A larger than life figure amongst the Muslims and revered by the Europeans, Saladin’s exploits during the height of the Crusades and his liberation of Jerusalem in 1187-88 still inspire millions to the present day. Saladin’s popularity and historical reputation have survived over 800 years after his death. His memory still resonates in the hearts of Muslims to this day. Jonathan Philips’s engaging and well-researched biography, The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin redraws the achievements, shortcomings and weaknesses he exhibited during his reign.

Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub (Righteous of the Faith; Joseph, son of Job), known in Europe as Saladin initially wasn’t the beloved figure as portrayed in Western history now. The seismic shift in depiction of Saladin in the West from being a spawn of satan in the aftermath of the Crusades to his chivalric qualities of bravery and mercy, get detailed coverage in this biography. Saladin’s cult amongst the Muslims and his image of the holy warrior who waged a triumphant campaign against the Crusaders is delved into deeply by the author.

From his modest and humble beginnings, Saladin’s rise through the ranks and his family’s loyalty to the Zengid dynasty formed by Imad ad-Din Zengi, the Turkish atabeg of Aleppo and Mosul and consolidated by his son Nur ad-Din’s victorious campaigns against the Crusaders form the backdrop of the first six chapters. As the book unfolds, the author lays bare how the jihad instigated by Nur ad-Din takes shape and leads to the rise of Saladin under the aegis of his uncle Shirkuh who conquered Egypt and subjugated the Fatimid Shia empire that had ruled over there for almost 200 years. Under Shirkuh’s short-lived reign, Saladin was assigned important roles and responsibilities which he carried out with great success and efficiency.

The untimely demise of Shirkuh who was a revered and respected commander amongst friends and foes alike but also set the stage for the establishment of an Ayyubid dynasty which was later championed by his successor in Egypt i.e. his nephew Saladin. In the aftermath of the subjugation of the Fatimid empire, their decline and the ineffectiveness of its young Caliph Al-’ id who was a puppet in the hands of Saladin, revolts and plans to remove the latter were crushed with vicious ruthlessness. Phillips’s engaging biography, however, fails to uncover the extent of Shia criticism directed towards Saladin, his disbandment of the Fatimid caliphate and muted treatment on this subject deserves a mention.

Saladin’s ascent to the viziership of Egypt, his ability to adapt and adopt the customs of the land and conform to them formed the cornerstone of his chequered career. In the role of the vizier, Saladin began to form a power base of his own in Egypt, acting with independence and rewarding clan loyalty by assigning key offices to his close associates. Technically a subordinate to Nur ad-Din and subservient to him, Saladin was careful to not instigate his master’s wrath. However, Nur ad-Din eyed his protégé’s designs with suspicion as his numerous calls to pay homage to the former in Damascus were deflected on the pretext of the domestic situation in Egypt.

However, the relationship between the protégé and Nur ad-Din became tense as the master came to firmly believe that Saladin was betraying his solemn oath of waging Jihad against the Crusaders. Considering Saladin’s reluctance to pay homage to his leader, Nur ad-Din decided to liberate Egypt from Saladin’s grip and planned to march his army towards Cairo. In one of many lucky breaks that Saladin would be a beneficiary of in his illustrated career, Nur ad-Din died aged 56 in May 1174, removing one of the major obstacles in his way.

As Phillips states, Saladin was quick to seize the advantage in the aftermath of Nur ad-Din’s death. He moved quickly to take over Damascus and demonstrated his ability to appease the masses there without raising any eyebrows. As he dislodged and outmanoeuvred his adversaries around Syria, he also reached an uneasy truce with the remnants of the Zengid empire who held sway in some cities that were to be instrumental in bolstering his armies that would later liberate Jerusalem. The Kurdish origin of Saladin and their renown for being great warriors do mirror the fighting spirit of the Peshmerga forces in Iraq and surrounding regions today.

He valued loyalty. His close and trusted coterie of advisors served him faithfully till his death. Amongst the most celebrated ones were Bah ’ ad-D n, who was a close confidant of Saladin and whose advice was always sought by the latter in every situation. As Saladin solidified his grip on power, Nur ad-Din’s legacy of waging jihad and his dream of liberating Jerusalem raised expectations. Expelling the Franks from Jerusalem not only required firepower but also a unity which Saladin was able to achieve with a mix of diplomacy and force.

The author dedicates a significant portion of the book to Saladin’s efforts to recover Jerusalem and his ensuing struggles with the resolute Crusaders. In his quest to liberate Jerusalem and be seen as the flagbearer of the holy war being waged against the infidels, Saladin went full throttle to fulfil Nur ad-Din’s dream. The campaigns against the Crusaders met with some successes but also suffered setbacks as he forged ahead in his aim to liberate Jerusalem. He emerged victorious at Jacob’s Ford against the Crusaders, followed by consolidation of his rule in Egypt, waging campaigns in Syria to take control of Aleppo before moving on to lay siege on Kerak and Mosul.

After his successes at Kerak and Mosul, Saladin had spent the best part of a decade expressing Jerusalem his desire to emancipate from the yolk of the Christians. What followed was the zenith of Saladin’s career when he emerged victorious at Hittin and decimated the Crusaders which culminated in the fall of Jerusalem without the shedding of any blood. The liberation of Jerusalem and his exemplary treatment of the Christian populace there not only won him plaudits amongst the Muslims. Western historians too have sung praises about his merciful nature.

However, ill-health and the subsequent years didn’t bring Saladin the successes he had achieved previously, as the full might of the Crusading army bolstered from Europe by Richard the Lionheart (King of England) resulted in a two-year-long siege of Acre which ultimately fell to the Christians. His mistakes at Acre and his refusal to listen to his aides during its siege cost him his credibility in the eyes of those around him. Besides it drained out the treasury. Phillips’s analyses using well-known sources does reflect that Saladin wasn’t as invincible and had his fair share of flaws common to rulers.

The book goes in-depth to cover the tussle between Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, the back and forth negotiations and the skirmishes that followed. Richard’s resolve and strategic acumen, foresight show that the supply line for the Crusaders was extended and taking Jerusalem was not as easy as envisaged.

The concluding chapters include detailed analysis on the modern-day depiction of Saladin across the Muslim world, especially in the Middle East and exhibiting how impressions of the past are unwound and subject to twisting facts from fiction as deemed fit. Not only is he shown as a chivalrous knight but also depicted as a modern jihadist fighter. Irrespective of how difficult it may be to ascertain the truth of Saladin’s celebrated career and life, Mr Phillips’s book provides remarkable insight into his feats and accomplishments.

The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin

Author: Jonathan Phillips

Publisher:

Bodley Head UK

Pages: 496

Price: Rs1,945