Statue of Saladin in Damascus, Syria.
Photo taken by Nick Fraser.

Saladin is short for Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, which means many things in Arabic, namely: Righteousness of the Faith, Joseph, Son of Job.

Saladin was born in 1137 or 1138 and died 1193 in Damascus, which is today your Syria. He was sultan over Egypt, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine.

A Muslim, Saladin fought against Christian Crusaders.

Here is a great picture of Richard the Lionheart and Saladin picking flowers together during some quiet time in the Battle of Arsur (Arsuf).

Saladin's greatest success was the re-capture of Jerusalem in 1187.

Everybody seems to agree that Saladin was a generous man.