The Rare & Excellent History of Saladin :
New,
*[A5+] Paperback - 265 pages,
'Nawadir al-Sultaniyya wa'l-Mahasin al-Yusufiyya'
by Shaykh Baha al-Din ibn Shaddad [d.632h],
Transl. by D.S. Richards,
Published by Routledge.
RRP £36.99
Description :
"Saladin is perhaps the one and only Muslim ruler who emerges with any clarity in standard tales and histories of the Crusades; this is a translation of Baha' al-Din Ibn Shaddad's account of his life and career.
Ibn Shaddad (b.1144/d.1234 Common Era) was clearly a great admirer of Saladin and was a close associate of his, serving as his Qadi al-'Askar (judge of the army), from 1188 until Saladin's death in 1193. His position and his access to information make this an authoritative and essential source for Saladin's career, while his personal relationship with the sultan adds a sympathetic and moving element to the account of his final years.
Aside from its inherent value as a source for the history of Egypt and the Middle East, it therefore provides a much-needed complement and corrective to the widely-known Latin accounts of the Crusades and the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century.
The present translation is based on a fuller edition of the text than that used in the previous 19th-century translation, and takes into account the author's readings of the earliest manuscript of the work, dated July 1228. "---From the Rear Cover.
Table of Contents :
---Preface;
---Acknowledgements,
---Abbreviations,
---List of Maps.
---Introduction;
------The author, Ibn Shaddad;
------The writings of Ibn Shaddad;
------The monograph on Saladin;
------Date of composition;
------Editions and previous translations;
------This present translation;
The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin:
------Prologue;
First part;
---Account of his adherence to Religious Beliefs and observance of matters of Holy Law that we have witnessed,
------Prayer,
------Alms,
------Ramadan Fast,
------Pilgrimage,
---Account of his Justice,
---Remarkable Examples of his Generosity,
---Account of his Bravery,
---Account of his zeal for the cause of Jihad,
---Remarkable examples of his endurance and his winning credit in Heaven,
---Some random remarks on his Forbearance and Clemency,
---Account of his Observance of Chivalrous Behaviour.
Second part;
---Account of his first expedition to Egypt in the company of his uncle Asad al-Din,
---Account of his return to Egypt and the reason for it,
---Account of their return to Egypt for the third time, when they conquered it, 7 other events that occurred in the year 564h [1168-9],
---Account of Asad al-Din's death and the passing of authority to the Sultan,
---Account of the Franks' attack on Damietta,
---How he sent for his father,
---The death of al-Adid,
---The first expedition launched from Egypt,
---Account of the death of his father Najm al-Din,
---Account of the conquest of Yemen,
---The death of Nur al-Din Mahmud ibn Zanki,
---The rebellion of Kanz al-Dawla in Aswan during the year 570h [1174-5],
---Account of the Franks' attack on the port of Alexandria,
---Account of the Sultan's march to Syria and his taking Damascus,
---How Sayf al-Din sent his brother 'Izz al-Din to confront him,
---Sayf al-Din takes the field in person,
---Account of the defeat at Ramia,
---The Sultan's return to Syria,
---The death of al-Salih,
---Account of 'Izz al-Din's coming to Aleppo,
---Account of 'Izz al-Din's exchange of territory with his brother, Imad al-Din al-Zanki,
---Account of the Sultan's return from Egypt,
---Account of his siege of Mosul,
---Account of his taking Sinjar,
---The incident with Shah Arman, the Lord of Khilat,
---Account of the Sultan's return to Syria,
---Account of his capture of Aleppo,
---Account of his taking of Harim,
---Account of the raid on Goliath's spring,
---Account of the expedition he mounted against Kerak,
---His gift of Aleppo to his brother, al-Adil,
---Account of our coming before him as envoys,
---Another expedition to Kerak,
---The Sultan's expedition against Mosul for the second time,
---The arrest and release of Muzaffar al-Din,
---The death of Shah Arman,
---Account of the taking of Mayyafariqin,
---The Sultan's return to Mosul,
---Account of his peace treaty with the Mosulis,
---The Sultan's return to Syria,
---Account of al-Adil's journey to Egypt and al-Zahir's return to Aleppo,
---The return of al-Zahir to Aleppo,
---Account of an expedition mounted against Kerak,
---Account of the battle of Hattin; a blessing of the Muslims,
---The taking of the citadel of Tiberias,
---Account of the taking of Acre,
---The taking of Tibnin,
---His taking of Beirut,
---The capture of Ascalon,
---The conquest of Jerusalem the Blessed, the Noble,
---His attack on Tyre,
---The arrival of his son al-Zahir,
---Account of his siege of Tyre,
---Account of the sinking of the fleet,
---His siege of Kawkab,
---His entry into the Upper Coast and his capture of Lattakia, Jabala and other places,
---Account of his expedition into the coastal lands,
---Account of the conquest of Antartus,
---The taking of Jabala,
---The taking of Lattakia,
---The taking of Sahyun,
---The taking of Bakus,
---The taking of Burzey,
---The conquest of Darbsak,
---The conquest of Baghras,
---Account of the conquest of Safad,
---Account of the conquest of Kawkab,
---His march to Shaqif Arnun,
---Account of the Franks' gathering to attack Acre,
---Account of the battle in which Aybak al-Akhrash met a martyr's death,
---Account of a second battle in which some Muslim infantry died as martyr's,
---The reason for his going to Acre with a flying column,
---Account of another battle,
---The arrest of the Lord of al-Shaqif and the reason why,
---The conflict at Acre and it's cause,
---The successful opening of a route into Acre,
---Our forces withdraw to Teil al-'Ayyadiyya,
---Account of a Bedouin clash with the enemy,
---A strange occurrence during these encounters,
---Account of the great pitched battle before Acre,
---The arrival of news of the German Emperor,
---Account of the battle of the dunes beside the river at Acre,
---The death of the jurist 'Isa,
---A strange event,
---The surrender of al-Shaqif 586h [1190CE],
---A curious piece of information,
---Arrival of the Caliph's envoy,
---The arrival of his son, al-Zahir,
---A curious incident indicating the good fortune of his son, al-Zahir,
---Account of the arrival of 'Imad al-Din Zanki, the Lord of Sinjar,
---The arrival of Mu'izz al-Din Sanjar Shah, Lord of Jazirat [ibn 'Umar],
---The arrival of 'Ala al-Din, the son of the lord of Mosul,
---The arrival of the fleet and its entry into Acre,
---The arrival of Zayn al-Din, lord of Irbil,
---News of the German Emperor,
---The letter from the Armenian Catholicos,
---Account of the troops move to the frontier on the German Emperor's line of march,
---Completion of the report concerning the German Emperor,
---Account of al-Adil's battle,
---The arrival of Count Henry,
---Account of a letter that came from Constantinople,
---The burning of the enemy's trebuchets,
---The ruse to enable a buss to get into the city from Beirut,
---The tale of the swimmer 'Isa,
---The burning of the trebuchets,
---Completion of the account of the German,
---The plan employed by the marquis to mobilise the Franks from overseas,
---The arrival of the busses from Egypt,
---Account of the siege of the Tower of Flies,
---Account of the German's arrival to join their God-forsaken army,
---Account of the burning of the ram and other engines,
---The burning of the buss prepared to take the Tower of Flies,
---The Prince's expedition to raid the Syrian lands adjacent to him,
---The capture of two of the enemy's busses,
---The army moves to Shafar'am,
---Account of Zayn al-Din's death,
---Account of the Mu'izz al-Din affair,
---Imad al-Din's request for leave to depart,
---Account of the enemy's move to Ra's al-Ma'
---Account of the battle at the ambush,
---The troops rest from the Jihad,
---Account of the visit of Zulfandar,
---How the Sultan was busy getting the relief force into the city,
---The collapse of a section of the wall, which was s second sign,
---The capture of the enemy's ships,
---Account of the death of the son of the German emperor,
---Account of Asad al-Din's raid,
---Account of several events in the year 587h [1191],
---The arrival of Muslim forces and the king of France,
---A rare event and a good omen,
---A strange occurrence,
---News of the king of England,
---Their efforts to press hard on the city,
---The story of the infant child,
---Account of the Sultan's move to Tell al-'Ayyadiyya,
---Account of the arrival of the king of England,
---The sinking of a Muslim buss,
---Account of the burning of a siege tower,
---Account of several incidents,
---Another incident,
---Another incident,
---Another incident,
---Account of the flight of two servants of the king's sister,
---Account of the flight of the marquis to Tyre,
---The arrival of the rest of the Muslim forces,
---Their envoys came to the Sultan,
---Account of their powerful assault on the city and its close investment,
---The parlous state to which the defenders were reduced & the start of talks,
---An account of letters that came from Acre,
---The garrison's peace talks and negotiations for their lives,
---Account of the enemy's taking control of Acre,
---Account of a battle that occurred in the meantime,
---Account of Ibn Barik's mission,
---The Franks move their tent out,
---Account of the killing of the Muslims who were in Acre,
---The enemy's move to the sea shore to the west,
---Account of their march towards Ascalon,
---Account of a battle,
---Account of negotiations that took place this day,
---Account of the meeting of al-Adil and the king of England,
---Account of the battle of Arsuf, which wounded Muslim hearts ?
---Account of the demolition of Ascalon,
---His stop at Yubna,
---Account of his march to Ramla,
---The Sultan's return to the army,
---Account of the arrival of the envoy of the marquis,
---Account of the Sultan's departure from Ramla,
---Account of the death of the king of France,
---Account of al-'Adil's journey to Jerusalem and the arrival of news of the death of Qizil ibn Ildekiz,
---The return of al-'Adil from Jerusalem,
---Information from the advanced guard at Acre and the case of the robbers who entered the enemy's tents,
---The arrival of the prisoners mentioned above,
---Account of the death of Husam al-Din ibn Lajin,
---Al-Adil's envoy visits the king of England,
---Account of the flight of Shirkuh ibn Bakhil al-Kurdi from Acre, where he was a captive,
---A message which al-'Adil sent me to take to the Sultan in company with several Emirs,
---The envoy's return to the king of England with the reply to this missive,
---Account of the seizure of a famous ship of the Franks, called 'the Armoured,' which they greatly prized,
---The Emirs' unanimity of opinion in the presence of the Sultan,
---The Franks march out from Jaffa,
---Account of the death of al-Muzaffar,
---Account of a letter that arrived from Baghdad,
---The arrival of the lord of Sidon as an envoy from the marquis,
---Account of the ambush in which Ayaz al-Mihrani met a martyr's death,
---Account of what occurred between al-'Adil and the king of England at their opening,
---Concerning the letter that the king of England sent to the Sultan,
---The lord of Sidon comes before the Sultan, delivers a message & discusses his mission,
---Account of the arrival of the king of England's envoy,
---The council he held to choose between the peace alternatives; peace with the king or peace with the marquis,
---The Sultan's move to Tell al-Jazar,
---Account of al-'Adil's journey,
---Al-'Adil's return from the Jordan Valley,
---Account of a Frankish raid,
---The departure of the envoy of the marquis,
---The return of the Muslim forces in the year 588h [1192],
---Account of Sayf al-Din ibn al-Mashtub's release from captivity,
---The return of the envoy from Tyre,
---Account of the assassination of the marquis,
---The conclusion of al-Mansur's affair and what happened to him,
---Arrival of the Byzantine envoy,
---Al-'Adil's initiatives concerning the lands beyond the Euphrates,
---The Franks' seizure of Darum,
---Account of their attack on Majdal Yaba,
---Account of an engagement at Tyre,
---The Muslim armies return to the Jihad,
---The arrival of Ibn al-Muqaddam,
---Account of the enemy's departure from al-Hasi,
---The enemy make their dispositions for a march on Jerusalem,
---Account of their coming to Bayt Nuba,
---Account of an engagement that took place,
---A further engagement,
---Account of the taking of a caravan from Egypt,
---The arrival of al-Afdal,
---The reason why the enemy withdrew to their own territory,
---Count Henry's mission,
---A battle that took place before Acre,
---The return of their envoy to discuss peace,
---The return of the Frank's envoy a third time,
---The return of their envoy,
---The arrival of his son, al-Zahir, lord of Aleppo,
---Account of the envoy's fourth mission,
---The Sultan takes the field,
---Account of the siege of Jaffa,
---The conquest of Jaffa; the beginning of the second conquest; & the events there after,
---How the citadel remained in enemy hands,
---The renewal of peace talks,
---The arrival of reinforcements,
---The arrival of the Egyptian forces,
---The arrival of al-Mansur, the son of Taqi al-Din,
---The Sultan moves to Ramla,
---Their agreement to cede Ascalon,
---The arrival of envoy's from numerous quarters,
---Account of the conclusion of the peace,
---Account of the demolition at Ascalon,
---Account of the Sultan's departure from Ramla,
---The return of the armies of Islam to their homelands,
---Account of the Sultan's return [to Jerusalem],
---The arrival of an envoy from Baghdad,
---The Sultan's son al-Zahir returns to his lands and receives the Sultan's advice,
---The departure of al-Afdal,
---The Sultan's departure from Jerusalem,
---Baha al-Din Qaraqush's exit from captivity,
---The prince presents himself before the Sultan, seeking a favour,
---The death of al-Mashtub in Jerusalem,
---Account of the Sultan's return to Damascus,
---The arrival of his brother, al-'Adil,
---The Sultan's reception of the pilgrim caravan,
---An account of his illness,
---Al-Afdal exacts the people's oath of allegiance,
---Account of his death [may God have mercy on him, sanctify his spirit and give the Muslims a good successor).
---Appendix;
---Bibliography;
---Index.
*Dimensions : 23.4 x 15.5cm.