Saladin

Full Name: Saladin

Nationality: Kurd | Activity: Ayyubid sultan

Born: 1137 | Died: 1138

Saladin was born in 1137 or 1138 in Takrit, Mesopotamia. He grew up in Aleppo, Ba'lbek, and Damascus. As a teenager he showed more inclination to become a Muslim scholar than a soldier. His military career began when he joined the staff of his uncle, Asad ad-Din Shirkuh, a commander under the governor of northern Syria. When his uncle died, Saladin—at age 31—was appointed commander of the troops and vizier of Egypt. In 1171 he abolished the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt and became the country's sole ruler (see Caliphate). From 1174 to 1186 Saladin pursued the goal of uniting Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and northern Mesopotamia under his flag. He accomplished this mostly by diplomacy, but he used force when necessary. He turned the military balance in his favor by 1187 and threw his armies against the Christian knights. He destroyed one of their armies near Tiberias and then went on to conquer Acre, Toron, Beirut, Sidon, Nazareth, Caesarea, Nabulus, Jaffa, and Ascalon. Finally he captured Jerusalem. Saladin's conquest was civilized and magnanimous.

The Christians were left with the well-fortified city of Tyre as their last major outpost in the Middle East. Saladin's achievement spurred Europe to launch the Third Crusade, which failed to undo Saladin's conquests. After defeating the last of the new crusaders in October 1192, Saladin returned to Damascus. He died there on March 4, 1193.

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Source: Encyclopedia Britannica