Saladin
Subtitle: the sultan who vanquished the crusaders and built an Islamic empire
By: John Man
Publisher: De Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group
Published: 2016
Language: eng
Number of pages: 287
ISBN-13: 9780306824876
Subjects: Kings and rulers; Crusades; Biography; History
Description: "Saladin remains one of the most iconic figures of his age. As the man who united the Arabs and saved Islam from Christian crusaders in the twelfth century, he is the Islamic world's preeminent hero. A ruthless defender of his faith and brilliant leader, he also possessed qualities that won admiration from his Christian foes. But Saladin is far more than a historical hero. Builder, literary patron, and theologian, he is a man for all times, and a symbol of hope for an Arab world once again divided. Centuries after his death, in cities from Damascus to Cairo and beyond, to the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf, Saladin continues to be an immensely potent symbol of religious and military resistance to the West. He is central to Arab memories, sensibilities, and the ideal of a unified Islamic state. John Man charts Saladin's rise to power, his struggle to unify the warring factions of his faith, and his battles to retake Jerusalem and expel Christian influence from Arab lands. Saladin explores the life and enduring legacy of this champion of Islam while examining his significance for the world today."--provided by Amazon.com.
Notes: First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, under title of Saladin: the life, the legend and the Islamic empire.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 271-274) and index.
Table of contents: title: Preface: The once and future king; title: 1. A world in conflict; title: 2. A teenager in Damascus; title: 3. Into Egypt; title: 4. Building a power-base; title: 5. Back to Syria, and a dead-end; title: 6. Enter the villain; title: 7. Defeat and victory: the tide on the turn; title: 8. Reynald's raid; title: 9. Build-up to the show-down; title: 10. The Horns of Hattin; title: 11. Retaking the Holy City; title: 12. The Third Crusade: the gathering storm; title: 13. Acre; title: 14. The end of the Third Crusade; title: 15. Death, and enduring life; title: 16. A brief history of leadership; title: 17. Legacy: a glowing image, a grim reality.