Saladin, or Salah-al-Din (1138-1193), Sultan of Egypt and Syria, is perhaps best known as the implacable warrior who led his Saracen forces against the third crusade (1189-92) under King Richard I - Richard Lionheart.
Resolved to drive out the Christians from Palestine, Saladin had earlier defeated them in battle at Tiberius in 1187. He then went on to capture Acre, Ascalon and Jerusalem.
These Holy Wars were among the bloodiest in history, for both sides saw it as a responsibility of their faith to kill as many non-believers as possible. Massacres of women and children, and frightful atrocities to the vanquished, stain the reputation of both sides. Saladin, alone, stands as a man
of magnanimous spirit and generosity. Even among his enemies he was regarded as a pattern for chivalric courage and honour. As the author himself states: 'If the taking of Jerusalem were the only known fact about Saladin, it were enough to prove him the most chivalrous and great-hearted conqueror of any age."
Stanley Lane-Poole (1854-1931) writes sensitively on his subject and, although first published in 1898, his biography of Saladin remains a primary source for historians. This facsimile of the first edition, complete with original illustrations, will enable a wider readership to acquaint themselves with the life of a remarkable man.
