Saladin: The Politics of the Holy War (Canto original series) [Paperback]

Malcolm C. Lyons (Author), D. E. P. Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0521585627 | ISBN-13: 978-0521585620

Saladin was one of the best-known figures of the Middle Ages. The West accepted him as a hero; Islam was indebted to him for the recovery of Jerusalem. In this book Lyons and Jackson make use of hitherto neglected Arabic sources, including unpublished manuscript material - notably the correspondence, both private and official, of Saladin's own court. Such letters contain fresh information on the battles and diplomatic campaigns that accompanied Saladin's efforts to be accepted by his contemporaries as their leader in the Holy War.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'It is certainly the best book yet written about Saladin in English.' The Times Literary Supplement

'Lyons and Jackson have produced a distinguished and extremely well-researched book ... It has the added merit of being accessible ... it reads easily and will be readily understood by the non-specialist.' History Today

Book Description

Saladin was one of the best-known figures of the Middle Ages. The West accepted him as a hero; Islam was indebted to him for the recovery of Jerusalem. This book sets Saladin's life within the framework of his age.

Product Details

• Paperback: 463 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521585627
• ISBN-13: 978-0521585620
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,552,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars GOOD DETAILS BUT A FUZZY BIG PICTURE, April 24, 2000

By 

STEPHEN MATTOX - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saladin: The Politics of the Holy War (Canto original series) (Paperback)

This is a somewhat difficult book to work through, one that at times adapts a very scholastic tone. As an Anglo-American I found all of the Arab placenames and surnames a bit challenging, but that was expected. So I am certainly not criticizing the book on that count; you should just be aware that if you don't have extensive previous knowledge of the Arab world, this book will demand more concentration and time of you than most biographies. Now three points of criticism: First, I would like to see more background information as to the history of the crusades, and how Jerusalem and other territories in the Holy Land came to be under European rule. Even a few paragraphs would have been appreciated. Second, the writing style is a bit dull. I don't expect prose worthy of Thomas Wolfe from a biographer, but in some sections I felt like I was reading a doctoral thesis. Third, Lyons and Jackson wait until the very end to comment at length on the qualities and motivations of Saladin, and on his importance in the grand scheme of things. I think that such commentary should be injected more than they are throughout the book, as critical events unfold. And then the final analysis should wrap up on themes already developed. The greatest strength of this book is that it is written truly from an Arab perspective. The European viewpoint is represented, but I always felt like I was observing from within Egypt, or Syria, or Palestine. I did not feel like an envoy from the Vatican - on the outside looking in. This is an accomplishment for the authors. What I found most interesting about Saladin's life was the paradox he faced: to consolidate power within the Arab world he needed the legitimacy of being a true believer, fighting the infidels in the holy war. However, to effectively fight the Europeans he needed soldiers from throughout the Arab world. So you see him in the book alternating his attention between his external battles and his internal ones. Lyons and Jackson do a good job in providing the details of these struggles - the dates, the places, the people, the numbers. But somehow they don't effectively convey the big picture; they don't explain the significance of the events as they unfold. The authors might argue that it is best for the reader to decipher that for his or herself. But I think the best historical books offer an opinion, with which the reader is then free to agree, or disagree.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good solid work, May 21, 2005

By 

Brian Hawkinson (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saladin: The Politics of the Holy War (Canto original series) (Paperback)

This is, to say the least, not a book for the lay person to pick for a casual read. The work is thorough and detailed, starting from beginning to end to how Saladin came into and held onto power.

I knew going into this biography that it would be difficult reading the Arabic names and places, so nothing new there. I must say that I was impressed with how the point of view remained with Saladin the whole time, using Arabic sources instead of western (other than William of Tyre), and didn't waiver when Saladin came into contact with Richard the Lionhearted and so on. All to often authors tend to naturally revert to the western point of view rather than understand Saladin for what he was, a Muslim, which helps us better understand who he was.

My only complaint would have to be the same as the other reviewer, that the maps were not included during the reading (it would have been great to have the map at the beginning of each chapter for the time being discussed) and a list of the whose who and their relation to Saladin. Lyons would mention an Arabic ruler and I couldn't place where he ruled and why he threatened Saladin because of how the names are so alien, which causes the western reader to not easily remember.

Other than those two things, I think this is a great read for the amateur as well as the professional historian, adding a valuable source of information, if not being the best, to what we know of Saladin. Push past the dry, scholarly feel of the book and you have a wealth of information.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best biographies of Saladin, October 8, 2007

By 

Alberto Nascimento (Lake Mary, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saladin: The Politics of the Holy War (University of Cambridge Oriental Publications No. 30) (Paperback)

This is definitely not a book for someone who has just started learning about the Crusades: from the very first page it assumes the reader has a good knowledge about events, places and names; if you don't, you will miss a lot since the writers are not concerned about explaining who's who, in particular among the Franks. It's not a book for casual reading either: I read it as serious studying, making notes, underlining important passages and occasionally re-reading a whole page just to make sure I got it right. This is a book for a reader who wants to learn the details that made Saladin one of the most preeminent figures in the history of the Crusades. Half of it describes his ability unifying Islam (basically, Egypt and Syria) by creating alliances or, when they failed, fighting other Muslim leaders with the final goal of defeating the Christians. The book's second half describes his campaigns against the Franks which ultimately led to the fall of Jerusalem and the conquest of most of the Christian cities in the Holy Land. The authors, Lyons & Jackson, based their research on tens (if not hundreds) of letters written by Saladin himself and his contemporaries for a period over 40 years detailing the political game that made him a victorious leader. The authors also refer to the writings of the most important Western commentators of that time (William of Tyre, in particular), but this is definitely a book written from a Muslim perspective. The authors do a very good and impartial job pointing out Saladin's successes and failures through the Arab eyes and, when there's conflict between several sources, they express their own opinion based on a reasonable analysis of the facts. Saladin was unquestionably a great leader but as all leaders in History he had his weaknesses, fears and moments of indecision. The book doesn't try to create a superhero but shows a man who had the ability to patiently gather tens of local Arab leaders with their own personal agendas, showing generosity when possible and ruthlessness when necessary. It is this quality that perhaps made several experts to consider Lyons & Jackson's work probably the best biography of him.