| The Uses of Saladin in Medieval and Early Modern Literature The Kurdish sultan Salâh ad-Dîn Yûsuf ibn Ayyûb (1138-1193), known as "Saladin" in English-speaking countries, conquered Fatimid Egypt, annexed Syria, and retook much of the territory of the Latin Kingdom in Palestine, thus re-unifying much or the former Seljuk Empire under his new, Ayyubid Dynasty. Despite being the face of Muslim opposition to the European Crusader Kingdoms, the conqueror of Jerusalem, and the chief nemesis of Richard Lionheart during the Third Crusade, Saladin eventually emerged as a beloved, heroic figure in European literature. This study traces the evolution of the Saladin legend from the twelfth through seventeenth centuries in various genres (historiography, poetry, romance, exemplary tales, Renaissance epic, and drama) from within the French, Spanish, and Italian traditions, and explores possible reasons for the multiple trajectories of this evolution. It explains how the Spanish manifestations of the legend, although fewer in number, evince a more authentic understanding of Islamic beliefs and culture and provide a more positive portrayal of Muslim characters, if not of their faith, than do the portrayals found within other traditions. As part of this analysis, representations of Saladin are considered from within the context of traditional portrayals of Muslim characters in general, which reveals that the authenticity of such portrayals in Spanish texts remains fairly constant, even when the texts themselves are polemical. In order to account for this trait in Spanish texts, the writings of the Spanish historian Américo Castro on the peculiarity Spanish culture are employed, especially his concepts of "livingtogetherness," and the "centauric" or hybrid nature of medieval Spanish society. This study provides a comprehensive consideration of all the Spanish texts dealing with the Saladin legend and reveals details that shed light on the understanding of, and attitudes toward, Islam in medieval and early modern Spain. |
