Saladin's Superior Stature
Joshua Watson
Western Civ II
Mr. Herndon
3/25/22
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Saladin is the Western name for Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, the Muslim king of Egypt
and Syria who notably defeated a vast Crusader army at the Battle of Hattin in 1187 and seized
Jerusalem. He governed a united Muslim realm ranging from Egypt to Arabia at the height of his
authority. Saladin had one of the best characters out of any leaders of his time, and was kind to
his men, a rare trait among the leaders of his time also. Saladin had military influence from his
uncle and father, who were both elite military leaders under Imad al-Din Zangi, a powerful ruler
who governed northern Syria at the time. This allowed Saladin to have more grit and mental
fortitude than his competition. Saladin had a great religious emphasis that allowed his morals to
become enhanced. This religious focus also gave him a greater determination. Saladin spared
many Christians even after they had wronged him, showing great mercy that many other leaders
of his time were hesitant to. Saladin gave all his possessions away at the end of his life showing
his selflessness and generosity. At the end of Saladin's life, he did not have even enough money
to pay for his own burial, showing how he completely gave himself to his people.
Saladin was born Yusuf Ibn Ayyub in Tikrit, Iraq, in 1137 or 1138. His father, Ayyub, and
uncle, Shirkuh, were top military officers under Imad al-Din Zangi, a major monarch in northern
Syria at the time. Saladin joined an army commanded by his uncle Shirkuh, who served Zangi's
son and successor, Nur al-Din, in a military expedition to Egypt, after growing up in Damascus
and rising through the military ranks. One of Saladin’s great leadership qualities was his grit
when it comes to his military initiative. This is where his blood-related military and leadership
skills come from. This is also why he is so mentally fortified when it comes to being in positions
of power and how he rose through the ranks so quickly and assuredly.
His family was of Kurdish descent, and his father Ayyub and uncle
Shirkuh were elite military leaders under Imad al-Din Zangi, a
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powerful ruler who governed northern Syria at the time.1
Saladin's military influence, not just from his authorities, but his familial authorities, who
had much more opportunity to leave positive impacts on Saladin's character since they were so
closely related. Saladin was close, allowing him to quickly surpass his fellow men in ranks,
eventually the leaders of his time. Many leaders of his time had direct familial influences, but
only he took from them so ardently, allowing him to rise above his competition so
characteristically.
Saladin had a very big emphasis on religious studies, and was a very devout Sunni
Muslum, who put an end to the unpopular “Shi’i Fatimid caliphate.” Saladin's every action was
motivated by an unflinching commitment to the concept of jihad, or holy war. Encouragement of
the growth and expansion of Muslim religious institutions was an important aspect of his
strategy. He courted their academics and preachers, establishing institutions and mosques for
their use, and commissioning them to create edifying works, particularly on the jihad. He
attempted to recreate in his own realm some of the same passion and excitement that had proven
so important to the first generations of Muslims when they had conquered half of the known
globe five centuries previously via moral regeneration, which was a true part of his own way of
life. Saladin's ambitious, devoted, and determined mentality comes from his staunch emphasis on
religion and the jihad. This also speaks to his strong morality.
Saladin’s every act was inspired by an intense and unwavering
devotion to the idea of jihad, or holy war. It was an essential
part of his policy to encourage the growth and spread of Muslim
religious institutions. 2 -words by Paul E. Walker\
1
History.com Editors. Aug 5th, 2021. Early Life and Rise to Power in Egypt. A&E Television
Networks. Feb 9th,
2
Walker, Paul. Feb 28th, 2022. Early Life and Military Career. Encyclopedia Britannica.
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Saladin’s devotion to his religion helps fuel his drive for his moral ambitions, making
him such a great leader. His focus on the jihad or ones “spiritual struggle against ones self
agaisnt sin” helps him become such a fair and decent person to his men, giving him such
admirable character and morals. Saladin having such a focus on his moral excellence through his
religious focuses is possibly his biggest factor in his character, and is what helps him to morally
stand out among other leaders of his era. Other leaders had religious focuses, but Saladin’s were
more morally focused and he stuck to them better than most.
Following the victory at The Battle of Hattin, Saladin's army swept across the Kingdom
of Jerusalem, culminating on October 2, 1187, when the City of Jerusalem fell to Saladin's army
after 88 years under Christian domination. Saladin had planned to execute all Christians in
Jerusalem in retaliation for the massacre of Muslims in 1099, but instead let them buy their
freedom, showing his generosity and mercy. When Saladin traversed among the Christians they
treated him more like a passing king rather than a hated enemy, also showing his explicit
nobility. Saladin’s generosity and mercy in this situation really makes him stick out
characteristically among the Christian and Muslim leaders during these crusades. Saladin was
also wise in this decision (pertaining to the success of his people) along with his generosity to his
enemies; something leaders of that era tend to forget.
In the lightning campaign that had followed Hattin, town after town had
been spared and Saladin's advance had seemed more like the progress of a
king through his dominions than the bloody triumph march of a conqueror.
3
Hindley Geoffrey. Saladin: Hero of Islam. Great Britain: Pen and Sword Military. 1976, 22.
3
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When Geoffrey Hindley, a lecturer and writer, talks about Saladin’s “lightning campaign”
and how “town after town had been spared” he speaks to Saladin's generosity because even
though he was quickly advancing through Christian territory, he took the time to offer mercy. It
also shows his sense of mercy to his direct opposition; even though they were his enemy, he still
regarded their lives. When Hindley talks about how “Saladin's advance had seemed more like the
progress of a king through his dominions than the bloody triumph march of a conqueror” it also
speaks to his character, because he is so blatantly noble, even his enemy treated him as a passing
king, rather than a hated conflictor.
Saladin was unable to profit from the Crusader's departure because he died soon after in
Damascus on 4 March 1193, around age 55. Before his death, he gave nearly all his wealth to the
people. He was worn out by a life of almost constant military engagements. He had given away
much of his own fortune to his subjects so that by the time he died, he had just enough money to
pay for his own funeral. Saladin was so selfless that he didn't even allow himself to enjoy the
fruits of his labors because he put his people first. Saladin did not only give part of his wealth
away to his people, he gave so much to the point that he only had enough to barely pay for his
funeral. Saladin’s selfless dedication to his people is perhaps his most admirable feature as
leader, and easily surpasses any other leader during this time in regards to their dedication to
their own people.
He was a generous man, sweet natured, a man of good character,
humble and accepting patiently things which displeased him. 4
The text is the writings of a Turkish chronicler who wrote about Saladin in his final days.
When the chronicler talks about how ““He was a generous man, sweet natured, a man of good
4
Hindley Geoffrey. Saladin: Hero of Islam. Great Britain: Pen and Sword Military. 1976, 297.
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character,” its notable, because writers tend to flaunt about the general's great accomplishments,
but instead this writer thought Saladin's generosity and character were most notable. This stands
out among other leaders of the time, because when writers and historians mention them, it's
mostly their accomplishments and such. Showing Saladin's character, and how it's more notable
(quite literally) than the other figures of his time. When the chronicler says “humble and
accepting patiently things which displeased him” showing that Saldin puts others needs before
his own, just like with his donations of his wealth. Saladin stands out as the most admirable
leader of his time in a sense of character because of his dedication to his people, even unto
collapse.
Saldin, at the end of his fully dedicated life, dies from pure exhaustion, from giving
himself to his people. Saladin had remained in good character throughout his entire life: sparing
christians, giving away his wealth to his people, and even marrying his dead successor's wife and
saving her from being a widow. Saladin after fully dedicating his energy, time, and wealth to his
people died from pure exhaustion. No other leader showed a matched dedication to their people
as Saladin did.
Saladin died in his beloved gardens in Damascus. Though
relatively young (just 55 or 56), he was exhausted from a life spent in
near continuous military campaigns. By the time of his death, he had given
away much of his personal wealth to his subjects, leaving behind not even
enough to pay for his own burial. From History.com,
quoting Saladin by David Nicolle. 5
Saladin dies at a relatively young age because of how much of himself he gave to his
people, with his “continuous military campaigns” Saladin had given “much of his personal
wealth to his subjects, leaving behind not even enough to pay for his own burial” truly showing
5
History.com Editors. Aug 5th, 2021. The Third Crusade and Saladin's Death. A&E Television
Networks. Feb 9th,
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that he had given all of himself to his people, something no other leader of the time could
surpass. Saladin is truly the most moral and dedicated leader of his era, and truly deserves the
attention and praise he has received.
Saladin showed his mercy with the Christians, his generosity with his wealth, his grit
through his influences, his morality through his religious dedication, and how he truly gave his
life away through his death. Saladin was truly one of the greatest characters of the Crusades,
proving himself over and over again in many different ways, earning his positive legacy by a
long shot.
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Bibliography
Hindley Geoffrey. Saladin: Hero of Islam. Great Britain: Pen and Sword Military. 1976.
Jones, Dan. Crusades: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands. Great Britain: Head of
Zeus. 2019.
Smith, Jonathan. The Crusades, Christianity, and islam. Chichester, West Sussex: Columbia
University Press. 2008.
History.com Editors. Aug 5th, 2021. The Third Crusade and Saladin's Death. A&E Television
Networks. Feb 9th,
2022.https://www.history.com/topics/africa/saladin#:~:text=Saladin%20is%20the%20Western%2
0name,stretching%20from%20Egypt%20to%20Arabia.
History.com Editors. Aug 5th, 2021. Early Life and Rise to Power in Egypt. A&E Television
Networks. Feb 9th,
2022.https://www.history.com/topics/africa/saladin#:~:text=Saladin%20is%20the%20Western%2
0name,stretching%20from%20Egypt%20to%20Arabia.
Giacumakis Jr, George. “Saladin” in The World Book Encyclopedia. VOL 17. Page 59. United
States: LCS Communications. 2022.
Smith, Jonathan. “Crusades” in The World Book Encyclopedia. VOL 4. Page 1158-1163.
United States: LCS Communications. 2022.
Walker, Paul. Feb 28th, 2022. Early Life and Military Career. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saladin