Page 62 - All About History - Issue 59-17

What If...

RicHaRd i and saladin Had inTeRmaRRied?

It’s quite amusing, if a little sad, to imagine both side’s
outside commentators were so suspicious while the leaders
were desperately trying to work around each other with
detailed negotiations, very long-winded, spread out diplomacy,
and the exchanging of gifts. Their relationship is described as
friendly by some Western sources but I think mutual respect
is probably a bit more accurate.

In 1191, Richard made an unusual proposition to marry
his widowed sister Joan to Saladin’s brother, al-Adil.
What did Saladin make of this idea?
For a long time I thought it must be a myth introduced
by Arab sources because the contemporary Western ones Even if the proposal had gone ahead, the debate over whether the
don’t mention it at all. However, talking about it with two bride or groom would convert religion risked derailing the marriage
students of mine, we’ve decided that it could be true and it
was probably a negotiating ploy by Richard. From the point Why did the proposal not go ahead?
of view of Saladin, this would not have been impossible — Saladin didn’t know what to do with it. He seemed quite
sultans had married Christian women before. Joan would have bewildered as to whether Richard could possibly have meant
been allowed to keep her own religion so it wouldn’t have it. I can look up what it says in [The Rare and Excellent History
been denigrating for either side. But they didn’t trust Richard of Saladin by Bahā’ al-Dīn Ibn Shaddād, a 12th-century Muslim
and they didn’t know what he was up to. I’m sure their first scholar] about 21 October, 1191: “The essential basis of the
reaction was, “He said what?! He can’t mean that.” agreement depends on al-Adil marrying the King of England’s
sister, who he brought with him from Sicily… the seat of the
What do you think Richard did it? realm would be Jerusalem.”
Why did Richard take Joan to the East with him from Sicily? They went to Saladin and read it out, and Saladin “hastened
He had his wife, Berengaria, with him, so he may well have to express approval of these terms, believing the King of
taken Joan along to keep her company. But why didn’t he send England would not agree to them at all, and that it was
Joan back home with her mother, Eleanor, who came to Sicily intended to mock and deceive him.“ Saladin didn’t believe it.
to meet him? So they went back to Richard and effectively called his bluff.
The fact that Richard took Joan with him suggests he had Then we come to 11 November, and the question is
something up his sleeve — perhaps he was thinking of setting will al-Adil convert to Christianity, and the discussion is
up a dynasty out there. She could become queen of Jerusalem. continuing, and Saladin says he’s happy with it. But now
What Joan says about this we don’t know, because nobody Richard has changed his mind. “The assembled Christian
bothered to record her opinion. folk have criticised me for subjecting my sister to a Muslim
For the Western sources, particularly the Epics, it’s all part without consulting the Pope. So I am now sending an envoy
of that great Hollywood romance — although of course it’s not who will return in three months.” This was the point at which
Hollywood, it’s the Crusade Cycle. Why shouldn’t she marry negotiations broke down.
a Muslim prince who converts to Christianity? How seriously
Richard meant it is now impossible to say. If he intended to What would have happened if it had gone ahead?
completely floor his Muslim counterparts and leave them Well, Muslim rulers had married Christians before. Of course,
guessing as to what he might be up to, he certainly succeeded. Muslims didn’t have to have just one wife, so the Christian

How would it be different? l No marriage
Negotiations stall as both
Richard and Saladin’s
advisers strongly
encourage their leaders
l Richard departs not to go ahead with the
King Richard sets sail marriage. December 1191
for the Middle East,
where he immediately
makes contact with
Real timeline his counterpart, Real timeline
Saladin. 1190

Alternate timeline
l Third Crusade
Pope Gregory VIII
issues a call for a new l The proposal
Crusade to the Holy Richard makes a
Land to recapture bizarre proposal to l Wedding bells
Jerusalem from the Saladin — that the Richard’s proposal is
sultan Saladin. 1189 former’s sister Joan accepted and his sister
marry the latter’s Joan weds Saladin’s
brother al-Adil, brother al-Adil in a
uniting their families stunning marriage of
to broker peace. two different faiths.
October 1191 November 1191
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