Saladin

About Saladin

Saladin, born 1138, was a pivotal Kurdish Muslim leader who rose to become the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, ultimately unifying the regions to confront the Crusader states in the Levant. As a skilled politician and military commander, his most significant historical contribution was his victory over the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, which led to the recapture of Jerusalem later that year. This prowess in statecraft and warfare cements his standing as the 71st most historically important figure according to MIT's Pantheon project.

Despite his immense global impact, Saladin’s modern internet attention appears relatively modest. He garnered 1.9 million annualized Wikipedia views in 2025, placing him in the +3x overattention category relative to his #71 historical rank, suggesting his cultural footprint still translates significantly online. For context, this view count is less than half that of George V (#114), a contemporary politician who ranks lower in historical importance but achieves 4.4 million views.

While still highly viewed, Saladin's online engagement shows signs of decline, with a 13.3% year-over-year drop in views and a 4% negative momentum shift between the first and third quarters of 2025, indicating that the digital spotlight on this crucial medieval figure may be slightly dimming.