Holy War (51 page)

Nonetheless, it took its toll on Saladin. This was a man who had devoted his life to defeating the Franks and driving them from Jerusalem, only to see a new enemy come from overseas in overwhelming numbers. He suffered from repeated illnesses, and his collapse outside Mosul, and again during the siege of Acre, is attested by contemporaries. Yet he could not retreat to his palaces to recover. Knowing that his troops would not fight without him, he was forced to stay in the field for years on end in order to beat back his enemies. Had Saladin faltered, even for a moment, it is more than likely Richard would have succeeded.

Saladin’s legacy, therefore, is one of both great triumph and steadfastness in the face of adversity. He unified Egypt, Syria and Al-Jazirah, providing a model for a united Middle East. He turned the tide against the Franks, retook Jerusalem and left the Kingdom a shadow of its former glorious self. When England, France and the Holy Roman Empire brought their armies together against him, he fought them to a standstill. For all his military achievements, though, perhaps his greatest moment was one of compromise. In his peace with Richard, he made Jerusalem a city open to all. After a lifetime spent fighting the Franks, he nevertheless understood that the Holy Land had to be shared if there were ever to be peace. That is his greatest legacy of all.