by Baha' al-Din Ibn Shaddad (بهاءالدين ابن شداد)
The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin is a primary historical chronicle composed by Baha' al-Din Ibn Shaddad, a close companion and judicial official in the service of Saladin (Salah al-Din Ayyubi). Completed around 613 AH (1216 CE) in Aleppo, this work—also known as Sirat Salah ad-Din—provides a detailed account of Saladin's military campaigns against the Crusaders, including the pivotal Battle of Hattin and the reconquest of Jerusalem, as well as insights into his governance, personal virtues, and leadership qualities. Though written approximately 150 years after some of the events, it draws on earlier oral and written traditions, offering one of the most reliable contemporary portraits of Saladin's reign.
