SALADIN AND THE FALL OF JERUSALEM by Lane-Poole, Stanley. new introd. by David Nicolle

London 2002, Greenhill, reprint edition, first UK thus, hard bound in dust jacket, 6 x 9, VG/VG CONDITION ( light bump to lower corner), , 288 pages, illus, maps, appendices, index.............................................................................Saladin is a legendary figure in the history of the Middle East. Saladin's rise to fame in the tumultuous arena of twelfth-century Middle Eastern politics was rapid and he quickly established himself as a military commander of genius, a man of honour and an intrepid statesman.This detailed biography of Saladin, and history of his life and times, was written by the eminent historian Stanley Lane-Poole. The author, able to acccess the rich and colourful chronicles of Arab historians, provides us with a brilliant insight into the life and deeds of this warrior-monarch.................................................................................Based on a lifetime of study, Saladin and the Fall of Jerusalem examines Saladin's youth, his military experiences, his conquest of Egypt and Syria, the Holy War against the crusaders and, crucially, Saladin's duel with the famed Richard the Lionheart. For Saladin is best-known for his struggle to defeat and repel the chivalric Christian invaders and preserve his hard-fought gains in Syria, Egypt and the Holy Land. For this new edition David Nicolle has provided a New Introduction and the illustrations for the picture section which complements this classic work.