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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Saladin Biography SALADIN (SALAH ED DIN YUSEF IBN EYUB), "Honoring the Faith" (1138-93). Sultan of Egypt and Syria, born at Tekrit of Kurdish blood. After a life of pleasure and study he accompanied his uncle, Shirkuh, about 1164, on an expedition dispatched by Nureddin, Sultan of Syria, ostensibly to reinstate Shawir, the expelled Vizier of Egypt. When the latter, some years later, threw off his allegiance to Nureddin, Shirkuh made a second invasion of Egypt, overthrew Shawir, assumed the vizierate, and, dying soon after, was succeeded by Saladin (1169). The last of the Fatimite caliphs died in 1171 and Saladin became absolute ruler of the country, though be did not proclaim himself Sultan till after the death of Nureddin in 1174. Between 1174 and 1183 Saladin wrested Syria and most of Mesopotamia from the successors of Nureddin. During these conquests he also warred against the Christians, but without success. In 1187 he made a great onslaught upon the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and a desperate battle was fought at Hittin, which ended in the total defeat of the Christians. Guy de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, the grand master of the Templars and Hospitalers, and an immense number of prisoners fell into Saladin's hands. The capture of Tiberias, Acre, Jaffa, and Beirut, with many other places, was followed by the surrender of Jerusalem in October. Tyre alone held out against Saladin until relieved by Conrad of Montferrat. The armies of the Third Crusade, under Richard the Lionhearted and Philip II of France, retook Acre after a memorable siege of two years (1191), but, owing to the dissensions between Richard and Philip, the great object of the Crusade, the recovery of Jerusalem, was left unaccomplished, Richard entered into a three years' armistice with Saladin by which the coast from Jaffa to Tyre was left to the Christians (1192). Saladin died at Damascus, March 4, 1193. In Saladin the warrior instinct of the Kurd was united to a high intelligence; and even his opponents did not deny him the noblest qualities of chivalry, courage, fidelity to treaties, greatness of soul, piety, justice, and moderation. He was not a mere soldier, but also a wise administrator. The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. XX (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 365. |