‘Imad al-Din al-Isfahani on the Battle of Hattin and Saladin’s conquest of Jerusalem

Originally from Persia, ‘Imad al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Isfahani (1125-1201) studied jurisprudence in Baghdad, then held a variety of positions before eventually passing into the service of Nur al-Din. Soon after the latter died he became the personal secretary of Saladin, a position that he occupied until the death of his master. The following selections are drawn from al-Fath al-Qussi fi’l-Fath al-Qudsi (Qussian Eloquence on the Conquest of Jerusalem), a chronicle covering the period from 1187 to 1193.