hemselves to god. Also to show that he was a simple man Slaughter wrote "His tastes were simple; he was submissive to his father's will; his desire was to continue to quiet pursuit of study and pleasures among his friends." (p.26) And that's what men wanted to do.As a ruler of Egypt, which was known for its wealth, and to no surprise it meant nothing to Saladin, since his faith and getting rid of the Franks were the most important things to him. That also in not out of the ordinary since in Islam wealth doesn't mean anything at the end. As a leader, he built colleges and mosques not to impress his people or to gain political power, but to let people benefit from it. Saladin presented himself like anybody else during cabinet meetings were " [his] audiences were so informal that it was said that in his presence, everybody talked at once." (p.66) In addition, he was extremely devoted to his children, like any other parent. Slaughter mentioned, " In those three years in Egypt three sons were born to him. The eldest, al-Afdal, who, like the others, had the best tutors of Cairo and Alexandria," (p.69), and every father wants the best for his children. Slaughter also added the Saladins' greatest sacrifice was made when he left his home and children to fight the Franks.In conclusion, Gertrude Slaughter pictured Saladin as a normal human being in various stages of his life, a child, a young adult, and a father and ruler at the same time. It all seemed realistic since most people go through these stages even though time periods change. Most people pictured him as an incredible man with amazing capabilities, but he was a normal man like anybody else. What made him different than anybody else that he took that extra step to complete his faith. ...
