Saladin: The Sultan Who Vanquished the Crusaders and Built an Islamic Empire

John Man’s Saladin is an outstanding read of an Arabian hero during the Crusades. Strictly speaking, Saladin was not an Arab; he was a Kurd. But most people would identify him as the one greatest or, perhaps, one of the greatest, Arabian heroes. Saladin’s story is the stuff that makes up legends in the Middle East. He was a great leader who turns back the better armed and better organized Cristian Crusaders of the 3rd Crusade.Saladin was born in Tikrit (in what is now Iraq) in 1137, the son of the Governor of Tikrit, Ayyub Najm al-Din Shadhi ibn Shadhi. Saladin’s childhood name was Yusuf al-Din ibn Ayyub. The name “Saladin” would come later. John Man follows Saladin as he was moved to Aleppo (in Syria) as a young child while his father became a General during a civil war between Islamic factions. This was fortunate because Saladin grew to know the brilliant natural leader and very successful administrator, Nur al-Din, who control the Western half of Syria. Undoubtedly, Saladin learned much from him. When Nur al-Din inherited his father’s estates, he took with him the families to which Saladin belonged to Damascus, then a center of the sciences and arts. Ayyub became Nur al-Din’s top administrator while Shirkuh, Saladin’s uncle, became Nur al-Din’s army commander. Damascus was under threat from various factions and required a strong military defense. Thus, Saladin had role models that would prove their worth in training Saladin through the rest of Saladin’s life.Meanwhile, as an artifact of the 2nd Crusade, the Christian Amalric controlled Jerusalem and Ascalon. His objectives were then to control Egypt to expand the area controlled by the Crusaders called the “Franks” by the Arabs. The Egyptian Fatimid dynasty was in decline. The current Egyptian vizier, named Shawar, called for help. In 1164, Nu al-Din responded by sending Shirkuh, who took the 27-year-old Saladin with him. Shirkuh successfully overcame the resistance to Shawar. Then, Shawar, having differences with Nur al-Din and wanting Shirkuh out of Egypt, allied with Almaric. According to Man, Saladin received his first battlefield command as the center’s commander (other texts report the right-wing) in a double envelopment maneuver at the Battle of al-Babein and performed well. Saladin was a rising star. In 1168, Shirkuh was again called to Egypt with Saladin at his side, despite Saladin’s reluctance to go. Shirkuh defeated and slew Shawar becoming the vizier of Egypt. Man states Saladin was his chief executive. Three months after taking office, Shirkuh fell ill and died.At the age of 31, Saladin became the Very Illustrious Lord, Sultan of the Armies, Friend of the Community, Glory of the Dynasty, and al-Malik al-Nasir, the Victorious King. Saladin proceeded to build a strong power base, including a loyal army and a secret service. Saladin ordered Cairo’s caliph to be replaced by that of Baghdad. By dispensing with taxes, creating hospitals and colleges, Saladin won over the people of Egypt. Of note, the great Jewish philosopher Maimonides became personal physician to Saladin.In 1174, Nur al-Din died. Nur al-Din’s son was too young to take control. Saladin could and did, insisting he was at the service of Nur al-din. According to Man, as Saladin was consolidating his rule, a significant problem was Aleppo. Gusmushtgin, the emir of Aleppo and regent to Nur al-Din’s son, engaged the Assassins, a militant Shi’a sect, to kill Saladin. Saladin narrowly escaped the Assassins as an officer in his command recognized the Assassins and challenged them, leading to their deaths. Eventually, Aleppo conceded to Saladin’s rule without a bloody assault.According to Man, Saladin knew that his current enemies would be his allies one day was careful not to be vindictive. In addition, he cemented his relationships with the Nur al-Din family by marrying Nur al-Din’s widow. Saladin now ruled lands from Syria to Egypt and became the patron of Mecca by abolition tolls on pilgrims and reimbursing them for income loss during their pilgrimage. He had united all of these lands under Sunni and pledged, “Our only object in this life… is to fight against the infidels.” It was at this time people began calling him Saladin, the Righteous of the Faith.According to John Man, as chivalrous as Saladin was, the Crusader Reynauld was the opposite. Reynauld came from France on the 2nd Crusade. Brutally deceitful, vengeful, and shameless, Reynauld gained power when he became the husband of widowed Constance, Antioch’s ruler-in-name. How this happened is not clear, but the marriage took place in secret because of the disputable background of Reynauld in the spring of 1153. Man details Reynauld’s rise to become Saladin’s antagonist, including his capture in 1160 and his release from prison in 1176, bitter and vengeful against all Muslims.In 1180, Saladin turned his sight on recovering Jerusalem for the Crusaders. This began with a raid by the Franks from Jerusalem lead by their king, Baldwin, and the Templar Commander, Odo de St. Amand, near Jacob’s Ford on the Jordan. The Muslims under Saladin’s nephew overwhelmed the Crusaders, taking Odo as a prisoner. He would die in prison. However, Saladin did not have the resources ready for a war. Saladin offered peace and remuneration for the fortifications the Crusaders had built at Jacob’s Ford. The Crusaders refused. Saladin was forced to take the fortification using engineers and fire to break the walls. It was the first time that the Muslims had taken a Crusader fortification. Afterward, Baldwin requested a truce, and Saladin agreed.Enter the villain: Reynauld, frustrated by Baldwin’s and Saladin’s truce, began planning and executing raid from his castle, Kerak, North of Jerusalem. His attack on a caravan of pilgrims ignited a firestorm. Saladin protested the truce’s breaking and arrested 1,500 Christians in Egypt when Baldwin refused to compensate for the raid. While there is a lot of information about Reynaud we don’t know (it was 1850 years ago, and Reynaud did not leave us a memoir,) it appears Reynaud’s objective was to take Mecca and destroy it and Islam. However, he did not have the resources to battle over 2600 kilometers to Mecca. Instead, he mounted raids using both land and naval forces.Finally, after building the most massive Muslim army to date, Saladin set his sights on taking Jerusalem but was stalled in a stalemate against the forces of Guy de Lusignan, who then controlled Jerusalem. For two years, both armies of 17,000 troops waited to attack each other when the time was right, but it never came.In 1183, Saladin turned his forces against Kerak and Reynauld. The residents around Kerak wanted entry to Kerak for safety when Saladin appeared, but Reynauld refused them. After taking the outside of the castle, Saladin then turned his forces on the ditches and slopes that defended Kerak. But these were too formidable for Saladin’s army and resulted in a short siege. Saladin broke the siege as reinforcements from Jerusalem arrived. A truce was arranged, and the lands were quiet for a few years as other factors distracted the combatants, including weather, Saladin falling sick for a few months, Saladin’s wife, the widow of Nur al-Din, dying, intermural fighting between Muslin sects, and Baldwin dying and leaving Jerusalem in a political struggle which involved Reynauld.In 1187, Reynauld again broke the truce by again attacking pilgrims to Mecca. At this point, Saladin had enough and declared, “he would take Renauld’s life with his own hand!” Saladin gathered a force of 30,000 men while the Frank army was 20,000 strong. They would meet at the Battle of the Horns of Hattin near Tiberias in present-day Israel. It began with Saladin setting a siege of Tiberias to lure the Frank army from its fortifications as Sephora. As the Frank army moved East to Tiberias from Sephora on a scorching day on 3 July, 1187, water became critical. The critical shortage of water forced the Franks to detour towards Hattin, where there was a spring. However, Saladin block this route, forcing a battle on two low hills known as the Horns of Hattin four miles from Hattin.A well-rested Muslim army waited on 4 July until the day was hot to join battle against the thirsty and tired Franks. The Franks attempted to force their way to Hattin, where the only water was available. But Saladin’s cavalry fell on them, blocking the way and defeating the Christians. The Christians fell back but then rallied for another attempt. At this point, Saladin, himself, enters the battle and inspires his army to victory. Saladin then dismounted and prostrated himself in a prayer of thanks. In this battle, Saladin captures the “True Cross,” a Christian relict said to be from the cross on which Jesus died. Saladin returns to his pavilion, and several prisoners are brought before him, most notably, King Guy de Lusignan and Reynauld.Saladin questions Reynauld, “How many times have you sworn an oath and violated it?” But Reynauld is arrogant and answers, “Kings have always acted; thus, I did nothing more.” (Reynauld is no king.) Saladin turns to Guy, saying reassuring words, and instructs his aides to bring iced water. Guy drinks and then hands the cup to Reynauld, who drains it. Saladin says to his interpreter, “Tell the king: it is you who have given him to drink,” pointing out that Saladin did not. Saladin sends the prisoners out, does a review of his army in the wake of the battle, and then returns. He orders Reynauld brought before him and makes an offer for Reynauld to convert to Islam, which is refused. The Saladin, with a sword, cuts off Reynauld’s head, thus fulfilling Saladin’s earlier oath.The in the Fall of 1167, Saladin captures Jerusalem in a short siege and then a treaty. He directs that the holy places of all religions be kept intact. Several fortified locations still held out including Kerak and Tyre. Saladin turns to a siege of Tyre but its access to the sea and the fact that it is on a long causeway for the mainland resulted in a defeat for Saladin by Conrad, who held Tyre.The loss of Jerusalem and the Battle of the Horns of Hattin resulted in a 3rd Crusade starting from Europe. John Man recounts how Richard, the Lion-Hearted, and Frederick of Germany, led this crusade to the Middle East. Battle would be rejoined at Acre in 1189, with Saladin being surprised. However, as Man states, “... for some apparently inexplicable reason, one side senses victory or the other defeat.” The Franks broke the ranks of Saladin, driving them back. Then something changed: Saladin rode up and down his racks, (Man says in an un-general-like fashion, although I disagree,) yelling at his men who responded by shoring up their lines. The Franks, meanwhile, for whatever reason, fell back like sheep and lost their apparent victory.Richard, in 1191, wanted to march on and take Jerusalem. He was burdened by 3,000 Muslim prisoners in Acre. In Richard’s words, “On Saladin’s behalf, it had been agreed that the Holy Cross and 1,500 living prisoners would be handed over to us, and he fixed a day for us when all this was to be done. But the time limit expires, and as the pact we had agreed was entirely made void, we properly had the Saracens that we had in custody – about 2,600 of the – put to death.” While Saladin repeatedly showed charity, Richard showed atrocity.Richard marched toward Jerusalem through the Arsuf, one of the few forests in Palestine. Saladin attacked Richard on 7 September in open ground between stands of wood. However, the Christians were well prepared and, after a violent clash, defeated Saladin’s forces humiliating Saladin. Following this battle there is an incident when Richard goes hawking where the Saladin’s men almost capture him.Saladin, not knowing what Richard’s next move will be, razes Ascalon to prevent it from being used as a base for the Christians. This was followed by the Winter of 1191-1192, where both sides unsuccessfully negotiate for peace and Jerusalem, which Saladin would not release. After losing battles at Darum and Jaffe, Saladin sued for peace. Again, neither side could agree on terms. In Jaffe’s ensuing battle, Richard’s horse fell, Saladin seeing this, sent two fine steeds to Richard as replacements. The battle itself resulted in a draw.Richard, exhausted and sick, with problems looming in England, agreed to end the 3rd Crusade with the Treaty of Jaffe. The Christians still kept some land, but the 3rd Crusade’s major objectives were lost: Jerusalem and the True Cross. Richard left on 9 October 1192 to start another well-known adventure.Saladin, himself was also exhausted. He would fall sick and die.Man then concludes with an analysis of Saladin’s leadership style. Man states, “The successful leader carries enough insecurity to inspire a desire to change the world, and enough sense of security to confront this challenge without lapsing into paranoia, criminality, or any number of behavior patterns that undermine his aims.” Saladin seems to have had these. Another key to his success was his willingness to suffer the same adversity as his soldiers. He always considered his followers before himself. Saladin was austere and did not try to collect riches. And he had absolute integrity in his actions. We, in this report, have witnessed his tolerance and charity.I picked up this book after watching the 1963 film in Arabic with English subtitles, Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din (The Eagle Saladin). The movie was a romantic view of Saladin. However, John Man’s book demonstrates that a romantic view of Saladin was not all that far from the truth. The more I read, the more I began to understand why Saladin’s name has reached 1850 years later, while most other Arabs names of the period of the crusades haven’t. Modern leaders would do well to read this book.

I expected to like this book, based on the reviews I saw, and I certainly did like it. I liked it a lot. I liked it even more than I expected to like it. It was highly readable, very well written, and had enough detail to give a clear picture of the life and times in which Saladin lived- but not so much that someone who isn't a real Crusades afficianado would feel like they were being drowned in minutae. That is a rare mix. I don't read straight up historical biographies very often anymore - not because I don't care about facts around a person's life, but because I like truth better these days. Truth, while subjective, can be found in all kinds of sources and resources, some of which are a little light on fact, or have some good facts wrapped up in an intricate, delicately moulded arabesque package. I was looking for something that would speak to me about the truth of Saladin's life. I found that here. I did read a work of fiction also, Tariq Ali's 'The Book of Saladin', which had what I considered to have some real truth in it also. Both were valuable uses of my time. It is, I think, very telling that I started reading this book a few months ago, and would read very engagedly for a while. Then I would get interested in something else and put it down. Then I would return to it. And I kept coming back to it, because it was so interesting. And I was sorry when it was done and I had to put it down. I felt like I had gotten to know Saladin a little bit, his world- then and now. The world hungers for authenticity, unity, courage, generosity, vision, wisdom, kindness, patience and cleverness. And when his enemies as well as his friends and fellow countrymen admire him for these qualities-- even 800 years later, give or take a century or two of benign neglect here or there-- you have someone who is worth your time getting to know. This was worth my time. It will most likely be worth yours too. There was only one thing that drove me crazy about this book. It's the anglicization of his name, Saladin. He was Salah Hu Din Yusef Ibn Ayyub. It's a mouthful but I don't think it's too hard to say Salah Hu Din (salahhudin), which I believe is the Arabic for 'Glory of Religion'. It is an honorific, which I think he got from one of the Caliphs, but he deserves it. Es salam alechiem, Salahuddin.

This book is a good way to start your understanding of the middle east. Fantastic read about the history, culture and an amazing man.

The author’s sometimes plain style stands out in parts of this book, a welcome relief from some of the heavy history. It is very well written and obviously well researched.

This is a 6/10. The author meanders on quite a bit and there is little actual exposition or narrative pertaining strictly to Saladin. Everything is in reference to the Crusades/the Franks, which makes sense to a point. That said, the ambiguity in historical records leads the author to simply give up the ghost on even trying to decently articulate the omissions of key events, glossing over with little regard to being seen as amateurish. The ending, essentially the Treaty of Jaffa onwards, picks up a bit but I am left wanting - I wanted to learn about Saladin, his thoughts, his mannerisms, details of his life. There is more to life than conflict, and there isn't much of that given here. You can pass this one by.