Military Leader · 1137 – 1193

Saladin

Little-Known Facts

When he retook Jerusalem, Saladin allowed many inhabitants to leave safely, in contrast to the bloodshed of the earlier Crusader conquest.
His chivalrous reputation made him a figure of admiration in European literature, including the works of Dante and Walter Scott.

Was Saladin an Arab?

Saladin was of Kurdish origin, though he led the Arab and Muslim world and ruled from Egypt and Syria.