Saladin

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Saladin (萨拉丁)
Alias(es)	Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi; King Saladin 94
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Ayyubid dynasty / Kingdom of Ayyub; Zoroastrian forces 83 113
Occupation/Role	Ruler of the Ayyubids; master of Egypt, Arabia, Syria, and Aleppo 382 897
Status	Presumed dead after being defeated by Lothar in a final duel at Damascus 897
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 31; first direct appearance in Chapter 83 31 83

Background / History

Saladin formerly served Nur ad-Din of the Zengid Dynasty. He used Nur ad-Din's envoy status to become vizier of Fatimid Egypt, then rebelled against his suzerain, seized power, imprisoned Nur ad-Din's heir Saleh, and took Aleppo. His disputed legitimacy remained a point of resistance within his realm. 62 382

Within roughly ten years, he built an empire spanning Egypt and Syria, with influence extending across Arabia and much of the Saracen world. Syria and Egypt became the dynasty's core territories; Damascus remained his political and military center even after Egypt's prosperity made it a vital foundation of his rule. 83 382 888

His position was constrained by internal rivals and the Sasanian King of Kings. After an unauthorized killing of the Sasanian vassal Kawkab by one of his subordinates, Saladin personally negotiated compensation, sent tribute, and recognized the Sasanian ruler's religious authority to avert war. 60

Appearance

Saladin is a gaunt, memorable man approaching fifty, with a scar on his cheek reportedly left by an assassin of the Old Man of the Mountain. As his health declined, he became visibly frail and bedridden, though he could still project authority when armored. 83 431 888 897

• Wears exquisite golden scale armor and a black turban when commanding in person. 83
• Uses a brown Kazaghan, ornate-looking lamellar armor reinforced with two layers of chainmail. 113
• Has a gray-streaked beard and a wrinkled face by the later Gaza campaign. 431
• Frequently coughs and suffers from worsening chronic illness. 94 399

Personality

Saladin is composed, pragmatic, and highly conscious of the fragile political foundation beneath his authority. He repeatedly tempers personal hatred—especially toward Reynald—with the larger objective of reclaiming Jerusalem, recognizing that excessive battlefield losses could splinter his coalition of tribal lords and provincial forces. 83 117

He cultivates an image of restraint, justice, and benevolence. Though his rise involved rebellion and political imprisonment, he compensates injured allies, pays ransom for Zahir rather than launching an immediate rescue campaign, treats captured or wavering subordinates with leniency, and gives Saleh a governorship rather than executing him. 60 94 382 721

His respect for capable opponents is genuine. He recognizes Baldwin IV's political stature and regards Lothar as a just and formidable adversary, even while viewing him as the central threat to his dynasty. 113 885 897

Abilities & Skills

Statecraft and Diplomacy

Saladin maintains authority through negotiation, religious legitimacy, appointments, and calculated concessions rather than relying solely on force.

• Mobilizes disparate tribal states under the banner of jihad while acknowledging that many contingents are loyal primarily to their local lords. 83 117
• Defuses conflict with the Sasanian King through tribute, compensation, and recognition of his religious status. 60
• Attempts to provoke a casus belli against Reynald, but accepts Reynald's restraint rather than forcing an immediate escalation. 382
• Rehabilitates captured rebel Saleh by appointing him to govern and unify Kurdish tribes. 382
• Uses Ivan's attempted flight from Egypt to pressure the Sasanian court into greater involvement against the Crusaders. 721

Strategic Command

Saladin directs the overall political and military course of campaigns while delegating immediate battlefield decisions to generals such as Adil and Zahir.

• Prioritizes Jerusalem over the destruction of Kalerburg and Reynald, ordering Adil to conduct a feigned attack rather than waste core troops in a costly siege. 83
• Recognizes that his claimed army of hundreds of thousands includes garrisons, local levies, laborers, and unreliable contingents rather than a single deployable field force. 60 83
• Uses cavalry encirclement and reserves against Lothar's forces, reacting to changing conditions without micromanaging frontline formations. 115
• Orders a decisive engagement when continued retreat would threaten his prestige and encourage rebellion. 117
• Entrusts Adil with full command in Egypt and supplies him with elite reinforcements and the Mage Advisory Group. 585

Patronage of Spellcasters

Saladin relies on independent spellcasters for intelligence, siege warfare, dragon beasts, and extraordinary combat power, but cannot command them as ordinary officers.

• Employs black-robed warlocks to monitor Reynald remotely through magical projection. 382
• Retains Shemiel as a chief court adviser and gains access to dragon beasts, including the Karelian Fire Dragon. 403 410
• Funds spellcasters with materials, manpower, relics, and access to the Library of Alexandria. 413 585
• Must negotiate with rather than order spellcasters such as Shemiel, Mudrij, and Salman. 413 430
• Understands the danger of magical power but becomes increasingly dependent on it as Lothar's extraordinary forces grow stronger. 426 888

Personal Resolve

Though not presented as a tactical genius in individual battlefield command, Saladin leads visibly from the front and retains courage despite illness and repeated defeats.

• Personally meets Baldwin IV between the armies before battle. 113
• Appears at the front with Qasari Guards to assess the Crusader army. 410
• Confronts Ladon despite his weakened condition, forcing the dragon to withdraw without attacking. 890
• Drinks a strength-enhancing magic potion and challenges Lothar to a final duel rather than flee Damascus. 897

Military Forces

• Qasari Guard — Saladin's royal Mamluk guard; many members also hold provincial offices, reducing their ties to local nobles and limiting rebellion. 431
• Kasaghji Guard — Elite heavy horse archers described as the finest among the Mamluk forces and capable of contending with Crusader knights. 41 406
• Mamluk Guard — The backbone of Saladin's multinational army, supported by lower-vassal contingents of uneven quality. 406
• Nubian light cavalry — Javelin cavalry supplied by subordinate Nubian lords; Saladin assigns two thousand to Zahir during the Gaza campaign. 431
• Dragon beasts and spellcaster forces — Extraordinary assets supplied through advisers such as Shemiel, Mudrij, Salman, and the Mage Advisory Group. 403 430 585

Equipment

• Golden scale armor — His ceremonial and battlefield armor. 83 410
• Kazaghan — Brown lamellar armor with concealed double chainmail protection; it previously saved him from an assassin. 113
• Black turban — Worn with his golden armor. 83
• Magic potion — Consumed before his duel with Lothar, briefly restoring strength beyond his healthy condition at the cost of his remaining life. 897

Relationships

• Adil (Savotding) — Younger brother, trusted general, and Governor of Egypt. Saladin delegates major operations to him and entrusts him with full wartime command. 83 585
• Zahir Ghazi — Son. Saladin ransoms him after his capture, later gives him the remaining Qasari Guard and promises Aleppo and northern Syria if he succeeds against Lothar. 94 431
• Saleh — Son of Nur ad-Din and a claimant to Aleppo. Saladin once held him under house arrest; after recapturing the rebel, Saladin appoints him to a governorship instead of killing him. 62 382
• Baldwin IV — Rival king of Jerusalem. They negotiate personally before battle and later agree to a three-year truce after playing chess. 113 120
• Lothar — Principal Crusader adversary. Saladin comes to regard him as a dangerous yet benevolent and just opponent; their conflict ends in a final duel at Damascus. 430 885 897
• Shemiel — Independent spellcaster and court adviser. Their relationship is transactional: Saladin supplies resources and Shemiel provides military support. 403 413
• Taqi al-Din — Nephew and trusted subordinate. He carries out Saladin's orders concerning Saleh and serves near him during campaigns. 382 412
• Farushah — Brother and former Governor of Homs. Saladin entrusts him with preserving the Ayyubid family's future as Damascus faces collapse. 888
• Mujit — General of Damascus's city-defense army and one of the few people aware of Saladin's final plan. 897
• Ivan — Saracen officer whom Saladin forgives for attempting to flee Egypt, then assigns to escort an envoy to Sasan. 721

Story Role / Major Arcs

First Jerusalem Campaign

• Saladin advances on Kalerburg with an army drawn from tribal states and core Mamluk forces, using Reynald's past attacks on caravans and holy sites as justification. 83
• Despite his hatred for Reynald, he orders Adil to limit the operation to a feigned attack because preserving strength for Jerusalem matters more than vengeance. 83
• He meets Baldwin IV between the armies, explains that his religious and political coalition leaves him unable to abandon the goal of Jerusalem, and accepts that war is unavoidable. 113
• After heavy fighting and a failed attempt to contain Lothar's cavalry, he seeks a ceasefire. His meeting with Baldwin ends in a three-year truce. 115 120

Consolidation and Renewed Offensive

• Saladin suppresses Zengid resistance, benefits from Sasanian distraction in the east, and prepares a new campaign to reclaim the Holy Land. 382
• He uses spellcasters to observe Reynald and seeks a pretext for war, but Reynald's restraint prevents the planned provocation from succeeding. 382
• His later army marches with dragon beasts and a growing circle of magical advisers, reflecting his recognition that conventional forces alone cannot counter Lothar. 403 410

Gaza Campaign

• Saladin permits Adil to besiege Gaza City, while Salman reluctantly intervenes with magic under strict conditions against harming ordinary soldiers. 423
• Gaza's defense and Celinina's intervention force Adil's retreat. Saladin nevertheless chooses to gamble on an advance, believing the enemy reinforcement may have been drawn away. 424 426
• At the decisive battle, he deploys Zahir, the Qasari Guard, Nubian cavalry, and spellcaster allies to stop Lothar's charge. 431 435
• Lothar's victory severely damages Saladin's prestige, scatters many of his allies, and exposes Egypt to a new Crusade. 446 453

Fall of Egypt and Final Resistance

• Saladin offers Lothar an alliance that would divide influence between them, but Lothar rejects it on political and religious grounds. 547 548
• As Egypt falls and Adil's forces are devastated, Saladin's dynasty loses its military core and provincial obedience begins to unravel. 816 874 888
• After Egypt and Homs are lost, he resolves to preserve the Ayyubid family's prestige through resistance rather than flee Damascus. 874 888
• With Damascus captured and one of his sons dead defending it, Saladin takes Shemiel's potion, duels Lothar, and is defeated and presumed dead. 895 897

Notable Quotes

“May the Sacred Fire protect you, brother.” 382

“I am Saladin, the master of Damascus and Aleppo, the infidel leader whom all you Franks hate the most! Who dares to take my life!” 897

Trivia

• “Saladin” is a shortened Crusader usage of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi. 94
• His army is often described as vast, but he recognizes that many of its nominal troops are levies, garrisons, laborers, or contingents controlled by local lords. 60 83
• He maintains only one wife and few servants, directing most of his wealth toward irrigation, wells, waterways, and military training. 646