SaladinThis Osprey Command book looks closely at the early life, military experiences and key battlefield exploits of Al-Malik al-Nasir Yusuf Ibn Najm al-Din Ayyub Ibn Shahdi Abu'l-Muzaffar Salah al-Din – or Saladin as he is more commonly known outside the Islamic world – who is broadly regarded as the greatest hero of the Crusades, even in Europe. Most chroniclers present him as a man of outstanding virtue, courage and political skill. More recently, however, efforts have been made to portray Saladin as an ambitious, ruthless and even devious politician, and as a less brilliant commander than is normally thought. This book sets out to reveal that the truth is, as usual, somewhere in between. |
Contents
Chronology | |
The Military Life | |
The Hour of Destiny | |
Opposing Commanders | |
Inside the Mind | |
A Life in Words | |
Glossary | |
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12th-century 24 July Abbasid Acre al-Din of Syria Aleppo Alexandria Arab attack Author’s photograph Ayyub baggage train Baghdad Baha al-Din battle of Hattin besiege Byzantine Empire Cairo camp campaign captured castle cavalry centre century Christian army chronicler citadel command County of Tripoli Crusader Kingdom Crusader territory Damascus dynasty early 13th-century Egypt Egyptian enemy Fatimid Caliphate Fatimid-Frankish fighting fleet forces fortifications Frankish frontier garrison Gökböri historians Horns of Hattin Ibn al-Athir Imad al-Din infantry iqta Islamic world Izz al-Din jihad King Amalric King Guy King Richard Kingdom of Jerusalem knights leader March medieval military Mosul Museum Muslim Muwahhidun Nile northern Iraq Nubian Nur al-Din Oultrejordain Principality of Antioch probably Red Sea retake Reynald of Châtillon ruler Saffuriyah Saladin Saladin decided Saladin defeats Saladin takes Saladin’s army Shaqif Arnun Shawar Shia Shirkuh siege soldiers southern sultan Syria Taqi al-Din Third Crusade Tiberias Tibnin Turan Shah victory warfare wazir Western Yemen Yusuf Zangid