Saladin - the victor over the Crusaders

The Sultan of Egypt and Syria, Saladin (Salah ad-Din) (1138—1193), was the most outstanding Muslim commander of the 12th century. The Kurd from Tikrit managed to defeat the army of the Crusaders and recapture Jerusalem. Saladin became famous as a true knight, a wise and magnanimous ruler. He was able to create a great empire, uniting a large part of the Muslim lands, from Libya to Yemen. Saladin was an idol for the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and the President of Egypt Gamal Abdel Nasser. In the Muslim world, he is still revered today almost as a saint. In the Hollywood blockbuster "Kingdom of Heaven," Saladin is depicted as a wise and noble ruler.