Hist 10 Warsama Gabriel Rough Draft essay

Saladin & the Third Crusade

The third crusade marked Europes last and most defiant attempt to reconquer Jerusalem and the holy land from the grasp of its muslim occupants. After the embarrassing defeat of the second crusade at the Battle of Hattin in Jerusalem, the Europeans retaliated with a sweeping advance towards Jersusalem. Saladin, an Islamic military general and teacher led his forces to victory in a crucial battle which for the time being, pitted the entire center of the Islamic world in jeopardy. His victory would mark the end of the third crusade and not only save Jersualem from the invading Europeans, but would also supplicate the strength of a severely weakened caliphate Islamic state, rejuvenating it at its core through his teachings and brave character. The Hero of Islam as contemporarys would call him drew a fascination into his life that was both revered and andmired from Muslims and European christians alike. To many he was not only a great military general who can win wars, but a shining example of how a simple,chivalrous, pios and charasmatic leader can lead a nation.

Among both Muslim and Christian writers alike during the ancient historic period, Saladin has become synonomous with titles and attributes such as pious, chilvalrous, merciful. The accounts from both his closest inner circle scholars such as Baha-ad-din and Imad al-Din al-Isfahani and his European counterparts point to him as a wise knowledgable Muslim leader. A leader not only versed and gifted in the art of war, for

surely Saladin was a great military strategist often out smarting his enemies in battle to his advatage but also of one who saw to it that greater ambition and ultimate goal was for unity in the Islamic caliphates and a duty to god to bring Islam back to the holy land of Jerusalem. It was the duty of Saladin and his army as Muslims to regain the land they lost and win the war against the Europeans, that was the prestige bestowed upon him and his men, but if we see further Saldin did not justify the recapture of Jerusalem as a means to an end in itself.

Saladins scope of influence expanded far beyond the confines of personal glory and selfish greed, two traits he rightfully could have boasted seeing that he victoriously liberated Jerusalem from the Europeans, but Saladins main concern was to live to see a strong and united Muslim world, one not governed by indivudual general and leaders pre occupied with goverening their fair share of land and often quarrelling and fighting amonst themselver, but one where every Muslim would feel connected to another even if they are both from seperate tribes or lands. This was at the heart of Saladins conquest and struggles. Hamilton A.R. Gibbs, a laudian proffessor of Arabic at the University of Oxford England writes in his 1962 essay titled The Achievement of Saladin, The immediate task to which
he found himself called was to drive out the Franks out of Palestine and Syria. This was the part that his contemporaries saw, and that later generations assumed to have been his whole purpose. It is natural, when a man accomplishes some great work, to imagine that this was what he had set as his goal. In reality and perhaps it is only becuase his eyes are fixed on some more distant goal that he succeeds in doing as much as he does. This was, in my view eminently true of Salain.

documented Richard Lionheart as A very powerful man, of great courage and spirit. He fought great battles and showed a burning passion for war. The king was indeed a man of wisdom, experience, courage and energy.......excitable, brave and clever." (Baha' ad-Din Ibn Shaddad). Richard Lion Heart referred to also as King of England was seen as the best of knights and a fearless, bold leader. Saladin (Salah ad din) a successful war hero and Islamic military leader who defended and defeated the Europeans in the earlier crusades and rose to power as the first Sultan of Egypt is quoted as. (text will soon follow)

The concept of complete chivalry as a military leader dominates the accounts of both Saladin and Richard the Lionheart. Such attributes were critical to display in times of war during the medieval period as often more times than none, military success was gained on the grounds of a leaders ability to charge and inspire his soldiers. Saladins earlier Islamic conquests of Egypt, Syria and North Africa demonstrated his military prowess and success as a military commander against loyal crusader forces. On both sides, Muslim and Christian scholars a deep admiration for both leaders allow them to share common ground.

The early Islamic scholars often remarked on Saladin by his swift and furious attacks on his enemy, yet displayed a kind of leniency of a man of great merit as to not murder or kill women and children and treat prisoners and captured enemies with respect and tolerance. Saladin was a strict follower of Sunni Islam or for clarity, the Islamic religion in strict accordance to the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). It was

transcribed that during the Islamic military conquest it was forbidden for a military ruler to maim, torture or kill an enemy in such a way that is deemed cruel or opposed to gods word and in Saladins conquest of Egypt from the Crusaders he spared the lives of many of his captured prisoners.

Saladins greatest victory and defining moment of glory would come at the Battle of Hattin where he would recapture Jerusalem from the Crusaders. In his personal account on the great battle at hand Saladin comments on its importance and great meaning, he writes If God blesses us by enabling us to drive His enemies out of Jerusalem, how fortunate and happy we would be! For Jerusalem has been controlled by the enemy for ninety-one years, during which time God has received nothing from us here in the way of adoration. At the same time, the zeal of the Muslim rulers to deliver it languished. Time passed, and so did many [in different] generations, while the Franks succeeded in rooting themselves strongly there. Now God has reserved the merit of its recovery for one house, the house of the sons of Ayyub, in order to unite all hearts in appreciation of its members." (Salahhuddin). Previous failed attempts to recapture Jerusalem brought heavy hearted sentiments among the muslim population, the idea of a true leader inspired by god to recapture the holy land was fading everywhere else but in Saladins heart. Although united by a strong and successful military leader, if Jerusalem could not be recaptured the Islamic empire would soon fall apart and disintegrate.