Saladin
Life and reign
Kurdish founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, sultan of Egypt and Syria from 1174, who destroyed the crusader army at Hattin in 1187 and retook Jerusalem after 88 years of Christian rule. His chivalry impressed even his enemies, and Richard the Lionheart made a truce with him. He died in Damascus in 1193, having given away most of his wealth.
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