The Muslim Saladin’s fame outlasted and outspread every medieval Western political figure

Evidence

There was also the legend of the true Saladin of history. It would probably be true to say that this legend was known over a wider area for a longer period of time than that of any political figure of the mediaeval West, and almost as favourably. The famous Europeans, Frederick II, Louis IX, for example, had all in some ways a more provincial reputation than Saladin. Only such saints as Francis had comparable fame. We may attribute this partly to the exceptional character of Salah, and partly to his equitable or generous treatment of most Christians at his mercy. His military success was attributed to divine judgement on Christian sin; it might have been explained in less friendly fashion, for example by making him the precursor of Antichrist.! There is no altogether satisfactory explanation of why the legend developed exactly as it did, except that it was rooted in the actual facts. When it was forming there was certainly an element of satire in the sense of an exaggeration intended to serve a purpose of moral criticism by means of contrast. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1113

Categorization

• SEED: A medieval Muslim ruler who out-famed his Christian rivals owes his legend partly to victors’ moral self-criticism — angle: how hostile cultures canonize their enemies to indict themselves.
• ADDENDUM: Connects to ‘On Sacrifice’ framing of how virtue is attributed to enemies in the medieval imagination as moral contrast.
• XREF: connects to: Saladin’s reputation outlasted any medieval Western political figure’s.