Chapter 8 – A man of honour
‘We must save the holy places!’ went on Saladin.
But the imams said to him, ‘The Franks will be our prisoners.
To be free, they must pay a ransom: ten gold pieces for a man,
five gold pieces for a woman, and one gold piece for a child.
They’ll have forty days to find the money. It’s the only way that
we can pay for the war!’
Saladin spoke to Balian. ‘Our soldiers will watch the streets
to stop criminals hurting people and stealing things,’ he said.
‘Churches will be safe, and people can come on pilgrimage here
when they want.’
Balian answered, ‘You’re very generous, but I’m worried about
the poor. I’ll pay for as many poor people as I can to go free.’
When Saladin’s brother Al-Adil heard this, he said, ‘I want to
help too! I’ll pay the ransom for a thousand poor people!’
Saladin said, ‘I have another good idea! Old people and
men with young children can go free too. Also, many women
have lost their husbands in the fighting, and many children
are without mothers or fathers. To all of these I want to give
money.’
Saladin’s treasurers were worried. ‘If all these people can
leave freely, how will we pay our soldiers? We must ask the rich
people to give more!’ they said.