Salah-ad-Din

Saladin (1138-1193) leader of Muslim tribes during period of the Crusades. He is widely revered as the ideal of a Warrior-King – fierce in battle and generous to his enemies. He united the Muslim territories and succeeded in driving out the crusaders from the Holy city of Jerusalem.It is said many of the western crusader knights learnt a great deal about chivarly from this great Sultan of Egypt.

Life of Saladin

"Saladin  was born (1138) to a Kurdish family in Tikrit (Now part of northern Iraq). in 1171, he gained control over Egypt and then later Syria. Based in Damascus, Saladin united the disparate Muslim regions into a unified force. He was strict and ruthless in maintaining power. He used tremendous military and political skill to remain the unquestioned leader of the Arabs. By, 1177, Saladin had built up an army capable of taking on the crusaders.

The crusaders had controlled Jerusalem for many years. Its sack and murder of all inhabitants remained a painful memory for Muslims. To make matters worse, the current Christian occupiers of Jerusalem (under Raynald of Chatillon) would frequently harass Muslim pilgrims on the way to Mecca and Medina.

Thus in 1187, Saladin bought his massive army to the gates of Jerusalem and at the battle of Hattin, his army destroyed the Christian army enabling him to retake the city. However, Saladin did allow the survivors of the city to flee to ships taking them out of the holy land.