Kingdoms of Scars: Baldwin, Saladin, and the Price of Piety

In an age of brutal faith and shifting empires, two towering figures confront their destinies, their kingdoms, and each other. One, a boy king ravaged by an unseen scourge, fights to preserve a fragile Christian realm. The other, a Kurdish warrior rising to unite Islam, seeks to reclaim its most holy city.
"Kingdoms of Scars" plunges into the heart of the 12th-century Crusades, offering a visceral and intimate portrait of Baldwin IV, the young Leper King of Jerusalem, and Saladin, the brilliant sultan who would become his legendary adversary. As Baldwin's body succumbs to the relentless advance of leprosy, his mind sharpens into a formidable strategic weapon. He defies his physical decay with astonishing courage, leading his knights into battle, navigating treacherous court politics, and desperately seeking to secure his kingdom against the rising tide of Saladin's power. His reign becomes a testament to the indomitable human spirit, a poignant struggle against fate itself.
Across the desert sands, Saladin embarks on a meticulous campaign to unify a fractured Muslim world. From the dusty plains of Tikrit to the opulent courts of Egypt and the strategic strongholds of Syria, he employs a masterful blend of military genius, political acumen, and calculated mercy. His ambition is singular: the reconquest of Jerusalem. Saladin is portrayed not merely as a conqueror, but as a complex leader who understands that true power lies in justice, unity, and the strategic application of both force and clemency.
The novel explores their intertwined fates, the battles that defined their era—Montgisard's improbable Christian victory, Hattin's devastating Crusader defeat, and the climactic siege of Jerusalem. It delves into the personal costs of leadership, the brutal mathematics of warfare, and the agonizing moral compromises demanded by power. Witness the devastating impact of Baldwin's illness on his reign and the succession crisis that engulfs Jerusalem. Follow Saladin's patient consolidation of an empire, even as his own sons begin to sow the seeds of its future division.
"Kingdoms of Scars" is more than a tale of clashing empires; it is an exploration of how history is forged and remembered. Through the eyes of chroniclers like William of Tyre and Baha ad-Din, and even modern historians, the narrative examines the "price of piety," the nature of legend, and how the stories of these iconic figures continue to resonate through centuries, challenging our understanding of faith, leadership, and the enduring human struggle for meaning amidst chaos.
A sweeping epic of courage, conviction, and the indelible scars left by war and faith on the landscape of history.