Abstract
Using the travel account of the Spanish Muslim pilgrim, Ibn Jubayr, this article tests the statement commonly found in modern histories that Saladin 'unified the Muslim world', a view often based on sources close to the sultan's own court. Ibn Jubayr certainly admired Saladin (in itself a valuable test of his virtues from an outsider) but makes plain that the Muslim Near East was an immensely complex society with a considerable amount of sectarian tension.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Cultural Encounters During the Crusades |
| Editors | Kurt Villads Jensen, Kirsi Salonen, Helle Vogt |
| Place of Publication | Aarhus |
| Publisher | University Press of Southern Denmark |
| Pages | 75-90 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-87-7674-659-9 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Keywords
- Saladin, Medieval Islam, Travel