Salah al-Din, an Islamic Military Leader Essay

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In the history of humanity, there have been numerous conflicts involving religions. Historians consider wars that have arisen because of religious disputes until today. One example of such a conflict was from 1171 to 1193, when Muslims defended their lands from crusaders. To study these events, it is crucial to consider the identity of Salah al-Din. Although Salah al-Din may be unknown to many people, he played a vital role in the conflict.

The conflict of 1171-1193 required Muslims to have competent commanders to defend their lands. According to DK (2020), “Salah al-Din (c.1138-1193) was a brilliant military commander who defended Muslim lands against the crusaders – Christian soldiers from Europe” (p. 57). The military victories of this war led by Salah al-Din were decisive in this conflict. His army fended off a Crusader invasion of Egypt, which allowed him to establish control over these lands and proclaim himself sultan after the death of Fatimid in 1171 (Goldschmidt & Davidson, 2006). As Goldschmidt and Davidson (2006) state, “then he managed to take Jerusalem and most of Palestine from the Crusaders between 1187 and 1192” (p. 118). These actions determined the outcome of all those events.

Salah al-Din established his political base of power in many lands. Among them are Syria, northern Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Egypt (DK, 2020). Moreover, it is crucial to consider the issue of his followers. According to Goldschmidt and Davidson (2006), “Salah al-Din did manage to unite Egypt and Syria under his family, which became the Ayyubid dynasty” (p. 119). In conclusion, it is worth noting that he won many battles and left behind a whole dynasty.

When studying the attitude towards Salah al-Din, it is essential to note that both sides of the conflict treated him as an outstanding military figure. According to Goldschmidt and Davidson (2006), “both Muslim and Christian historians portray him as a paragon of bravery and magnanimity” (p. 118). He was described as a man who could resist well-equipped crusaders. Because he managed to defend the lands of Muslims and preserve that religion, his character is revered by contemporary Middle Easterners.

In conclusion, it is important to stress that although the military victories of Salah al-Din caused much trouble for the crusaders, his military prowess was recognized by both sides. His personality is central to the 1187-1192 conflict.

References

DK. 2020. Timelines of Everyone: From Cleopatra and Confucius to Mozart and Malala. Dorling Kindersley Ltd.

Goldschmidt, Arthur, & Davidson, Lawrence. 2006. A Concise History of The Middle East (8th Ed.). Westview Press.

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