Saladin's Diplomatic Letters A War of Words

Before the siege engines rolled, Saladin and the Crusader kings waged a fierce battle on parchment. This episode explores the sophisticated diplomatic correspondence between Saladin and leaders like Baldwin IV, Guy of Lusignan, and Richard the Lionheart. Drawing on Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad and Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani, we examine how letters were drafted in the Diwan al-Insha, the role of al-Qadi al-Fadil as Saladin's chief propagandist, and how each side framed the conflict through religious and chivalric language. Topics include the exchange with the Assassins, the offer of safe passage to Jerusalem, and the post-Hattin ransom negotiations. A rare look at the medieval art of spin. #Saladin #Crusades #Diplomacy #MedievalHistory #BahaAdDin #ImadAdDin #AlQadiAlFadil #DiwanAlInsha #BaldwinIV #GuyOfLusignan #RichardTheLionheart #Assassins #Hattin #Jerusalem #Ayyubid #MiddleEast #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo