Ad-Dunn And A Role Model Essay
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn
Throughout history there are many examples of warriors who have, through their deeds, beliefs and actions, been considered chivalrous and honourable. The greatest testament to such a warrior is when one 's enemies honour the warrior as such. The subject of this essay is such a warrior and a role model that I believe any aspiring warrior should study. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb or Saladin, as he has come to be called in western civilization, was the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant and at the height of his power, ruled Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, Hejaz, and Yemen. He defeat of the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, and subsequent re-capture of the holy city of Jerusalem, marks Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn as a prominent figure in Kurdish, Arab, and Muslim culture. Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's chivalrous behaviour was noted by …show more content…
Christian chroniclers, especially in the accounts of the Siege of Kerak, and rather than becoming a hated figure in Europe, became a celebrated example of the ideals of chivalric behavior and won the respect of many of his Christian peers, most notably, Richard the Lionheart.
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was born in what is now Tikrit, Iraq and was of Kurdish ancestry. He was well educated both academically and religiously and was in fact, more interested in religion than joining the military.
His military career began under the tutelage of his uncle Asad al-Din Shirkuh, an important military commander under Nur ad-Din. At the age of 26, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, went on the expedition against Dirgham to reinstate the deposed vizier Shawar. Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's role in this expedition was minor. Later, after the sacking of Bilbais, the Crusader-Egyptian force and Shirkuh 's army were to engage in a battle on the desert border of the Nile River, just west of Giza. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn played a major role, commanding the right wing of the Zengid 's army, while a force of Kurds commanded the left, and Shirkuh stationed in the center, with orders to lure the enemy into a trap. The Crusader force enjoyed early success against Shirkuh 's troops, but the terrain was too steep and sandy for their horses, and commander Hugh of Caesarea was captured while attacking Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's unit. The battle ended in a victory, and Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn is credited to have helped Shirkuh in one of the "most remarkable victories in recorded history". After engaging in a power struggle over Egypt with Shawar and Amalric I of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's uncle died.
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn is said to have killed Shawar then Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was appointed vizier by al-Adid. The reasoning behind the Shia al-Adid 's selection of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, varies, and although positions were complicated by rival Muslim leaders, the bulk of the Syrian rulers supported Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn due to his role in the Egyptian expedition, in which he gained a record of military qualifications. As Emir, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn repented "wine-drinking and turned from frivolity to assume the dress of religion." Towards the end of 1169, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn defeated a massive Crusader-Byzantine force near Damietta and further strengthened his hold on Egypt as well as widen his support base. He began granting family members high-ranking positions in the region and increased Sunni influence in Cairo; he ordered the construction of a college for the Maliki branch of Sunni Islam in the city, as well as one for the Shafi
'i. After establishing himself in Egypt, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn launched a campaign against the Crusaders, besieging Darum in 1170. Amalric withdrew his Templar garrison from Gaza to assist him in defending Darum, but Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn evaded their force and fell on Gaza instead. He destroyed the town built outside the city 's castle and killed most of its inhabitants after they were refused entry into the castle. During that same year, he attacked and captured the Crusader castle of Eilat. Over the next 4 years a few battles were fought but mostly Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn continued to solidify his control of Egypt.
In 1174, Nur ad-Din died after being poisoned. His death left Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn with political independence . Over the next 13 years Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn fought several battles in Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, Hejaz, and Yemen. He main goal was to reclaim the holy land and unite the Muslim people under one rule. Throughout all these various battles he constantly exhibited chivalrous behaviour and honour to his enemies. His armies grew larger and his officers more and more loyal. Most notably during this period was the truce established with the Crusader King Baldwin, after about 3 years of battles. In 1181 , Raynald de Châtillon sent ships to the Gulf of Aqaba to raid towns and villages off the coast of the Red Sea. It was not an attempt to extend the Crusader influence into that sea or to capture its trade routes, but merely a piratical move breaking the long lasting peace. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn responded by using this act to gain support for the Muslim "Holy War" against the Crusaders, stating that he had come to Syria to fight the Crusaders, end the heresy of the Assassins, and to end the wrong-doing of the Muslims. He also promised that if the city of Mosul was given to him, it would lead to the capture of Jerusalem, Constantinople, Georgia, and the lands of the Almohads in the Maghreb, "until the word of God is supreme and the Abbasid caliphate has wiped the world clean, turning the churches into mosques." Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn stressed that all this would happen by the will of God and instead of asking for financial or military support from the caliph, he would capture and give the caliph the territories of Tikrit, Daquq, Khuzestan, Kish Island, and Oman. On September 29, 1182 Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn crossed the Jordan River to attack Beisan which was then sacked and burned. His army fought Crusader reinforcements from Karak and Shaubak along the Nablus road and took a number of prisoners. Crusader attacks provoked further responses by Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn. Raynald of Châtillon, in particular, harassed Muslim trading and pilgrimage routes and threatened to attack the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. In retaliation, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn twice besieged Raynald 's fortress Kerak. Raynald responded by looting a caravan of pilgrims. In July 1187 Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn captured most of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. On July 4, 1187, at the Battle of Hattin, he faced the combined forces of Guy of Lusignan, King Consort of Jerusalem and Raymond III of Tripoli. In this battle alone the Crusader army was largely annihilated by the motivated army of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn . It was a major disaster for the Crusaders and a turning point in the history of the Crusades. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn captured Raynald de Châtillon and was personally responsible for his execution in retaliation for his attacking Muslim caravans. Guy of Lusignan, who was also captured, he feared he would be next. But his life was spared by Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn with the words, talking about Raynald: "It is not the wont of kings, to kill kings; but that man had transgressed all bounds, and therefore did I treat him thus." Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn had captured almost every Crusader city. Jerusalem capitulated to his forces on October 2, 1187, after a siege. Before the siege, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn had offered generous terms of surrender, which were rejected. After the siege had started, he was unwilling to promise terms of quarter to the Frankish inhabitants of Jerusalem until Balian of Ibelin threatened to kill every Muslim hostage, estimated at 5000, and to destroy Islam 's holy shrines of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque if quarter was not given. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn consulted his council and these terms were accepted. Despite the Crusaders ' slaughter when they originally conquered Jerusalem in 1099, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn granted amnesty and free passage to all common Catholics and even to the defeated Christian army, as long as they were able to pay ransom. Upon the capture of Jerusalem, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn summoned the Jews and permitted them to resettle in the city. In particular, the residents of Ashkelon, a large Jewish settlement, responded to his request. The battle of Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem prompted a Third Crusade. Richard I of England led the siege of Acre, conquered the city and executed 3,000 Muslim prisoners, including women and children. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn retaliated by killing all Franks captured from August 28 – September 10. The armies of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn engaged the army of Richard at the Battle of Arsuf on September 7, 1191, at which Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's forces were defeated. Richard then moved his forces to Ascalon. When Richard arrived at the city, he found it abandoned and it 's defences demolished. Richard prepared to retreat to Jaffa, but Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn attacked his army and after a furious battle, Richard managed to save some of his troops and retreat. This was the last major battle between the two armies. All further attempts by Richard to re-take Jerusalem were defeated. As leaders of their respective factions, the two men came to an agreement in the Treaty of Ramla in 1192, whereby Jerusalem would remain in Muslim hands but would be open to Christian pilgrimages. The treaty reduced the Latin Kingdom to a strip along the coast from Tyre to Jaffa. Despite the differences in beliefs, the Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was respected by Christian lords, Richard especially. Richard once praised Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn as a great prince, saying that he was without doubt the greatest and most powerful leader in the Islamic world. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn in turn stated that there was not a more honourable Christian lord than Richard. After the treaty, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn and Richard sent each other many gifts as tokens of respect, but never met face to face. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn died of a fever on March 4, 1193, at Damascus, not long after Richard 's departure. In Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's possession at the time of his death were 1 piece of gold and 47 pieces of silver. He had given away his great wealth to his poor subjects and there was none left to pay for his funeral. He was buried in a mausoleum in the garden outside the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria. In conclusion, I would like to point out that in many ways Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn showed more of the Christian chivalric ideal then the Christian knights and Kings he battled against. He remained steadfast to his beliefs and convictions. while maintaining a fair and even hand when treating with his enemies and rivals. He in everything he did, presented himself as a leader, a warrior, a scholar, and a religious man. For these reasons I hold Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb as a personal inspiration and role model in my endeavours into Warriorship and honour.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saladin http://historymedren.about.com/library/who/blwwsaladin.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ol_uozB-do http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/saladdin.htm http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Salah%20Ad-Din%20Al-Ayyubi.pdf
Throughout history there are many examples of warriors who have, through their deeds, beliefs and actions, been considered chivalrous and honourable. The greatest testament to such a warrior is when one 's enemies honour the warrior as such. The subject of this essay is such a warrior and a role model that I believe any aspiring warrior should study. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb or Saladin, as he has come to be called in western civilization, was the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant and at the height of his power, ruled Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, Hejaz, and Yemen. He defeat of the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, and subsequent re-capture of the holy city of Jerusalem, marks Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn as a prominent figure in Kurdish, Arab, and Muslim culture. Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's chivalrous behaviour was noted by …show more content…
Christian chroniclers, especially in the accounts of the Siege of Kerak, and rather than becoming a hated figure in Europe, became a celebrated example of the ideals of chivalric behavior and won the respect of many of his Christian peers, most notably, Richard the Lionheart.
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was born in what is now Tikrit, Iraq and was of Kurdish ancestry. He was well educated both academically and religiously and was in fact, more interested in religion than joining the military.
His military career began under the tutelage of his uncle Asad al-Din Shirkuh, an important military commander under Nur ad-Din. At the age of 26, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, went on the expedition against Dirgham to reinstate the deposed vizier Shawar. Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's role in this expedition was minor. Later, after the sacking of Bilbais, the Crusader-Egyptian force and Shirkuh 's army were to engage in a battle on the desert border of the Nile River, just west of Giza. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn played a major role, commanding the right wing of the Zengid 's army, while a force of Kurds commanded the left, and Shirkuh stationed in the center, with orders to lure the enemy into a trap. The Crusader force enjoyed early success against Shirkuh 's troops, but the terrain was too steep and sandy for their horses, and commander Hugh of Caesarea was captured while attacking Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's unit. The battle ended in a victory, and Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn is credited to have helped Shirkuh in one of the "most remarkable victories in recorded history". After engaging in a power struggle over Egypt with Shawar and Amalric I of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's uncle died.
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn is said to have killed Shawar then Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was appointed vizier by al-Adid. The reasoning behind the Shia al-Adid 's selection of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, varies, and although positions were complicated by rival Muslim leaders, the bulk of the Syrian rulers supported Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn due to his role in the Egyptian expedition, in which he gained a record of military qualifications. As Emir, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn repented "wine-drinking and turned from frivolity to assume the dress of religion." Towards the end of 1169, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn defeated a massive Crusader-Byzantine force near Damietta and further strengthened his hold on Egypt as well as widen his support base. He began granting family members high-ranking positions in the region and increased Sunni influence in Cairo; he ordered the construction of a college for the Maliki branch of Sunni Islam in the city, as well as one for the Shafi
'i. After establishing himself in Egypt, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn launched a campaign against the Crusaders, besieging Darum in 1170. Amalric withdrew his Templar garrison from Gaza to assist him in defending Darum, but Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn evaded their force and fell on Gaza instead. He destroyed the town built outside the city 's castle and killed most of its inhabitants after they were refused entry into the castle. During that same year, he attacked and captured the Crusader castle of Eilat. Over the next 4 years a few battles were fought but mostly Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn continued to solidify his control of Egypt.
In 1174, Nur ad-Din died after being poisoned. His death left Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn with political independence . Over the next 13 years Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn fought several battles in Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, Hejaz, and Yemen. He main goal was to reclaim the holy land and unite the Muslim people under one rule. Throughout all these various battles he constantly exhibited chivalrous behaviour and honour to his enemies. His armies grew larger and his officers more and more loyal. Most notably during this period was the truce established with the Crusader King Baldwin, after about 3 years of battles. In 1181 , Raynald de Châtillon sent ships to the Gulf of Aqaba to raid towns and villages off the coast of the Red Sea. It was not an attempt to extend the Crusader influence into that sea or to capture its trade routes, but merely a piratical move breaking the long lasting peace. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn responded by using this act to gain support for the Muslim "Holy War" against the Crusaders, stating that he had come to Syria to fight the Crusaders, end the heresy of the Assassins, and to end the wrong-doing of the Muslims. He also promised that if the city of Mosul was given to him, it would lead to the capture of Jerusalem, Constantinople, Georgia, and the lands of the Almohads in the Maghreb, "until the word of God is supreme and the Abbasid caliphate has wiped the world clean, turning the churches into mosques." Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn stressed that all this would happen by the will of God and instead of asking for financial or military support from the caliph, he would capture and give the caliph the territories of Tikrit, Daquq, Khuzestan, Kish Island, and Oman. On September 29, 1182 Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn crossed the Jordan River to attack Beisan which was then sacked and burned. His army fought Crusader reinforcements from Karak and Shaubak along the Nablus road and took a number of prisoners. Crusader attacks provoked further responses by Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn. Raynald of Châtillon, in particular, harassed Muslim trading and pilgrimage routes and threatened to attack the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. In retaliation, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn twice besieged Raynald 's fortress Kerak. Raynald responded by looting a caravan of pilgrims. In July 1187 Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn captured most of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. On July 4, 1187, at the Battle of Hattin, he faced the combined forces of Guy of Lusignan, King Consort of Jerusalem and Raymond III of Tripoli. In this battle alone the Crusader army was largely annihilated by the motivated army of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn . It was a major disaster for the Crusaders and a turning point in the history of the Crusades. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn captured Raynald de Châtillon and was personally responsible for his execution in retaliation for his attacking Muslim caravans. Guy of Lusignan, who was also captured, he feared he would be next. But his life was spared by Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn with the words, talking about Raynald: "It is not the wont of kings, to kill kings; but that man had transgressed all bounds, and therefore did I treat him thus." Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn had captured almost every Crusader city. Jerusalem capitulated to his forces on October 2, 1187, after a siege. Before the siege, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn had offered generous terms of surrender, which were rejected. After the siege had started, he was unwilling to promise terms of quarter to the Frankish inhabitants of Jerusalem until Balian of Ibelin threatened to kill every Muslim hostage, estimated at 5000, and to destroy Islam 's holy shrines of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque if quarter was not given. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn consulted his council and these terms were accepted. Despite the Crusaders ' slaughter when they originally conquered Jerusalem in 1099, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn granted amnesty and free passage to all common Catholics and even to the defeated Christian army, as long as they were able to pay ransom. Upon the capture of Jerusalem, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn summoned the Jews and permitted them to resettle in the city. In particular, the residents of Ashkelon, a large Jewish settlement, responded to his request. The battle of Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem prompted a Third Crusade. Richard I of England led the siege of Acre, conquered the city and executed 3,000 Muslim prisoners, including women and children. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn retaliated by killing all Franks captured from August 28 – September 10. The armies of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn engaged the army of Richard at the Battle of Arsuf on September 7, 1191, at which Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's forces were defeated. Richard then moved his forces to Ascalon. When Richard arrived at the city, he found it abandoned and it 's defences demolished. Richard prepared to retreat to Jaffa, but Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn attacked his army and after a furious battle, Richard managed to save some of his troops and retreat. This was the last major battle between the two armies. All further attempts by Richard to re-take Jerusalem were defeated. As leaders of their respective factions, the two men came to an agreement in the Treaty of Ramla in 1192, whereby Jerusalem would remain in Muslim hands but would be open to Christian pilgrimages. The treaty reduced the Latin Kingdom to a strip along the coast from Tyre to Jaffa. Despite the differences in beliefs, the Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was respected by Christian lords, Richard especially. Richard once praised Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn as a great prince, saying that he was without doubt the greatest and most powerful leader in the Islamic world. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn in turn stated that there was not a more honourable Christian lord than Richard. After the treaty, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn and Richard sent each other many gifts as tokens of respect, but never met face to face. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn died of a fever on March 4, 1193, at Damascus, not long after Richard 's departure. In Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's possession at the time of his death were 1 piece of gold and 47 pieces of silver. He had given away his great wealth to his poor subjects and there was none left to pay for his funeral. He was buried in a mausoleum in the garden outside the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria. In conclusion, I would like to point out that in many ways Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn showed more of the Christian chivalric ideal then the Christian knights and Kings he battled against. He remained steadfast to his beliefs and convictions. while maintaining a fair and even hand when treating with his enemies and rivals. He in everything he did, presented himself as a leader, a warrior, a scholar, and a religious man. For these reasons I hold Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb as a personal inspiration and role model in my endeavours into Warriorship and honour.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saladin http://historymedren.about.com/library/who/blwwsaladin.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ol_uozB-do http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/saladdin.htm http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Salah%20Ad-Din%20Al-Ayyubi.pdf