy
20. Western world
