Saladin: War, Diplomacy, and a Made Reputation
100 Lives That Shaped the World · Episode 17
- Historical Biographies
- 40 min
- Ages 12–99
- 10 chapters
About this audiobook
A biography of Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub that follows his Kurdish family, rise in Egypt, formation of Ayyubid power, victory at Hattin, recovery of Jerusalem, conflict with Richard I, and later chivalric memory.
Why it's worth a listen
It replaces the flawless chivalric hero with a source-aware ruler who used war, negotiation, patronage, dynastic politics, and religious legitimacy in a fractured region.
A question to keep
How did Saladin unite competing powers, retake Jerusalem, and become a model of chivalry in traditions written by allies and enemies?
Chapters
- After Hattin
- A Kurdish Family in Zangid Service
- The Struggle for Egypt
- From Deputy to Rival Power
- Building an Ayyubid Coalition
- Hattin and the Collapse of a Kingdom
- Jerusalem, 1187
- Richard and the Third Crusade
- The Cost of Continuous War
- The Chivalrous Saladin