Saladin - John Man

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
12th century, he is the Islamic world's preeminent hero. Ruthless in
defence of his faith, brilliant in leadership, he also possessed
qualities that won admiration from his Christian foes. He knew the
limits of violence, showing such tolerance and generosity that many
Europeans, appalled at the brutality of their own people, saw him as the
exemplar of their own knightly ideals.

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.

In this authoritative
biography, historian John Man brings Saladin and his world to life in
vivid detail. Charting his 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 the enduring legacy of this champion of Islam, and examines his significance for the world today.