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'''Saladin''' or '''Salah al-Din''' ([[Arabic]]: صلاح الدين الأيوبي) was a [[Kurdish]] [[Muslim]] Sultan (1138-1193).  He is best known for successfull battles against the European Christian Crusaders in the [[Crusades|Third Crusade]], and for recapturing [[Jerusalem]].  

'''Saladin''' or '''Salah al-Din''' ([[Arabic]]: صلاح الدين الأيوبي) was a [[Kurdish]] [[Muslim]] Sultan (1138-1193).  He is best known for successfull battles against the European Christian Crusaders in the [[Crusades|Third Crusade]], and for recapturing [[Jerusalem]].  

Saladin was generally a successful general, but he was defeated by [[Richard I]] (who was the King of [[England]] at the time) at the battle of Arsuf in 1191. He also suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Montgisard in 1177 against King [[Baldwin IV]] of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Saladin was generally a successful general, but he was defeated by [[Richard I]] (who was the King of [[England]] at the time) at the battle of Arsuf in 1191. He also suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Montgisard in 1177 against King [[Baldwin IV]] of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. [[File:Hattin.jpg|thumb|290px]]

 

==Career==

==Career==

Saladin came from a family in northern Syria which produced numerous prominent government and military leaders under the rule of the Zangid dynasty.  In 1152 he joined the staff of his uncle Shirkuh and later accompanied (1169) Shirkuh, who headed a Zangid army, to Egypt, where he helped the [[Fatamid]] rulers resist the Crusaders.  In 1171 Saladin became the Fatimid vizier (prime minister), with the mission of repulsing the Crusaders.  He solidified his power base in 1171 when he overthrew the Fatimid dynasty, returning Egypt to Islamic orthodoxy and becoming sole ruler there.

Saladin came from a family in northern Syria which produced numerous prominent government and military leaders under the rule of the Zangid dynasty.  In 1152 he joined the staff of his uncle Shirkuh and later accompanied (1169) Shirkuh, who headed a Zangid army, to Egypt, where he helped the [[Fatamid]] rulers resist the Crusaders.  In 1171 Saladin became the Fatimid vizier (prime minister), with the mission of repulsing the Crusaders.  He solidified his power base in 1171 when he overthrew the Fatimid dynasty, returning Egypt to Islamic orthodoxy and becoming sole ruler there.

At the death in 1174 of the Zangid ruler in Syria, Saladin set out to conquer the Zangid kingdom as a preliminary to his holy war (jihad) against the Crusaders.  Launching the jihad in 1187, Saladin was victorious at Hattin, recaptured Jerusalem, and drove the Crusaders back to the coast.  These events prompted the Christians to mount the Third Crusade (1189-92), pitting Saladin against Kings Richard I of England.  The Crusaders succeeded only in capturing Acre, and the Peace of Ramleh (1192) left the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem with only a small strip of land along the Mediterranean coast.

At the death in 1174 of the Zangid ruler in Syria, Saladin set out to conquer the Zangid kingdom as a preliminary to his holy war (jihad) against the Crusaders.  Launching the jihad in 1187, Saladin was victorious at Hattin, recaptured Jerusalem, and drove the Crusaders back to the coast.  These events prompted the Christians to mount the Third Crusade (1189-92), pitting Saladin against Kings Richard I of England.  The Crusaders succeeded only in capturing Acre, and the Peace of Ramleh (1192) left the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem with only a small strip of land along the Mediterranean coast.

==Sladin vs Richard==

==Sladin vs Richard==

In [[Dante]]'s [[Divine Comedy]], Saladin appears in [[Limbo]] along with other virtuous non-Christians. He is the only [[muslim]] to be honored in this way.

In [[Dante]]'s [[Divine Comedy]], Saladin appears in [[Limbo]] along with other virtuous non-Christians. He is the only [[muslim]] to be honored in this way.

[[Category:Military Commanders]]

[[Category:Military Commanders]]

[[Category:Muslims]]

[[Category:Muslims]]

[[Category:Crusades]]

[[Category:Crusades]]