The British orientalist Stanley Lane-Poole, in his work on Saladin (Salah ad-Din ibn Ayyub, 1138–1193), gives a description of the life path of one of the most legendary personalities of Islam, who aroused admiration in both the East and the West. Saladin's unwavering devotion to Islam inspired him to carry the banner of faith throughout his empire, which stretched from Arabia to North Africa. After capturing the Syrian strongholds of Damascus and Aleppo, Saladin set out to conquer Jerusalem, sparking the Third Crusade. It was in this city that he gained fame as a chivalrous and fair warrior... Saladin's amazing military victories, his diplomatic successes in negotiations with the West, his passionate nationalism and an advanced judicial system influenced the rulers of Arab countries for centuries.