Saladin

American  

[sal-uh-din] / ˈsæl ə dɪn /

noun

1. Salāh-ed-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb, 1137–93, sultan of Egypt and Syria 1175–93: opponent of Crusaders.

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Saladin British  

/ ˈsælədɪn /

noun

1. Arabic name Salah-ed-Din Yusuf ibn-Ayyub. ?1137–93, sultan of Egypt and Syria and opponent of the Crusaders. He defeated the Christians near Tiberias (1187) and captured Acre, Jerusalem, and Ashkelon. He fought against Richard I of England and Philip II of France during the Third Crusade (1189–92)

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Saladin Cultural  

1. A Kurdish general who conquered Egypt (see also Egypt) and Syria in the twelfth century. His capture of Jerusalem (see also Jerusalem) precipitated a crusade.

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Saladin became legendary for both his military genius and his generosity.

Example Sentences

The English king was criticized for spending most of his reign abroad while bleeding the country dry via the Saladin Tithe and plunging its people into poverty.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

This is the little-known but prescient speech that Saladin Ambar expertly parses and intriguingly reinterprets in “Murder on the Mississippi.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

Eventually, Richard I of England, known in popular stories as Richard the Lionhearted, negotiated a treaty with Saladin that left Jerusalem under Muslim control but allowed Christian pilgrims to freely visit the city.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

"Let's tell the truth if it bursts the bottom of the universe," proclaimed Solomon Saladin Calhoon, president of the 1890 Mississippi convention.

From Salon • Sep. 3, 2022

Saladin besieged the fortified city of Gaza, which belonged to the Knights Templars, and was considered to be the key of Palestine towards Egypt.

From The History of the Knights Templars, the Temple Church, and the Temple by Addison, Charles G.