HST6710 – Saladin, Richard the Lionheart & the Third Crusade

Saladin's defeat of the Franks at Hattin and his subsequent conquest of Jerusalem on 2 October 1187 prompted Latin Europe to launch the Third Crusade. Across the West, tens of thousands took the cross for this expedition, among them Richard the Lionheart, king of England. The war that followed saw Saladin and Richard - two great champions of the age - contest control of the Holy Land. This QMUL Model special subject module explores the careers of both leaders and the wider history of the Third Crusade, drawing upon the testimony of Christian and Muslim contemporaries. Topics explored will include: the role of jihad in Saladin's rise to power; the progress and significance of the siege of Acre; Richard’s standing as a military genius; the nature of negotiation and diplomacy during the crusade; and the roles of myth and memory in constructing Richard’s and Saladin’s historical reputations.