Ibn Shaddad
بهاء الدين بن شداد
Biographer of Saladin
Born: 1145 CE
Died: 1234 CE
Also known as: Baha al-Din ibn Shaddad, Baha ad-Din Yusuf ibn Rafi ibn Shaddad
Baha al-Din ibn Shaddad was a jurist, scholar, and the personal biographer of Salahuddin. His work al-Nawadir al-Sultaniyya (The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin) is one of the most important primary sources for the life of Salahuddin and the events of the Third Crusade, written by an eyewitness who accompanied the sultan on his campaigns.
Key Accomplishments
- Authored The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin, an essential primary source for Crusader-era history
- Served as personal companion and army judge to Salahuddin during the Third Crusade
- Served as chief qadi of Aleppo and oversaw construction of educational institutions
The Full Story
Ibn Shaddad was born in Mosul and received a thorough education in Islamic jurisprudence and theology. He served as a professor at the Nizamiyya madrasa in Baghdad before being appointed qadi (judge) of the army by Salahuddin in 1188, shortly after the recapture of Jerusalem. From that point until Salahuddin's death in 1193, Ibn Shaddad was a constant companion of the sultan, witnessing firsthand the events of the Third Crusade.
His biography of Salahuddin, formally titled al-Nawadir al-Sultaniyya wa al-Mahasin al-Yusufiyya (The Rare Qualities of the Sultan and the Merits of Yusuf), is divided into two parts: the first examines Salahuddin's character and virtues, and the second provides a detailed narrative of his military campaigns. Ibn Shaddad wrote with the intimacy of a confidant, recording personal conversations, moments of vulnerability, and private devotions that no other source captures.
After Salahuddin's death, Ibn Shaddad served the Ayyubid prince al-Zahir Ghazi in Aleppo, where he became chief qadi and oversaw the construction of madrasas and charitable institutions. He continued to write and teach until his death at the age of 89. His biography of Salahuddin remains indispensable to historians and has been translated into numerous languages, providing the most human and detailed portrait of one of medieval Islam's greatest figures.
Notable Words
“He was very fond of hearing the recitation of the Quran. He used to weep when he heard it.”
- al-Nawadir al-Sultaniyya, describing Salahuddin
Places
Connected Figures
Notes
Sources
- [1]Ibn Shaddad, Baha al-Din. The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin. Trans. D. S. Richards. Ashgate, 2002.
- [2]Hillenbrand, Carole. The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives. Edinburgh University Press, 1999.
- [3]Richards, D. S. "Ibn Shaddad." Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill.