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Saladin's encounters with King [[Richard I]] of England are recounted as a great romantic military rivalry.  Regularly regarded as a fine example of chivalry, both Richard and Saladin treated each other with enormous respect during the conflict, and Saladin sent Richard fruit and other goods when he was suffering from severe [[dysentery]] during the campaign. Similarly, Richard sent Saladin fine English woolens when he heard that Saladin was suffering from flu. Nevertheless, Richard executed thousands of Muslim prisoners outside the walls of [[Acre]] during the siege, an act Saladin did not reciprocate.  

Saladin's encounters with King [[Richard I]] of England are recounted as a great romantic military rivalry.  Regularly regarded as a fine example of chivalry, both Richard and Saladin treated each other with enormous respect during the conflict, and Saladin sent Richard fruit and other goods when he was suffering from severe [[dysentery]] during the campaign. Similarly, Richard sent Saladin fine English woolens when he heard that Saladin was suffering from flu. Nevertheless, Richard executed thousands of Muslim prisoners outside the walls of [[Acre]] during the siege, an act Saladin did not reciprocate.  

==Image and Memory==

==Image and memory==

Saladin is one of the few Muslims who stood out in European memory. He has been credited as the paragon of chivalry, romanticized as the most humane of all participants in the wars, and also demonized as a crafty political manipulator.  

Saladin is one of the few Muslims who stood out in European memory. He has been credited as the paragon of chivalry, romanticized as the most humane of all participants in the wars, and also demonized as a crafty political manipulator.  

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.

The Enlightenment reshaped the image of Saladin;  especially [[Voltaire]] portrayed him as an examplar of a Muslim with greater natural virtue than any crusader in order to ridicule Christianity. During the Romantic era, Saladin was also in high esteem, especially through Sir [[Walter Scott]]'s novels. Although many of Saladin's historically attested actions were quite magnanimous, Scott often enhanced his image with fictitious events.  

The Enlightenment reshaped the image of Saladin;  especially [[Voltaire]] portrayed him as an examplar of a Muslim with greater natural virtue than any crusader in order to ridicule Christianity. During the Romantic era, Saladin was also in high esteem, especially through Sir [[Walter Scott]]'s novels. Although many of Saladin's historically attested actions were quite magnanimous, Scott often enhanced his image with fictitious events.

 

Until  the nineteenth-century, Muslims showed little interest in the Crusades or in Saladin. With the outset of European imperialism, especially the British takeover of Egypt in the 1880s, Saladin was rediscovered as a cultural hero for Muslims. After World War I Saladin's image in the Muslim world took a new twist: he became the national hero of the Kurds, while Arabs latched onto him as a Pan-Islamic hero, and Turkey transformed him into a Turk. Meanwhile, Shia' Muslims typically view him as a villain.

==Further reading==

==Further reading==