Salah al-Din Yusuf bin Ayub or Saladin as he more commonly known was born in 1138 A.D. The meaning of his Arabic name is "righteousness of the faith." As a child Saladin was a studious boy who studied the Koran as well as poetry. He was known to love studying the Koran and other literature more than joining and fighting in the military. At the age of fourteen, he entered into the military service of his uncle Nur ed-Din, another great and respected Arab warrior. Another teacher of the young Saladin was the Saracen chief Zenghi who in 1144 overthrew the city of Edessa, which had been an outpost of the Western world for many years because of its proximity to Antioch. Saladin learned his military lessons well and began to stand out among Nur ed-Din's forces.
In 1169 A.D. Saladin served with another uncle named Shirkuh as second to the commander in chief of the Syrian army. Shirkuh died just two months after Saladin received his new position. As the leader of a foreign army from......
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