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This article is about the campaign in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. For the unit, see Saladin (unit).
The paintings in Europe show Saladin as demonic, barbarian. Yet he is more chivalrous than any knight I'd met before and prefers the palaces of Damascus to slaughtering Normans in the desert. I had not expected hospitality from Saracens - we Normans execute any armed Arab we capture.

Outraged that the Holy Land is ruled by the Saracens, zealous European knights have descended upon the Middle East and carved out four Crusader kingdoms. A Saracen general, Saladin, rallies his troops in an attempt to drive back the invaders. In response to European vileness, the cultured Saracens have become ruthless. But will it be enough to save their homeland?
—In-game campaign description

Outraged that the Holy Land is ruled by the Saracens, knights from Europe have descended upon the Middle East in a series of Crusades. Now four European kingdoms have sprung up in the desert. The Saracen king, Saladin, rallies his troops in an attempt to drive back the invaders. In response to European Crusades, the Saracens have organized a Jihad. In response to European vileness, the once-cultured Saracens have become treacherous. But will it be enough to save their homeland?
—In-game campaign description before the Definitive Edition

Saladin is a campaign in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. The campaign is based on the exploits of An-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, called Saladin by Europeans (1137 – March 4, 1193). The campaign consists of 6 scenarios. The player plays as the Saracens, and the player color is green:

  1. An Arabian Knight
  2. Lord of Arabia
  3. The Horns of Hattin
  4. The Siege of Jerusalem
  5. Jihad!
  6. The Lion and the Demon

The campaign is narrated by an anonymous knight from Normandy who gets lost in the desert while en route to join the Crusader invasion of Egypt. He is found by, and surrenders to, Saracen horse archers (who he initially mistakes for Turks), and they take him to their leader, the titular Saladin. The knight soon becomes fascinated with the chivalrous Saladin and Saracen civilization in general. Years later, he chooses to turn down Saladin's offer to recover his freedom and continues serving him willingly.

Co-op[]

The campaign is also playable as a co-op campaign:

  1. An Arabian Knight
  2. Lord of Arabia
  3. The Horns of Hattin
  4. The Siege of Jerusalem
  5. Jihad!
  6. The Lion and the Demon

Trivia[]

  • The Saladin campaign is the only campaign made before The Forgotten to have a difficulty that is classified as not easy in the Definitive Edition.
  • Saladin himself was of Kurdish origin. Still, he was possibly chosen as the protagonist for the Arabic-speaking Saracens' campaign because of his status as a Muslim military leader against the crusading Christians.
  • In contrast to previous campaigns that take place over a few years in the lives of William Wallace and Joan of Arc, the first scenario in Saladin is separated from the second by 15 years. Consistently, Saladin's appearance in the cutscenes changes from a young man with black mustache and goatee in the cutscenes to an older man with full beard.
  • The campaign icon is a Pavilion, used in numerous campaigns in the game.
  • Save for a few indirect allusions, the campaign omits Saladin's wars against other Muslim powers and concentrates on his battles against European Crusaders.
  • The narrator of the campaign might be Jean Gale, a knight who had been excommunicated from the Christian community for murder and had found refuge with Saladin in Muslim territory. Saladin charged Gale with the education of his nephew, but wanting to regain his standing among the Christians, Gale turned over Saladin's nephew to the Knights Templar, driving Saladin to vengeance. In 1188, Saladin placed La Roche-Guillaume Castle, located near the Syrian Gates in what is now the Hatay Province of Turkey, under siege because Gale was there. Saladin may have taken Roche-Guillaume, but news from Palestine that King Guy de Lusignan had led knights into Tripoli as forebearers of the Third Crusade brought an early end to his siege of the castle.
Campaigns in Age of Empires II
AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings
CampaignIcon-WilliamDE William Wallace Difficulty easy PC: Marching and Fighting · Feeding the Army · Training the Troops · Research and Technology · The Battle of Stirling · Forge an Alliance · The Battle of Falkirk
Xbox: Preparing for Battle · The Battle of Stirling · Forge an Alliance · The Battle of Falkirk
CampaignIcon-JoanDE Joan of Arc Difficulty easy An Unlikely Messiah · The Maid of Orleans · The Cleansing of the Loire · The Rising · The Siege of Paris · A Perfect Martyr
CampaignIcon-SaladinDE Saladin Difficulty medium An Arabian Knight · Lord of Arabia · The Horns of Hattin · The Siege of Jerusalem · Jihad! · The Lion and the Demon
CampaignIcon-KhanDE Genghis Khan Difficulty easy Crucible · A Life of Revenge · Into China · The Horde Rides West · The Promise · Pax Mongolica
CampaignIcon-BarbarossaDE Barbarossa Difficulty easy Holy Roman Emperor · Henry the Lion · Pope and Antipope · The Lombard League · Barbarossa's March · The Emperor Sleeping
AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors
CampaignIcon-AttilaDE Attila the Hun Difficulty easy The Scourge of God · The Great Ride · The Walls of Constantinople · A Barbarian Betrothal · The Catalaunian Fields · The Fall of Rome
CampaignIcon-ElCidDE El Cid Difficulty easy Brother against Brother · The Enemy of my Enemy · The Exile of the Cid · Black Guards · King of Valencia · Reconquista
CampaignIcon-MontezumaDE Montezuma Difficulty easy Reign of Blood · The Triple Alliance · Quetzalcoatl · La Noche Triste · The Boiling Lake · Broken Spears
Battles of the Conquerors Icon Battles of the Conquerors Tours · Vinlandsaga · Hastings · Manzikert · Agincourt · Lepanto · Kyoto · Noryang Point
Hidden scenario The Saxon Revolt
AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten
CampaignIcon-AlaricDE Alaric Difficulty hard HD: All Roads Lead to a Besieged City · Legionaries on the Horizon! · Emperor of the West · The Sack of Rome
DE: The Battle of the Frigidus · Razing Hellas · The Belly of the Beast · The Giant Falls · A Kingdom of Our Own
CampaignIcon-DraculaDE Vlad Dracula Difficulty medium The Dragon Spreads His Wings · The Return of the Dragon · The Breath of the Dragon · The Moon Rises · The Night Falls
CampaignIcon-BariDE Bari Difficulty medium HD: Arrival at Bari · The Rebellion of Melus · The Great Siege
DE: Arrival at Bari · The Rebellion of Melus · Loose Ends · The Best Laid Plans · The Onrushing Tide
CampaignIcon-SforzaDE Sforza Difficulty medium HD: An End and a Beginning · O Fortuna · The Hand of a Daughter · The Ambrosian Republic · A New Duke of Milan
DE: Mercenaries and Masters · His Own Man · Prodigal Son · Blood and Betrayal · Viva Sforza!
El Dorado Icon El Dorado (removed) Tales of La Canela · The Split · The Amazones · The Cannibals
CampaignIcon-PrithvirajDE Prithviraj Difficulty medium HD: A Promising Warrior · The Digvijaya · The Elopement · Battles of Tarain
DE: Born of Fire · The Digvijaya · Hand of a Princess · The Fate of India · The Legend of Prithviraj
Battles of the Forgotten Icon Battles of the Forgotten Bukhara · Dos Pilas · York · Honfoglalás · Langshan Jiang · Kurikara · Cyprus · Bapheus · Kaesong (cut)
AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms
CampaignIcon-TariqIbnZiyadDE Tariq ibn Ziyad Difficulty medium The Battle of Guadalete · Consolidation and Subjugation · Divide and Conquer · Crossing the Pyrenees · Razzia
CampaignIcon-SundjataDE Sundjata Difficulty medium Hunted · The Sting of the Scorpion · Djeriba Gold · Blood on the River Bank · The Lion's Den
CampaignIcon-FranciscoDE Francisco de Almeida Difficulty hard The Old World · Lion of Africa · Ruins of Empires · Estado da India · A Son's Blood
CampaignIcon-YoditDE Yodit Difficulty hard Path of Exile · The Right Partner · A Fallen Crown · Broken Stelae · Welcome Home
AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the Rajas
CampaignIcon-GajahMadaDE Gajah Mada Difficulty medium The Story of Our Founders · Unconditional Loyalty · The Oath to Unify Nusantara · Serving the New King · The Pasunda Bubat Tragedy
CampaignIcon-SuryavarmanIDE Suryavarman I Difficulty easy Usurpation · Quelling the Rebellion · A Dangerous Mission · Challenging a Thalassocracy · Nirvanapada
CampaignIcon-BayinnaungDE Bayinnaung Difficulty hard The Burmese Tigers · The Mandalay Cobra · The Royal Peacock · The White Elephant · The Old Tiger
CampaignIcon-LeLoiDE Le Loi Difficulty hard The Dai Viet Uprising · The Mountain Siege · The Battle at Hanoi · Reaching South · A Three-Pronged Attack · The Final Fortress
AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition
CampaignIcon-TheArtOfWar The Art of War Difficulty easy Early Economy · Booming · Rushing the Enemy · Fast Castle Age · Defending Against A Rush · Land Battle · Destroying a Castle · Naval Battle · Battle Formations
CampaignIcon-Pachacuti Pachacuti Difficulty medium A New Power Arises · The Field of Blood · War of Brothers · The Falcon's Tent · Like Father, Like Son
00 historical battles normal Historical Battles Difficulty easy Scn 09 bukhara normal Bukhara · Scn 10 dos pilas normal Dos Pilas · Scn 01 tours normal Tours · Scn 11 york normal York · Scn 12 honfoglalas normal Honfoglalás · Scn 02 vinlandsaga normal Vinlandsaga · Scn 03 hastings normal Hastings · Scn 04 manzikert normal Manzikert · Scn 13 kurikara normal Kurikara · Scn 14 cyprus normal Cyprus · Scn 15 bapheus normal Bapheus · Scn 16 lake poyang normal Lake Poyang · Scn 05 agincourt normal Agincourt · Scn 06 lepanto normal Lepanto · Scn 07 kyoto normal Kyoto · Scn 08 noryang point normal Noryang Point
Event scenarios Mongol Raiders · Barbarossa Brawl · Mangudai Madness · The Siege (co-op)
AoE2-DLCicon-5 The Last Khans
CampaignIcon-Tamerlane Tamerlane Difficulty easy Amir of Transoxiana · Gurkhan of Persia · Harbinger of Destruction · Sultan of Hindustan · Scourge of the Levant · A Titan Amongst Mortals
CampaignIcon-Ivaylo Ivaylo Difficulty hard A Most Unlikely Man · An Unlikely Alliance · Tsar of the Bulgars · Echoes of Heroes · Where the One-Eyed Man is King
CampaignIcon-Kotyan Kotyan Khan Difficulty hard Raising the Banners · The Battle at the Kalka River · Saving the Huts · Blood for Blood · A New Home
AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the West
CampaignIcon-EdwardDE Edward Longshanks Difficulty easy Vain Ambition · A Man of God · Of Castles and Kings · Toom Tabard · Hammer of the Scots
CampaignIcon-DukesDE Grand Dukes Difficulty medium A Kingdom Divided · The Wolf and the Lion · The Cleansing of Paris · Unholy Marriage · The Hook and Cod Wars · The Maid Falls
CampaignIcon-HautevillesDE The Hautevilles Difficulty hard Guiscard Arrives · Roger in Sicily · Bohemond and the Emperor · Bohemond in the East · Wonder of the World
Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes
Algirdas icon Algirdas and Kestutis Difficulty easy Family Affairs · No Man's Land · The Tatar Yoke · A Worthy Opponent · In the Shadow of the Throne
32 jadwiga normal Jadwiga Difficulty hard The Matter of the Crown · Star of the Poles · Duel of the Dukes · The Siege of Vilnius · Vytautas' Crusade · The Fruits of Her Labor
Jan Zizka icon Jan Zizka Difficulty medium The One-Eyed Wanderer · Courage and Coin · The Iron Lords · The Golden City · The Emperor's Fury · Warrior of God
AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India
Babur Icon Babur Difficulty easy Pearl of the East · The Last Timurids · Into India · The Battle of Panipat · The Rajputs
Rajendra Icon Rajendra Difficulty hard The Successor · Deeds of the Father · Rising Star · Sacred Waters · Slaying the Vritra
Devapala Icon Devapala Difficulty easy Dissatisfaction · Desire · Renunciation · Liberation? · Enlightenment
AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals
Tamar Icon Tamar Difficulty hard Takeover · Yury's Revenge · The Protectorate · Tamar the Builder · The Queen in the Panther's Skin
Thoros Icon Thoros II Difficulty easy Outlawed · The Emperor's Revenge · Caught in the Crossfire · Bloody Crestwaves · Of Turncoats and Traitors
Ismail Icon Ismail Difficulty medium The Red Hats · Road to Royalty · Alexander Safavi · The Fallen Amir · Khata'i
Aoe2 hb Victors and Vanquished
VictorsAndVanquished Campaign Icon
Victors and Vanquished
Difficulty easy Scn 23 charlemagne Charlemagne · Scn 39 drake Drake · Scn 26 finehair Finehair · Scn 25 ironside Ironside · Scn 38 nobunaga Nobunaga
Difficulty medium Scn 36 fetih Fetih · Scn 21 gaiseric Gaiseric · Scn 24 ragnar Ragnar · Scn 27 robert Robert · Scn 37 shimazu Shimazu · Scn 32 stephen Stephen · Scn 33 temujin Temujin · Scn 22 vortigern Vortigern
Difficulty hard Scn 35 constantine Constantine XI · Scn 30 karlsefni Karlsefni · Scn 31 komnenos Komnenos · Scn 34 mstislav Mstislav · Scn 28 otto Otto · Scn 29 seljuk Seljuk
Co-op campaigns in the series
AoEIIDE icon Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
00 historical battles normal Historical Battles Scn 15 bapheus normal Bapheus · Scn 03 hastings normal Hastings · Scn 12 honfoglalas normal Honfoglalás · Scn 13 kurikara normal Kurikara · Scn 01 tours normal Tours
CampaignIcon-AlaricDE Alaric The Battle of the Frigidus · Razing Hellas · The Belly of the Beast · The Giant Falls · A Kingdom of Our Own
CampaignIcon-AttilaDE Attila the Hun The Scourge of God · The Great Ride · The Walls of Constantinople · A Barbarian Betrothal · The Catalaunian Fields · The Fall of Rome
CampaignIcon-SaladinDE Saladin An Arabian Knight · Lord of Arabia · The Horns of Hattin · The Siege of Jerusalem · Jihad! · The Lion and the Demon
CampaignIcon-SuryavarmanIDE Suryavarman I Usurpation · Quelling the Rebellion · A Dangerous Mission · Challenging a Thalassocracy · Nirvanapada
CampaignIcon-Tamerlane Tamerlane Amir of Transoxiana · Gurkhan of Persia · Harbinger of Destruction · Sultan of Hindustan · Scourge of the Levant · A Titan Amongst Mortals
CampaignIcon-TariqIbnZiyadDE Tariq ibn Ziyad The Battle of Guadalete · Consolidation and Subjugation · Divide and Conquer · Crossing the Pyrenees · Razzia
Event scenarios The Siege
Age3DE Icon Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Algiers · Christopher da Gama's Expedition · Chuvash Cape · Raid on the Caribbean · Fort Duquesne · Battle of New Orleans · The Battle of the Three Kings · Fall of the Hausa · The Era of the Princes · The Burning of USS Philadelphia · Grito de Dolores · Battle of Queenston Heights
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