Saladin's Diplomacy with the Byzantine Empire

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Saladin's often overlooked diplomatic outreach to the Byzantine Empire. After the Battle of Hattin in 1187, Saladin sought an alliance with Emperor Isaac II Angelos against the Third Crusade, leveraging shared interests and offering concessions. We discuss the negotiations, the role of the Byzantine envoy, and how internal Byzantine politics and the rival claims of the Holy Roman Empire ultimately thwarted the alliance. We also delve into Saladin's broader diplomatic strategy, including his dealings with the Seljuk Turks and the Almohads, and how his failure to secure a Byzantine alliance affected the course of the Third Crusade. Key figures include Isaac II Angelos, the Byzantine emperor; the diplomat al-Qadi al-Fadil; and the Angevin king Richard the Lionheart. This episode sheds light on a fascinating 'what if' in crusader history. #Saladin #ByzantineEmpire #ThirdCrusade #IsaacIIAngelos #Diplomacy #Hattin #RichardTheLionheart #al-Qadi_al-Fadil #MedievalHistory #Crusades #Ayyubid #ByzantineDiplomacy #NearEastHistory #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #MiddleEast #Jerusalem #SeljukTurks Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo