Saladin
or SALAHEDDIN, a celebrated Sultan of Egypt and Syria; born in 1137. In the time of the Crusades he distinguished himself by his valor. He made great conquests in Syria, Arabia, Persia, and Mesopotamia; after which he defeated the Christians with great slaughter near Tiberias and took Guy de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, prisoner.
This was followed by the surrender of Jerusalem, where he behaved with great generosity to the Christians. In 1189 Richard Cœur-de-Lion, with his ally, Philip Augustus, siege to Acre, which, after a two years' astus, Philip Augustus, King of France, laid struggle, was taken by them. The crusaders subsequently took Cæsarea and Jaffa, and Richard Cœur-de-Lion advanced to within a short distance of Jerusalem; but a truce was afterward concluded between Saladin and the Christians; soon after which the Sultan died, broken down by his constant toil. He died in Damascus in 1193.