On Saladin's Contribution To The Anti-Crusades Cause

The Crusades and the struggle against the Crusades which sustained more than two centuries were a series of major events in the history of medieval Europe and Asia. It not only changed the world situation at that time, but also gave a profound impact to Eurasiafrica history. Saladin was an outstanding Muslim hero against the Crusades. He united the strength of the Muslim world by the spirit of the Jihad, lanched a comprehensive counterattack toward Crusades and achieved a series of brilliant successes. The author tries to state and analyse Saladin's Contributions to anti-Crusades cause, and the dissertation is composed of the preface, the main body, the conclusion, the appendix and the epilogue.The preface explains the research significance and overview the domestic and foreign academic study on this issue.The main body of the dissertation contains three parts. The first part introduces the background of Saladin′s growth. In 11th century, the Abbasid dynasty declined. The Selchükids seized Baghdad and the Caliphate was splited into a few of states. The status of competition and contradiction inside Muslim World was an important cause of the first Crusade's victory. However, The Crusade's savage acts and the Latin Kingdom'tyranny evoked strong opposition of Muslims. Zengi and Nur-ad-Din led the early struggle against the Crusades, and they became examples of Saladin.The second part deals with the strength of Saladin and the unity of the Muslim world. First, he overturned the Fatimids and established the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt. Then he conquered Damascus, Homs , Hama , Aleppo and other places with both diplomatic and military means. In 1185, he united the Egypt, Syria, Sudan, West-Mesopotamia, Xiguci and Yemen and achieved the strategic siege for the Jerusalem . At the same time, he repeated the siege of the Crusade and collapsed the western alliance. He did a lot of preparatory work for the decisive battle with Crusades.The three part discusses the Saladin′s military struggle to the Crusades. He reformed warfare technology and expanded the military expenditure source. In 1187, Saladin won Hattin campaign, the first major victory of anti-Crusades. In the same year, He recovered Jerusalem, the Crusades'base camp in the East. During 1187-1192, Saladin led war against the Third Crusade, which seriously undermined the offensive strength of the Crusades and consolidated the achievement of the anti-Crusade cause.The conclusion of the dissertation is the following: (1) Saladin initiated unity of Muslims and unified a vast region from Egypt to Syria, which laid a foundation of victories of anti-Crusades struggle. (2) Saladin achieved successes in a series of battles, which became the turn-point of Crusade movement from prosperity to decline. (3) Saladin adopted important measures on religion and economy during anti-crusade war, which had positive significance for rejuvenation of social-economy in Levent and development of Islam culture. (4) Saladin appealed unity of Muslims and fought aggressors all his life, which not only inspired the morale of the aggressed nations of Levent at that times, but also presented a permanent spiritual heritage to modern Muslim world.