Saladin the Strategist: How the Crusaders Lost the Holy Land

by Ben Duval

The era of the Crusades saw many spectacular triumphs and crushing defeats as the forces of Christendom and Islam fought for control of Jerusalem in a 200-year struggle. The most famous of these was the Battle of Hattin, in which the great Kurdish general Saladin annihilated a Crusader army in 1187, leading to the fall of Jerusalem, the epic showdown with Richard the Lionheart and the Third Crusade, and ultimately to the end of the Crusades.

How was Saladin able to win one of the most decisive victories in military history? Hattin was not a fluke or a one-off, but the product of a deliberate system he developed over many decades fighting Christians and fellow Muslims alike. Saladin the Strategist tells this story from his perspective, exploring how he developed his long-term vision of conquest amidst the struggles and uncertainty of his rise. It examines all aspects of his generalship, from the tactics of the battlefield to the political implications of his campaigns, and all the questions of maneuver, supply, terrain, and strategy which influenced his decision-making.

487 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 13, 2022