Saladin The Politics of the Holy War [Paperback]

Saladin is one of the best known figures of the Middle Ages, and this study makes use of hitherto neglected Arabic sources, including unpublished manuscript material - -notably the correspondence, both private and official, of Saladin's own court -to set the whole of Saladin's career and achievements, civil and military, within the specific framework of his age.Foreword; 1. Early adventures; 2. Vizier of Egypt; 3. Lord of Egypt; 4. The shadow of Syria; 5. Independence; 6. From Egypt to Syria; 7. War and diplomacy; 8. Egyptian interlude; 9. Defeat and difficulties; 10. Consolidation and expansion; 11. Opportunities; 12. The capture of Aleppo; 13. Empire-building and the Holy War; 14. The end of empire; 15. Preparations; 16. Hattin; 17. The capture of Jerusalem; 18. Success and failure; 19. Crusaders at Acre; 20. The fall of Acre; 21. Stalemate; 22. Conclusion; Plan of Cairo; Maps; Notes; Bibliography; Index.'Lyons and Jackson have produced a distinguished and extremely well researched book which is likely to become a standard work in the field and become required reading for all students of Ayyubid history. it has the added merit of being accessible, as the authors themselves intend, to the non-Arab historian: despite its wealth of documentation and factual description it reads easily and will be readily understood by the non-specialist.' History Today