He allowed people to pay for freedom

Saladin ordered the foreigners to return to their respective countries in peace after defeating the crusaders in Jerusalem, but he had another plan for the numerous locals who had been imprisoned under his rule.

Anyone who desired freedom may purchase it for a small sum of money in gold coins. One penny was required for a child's freedom, five for a woman, and ten for a man. The only choices available to those unable to pay for their liberation were to be kept in captivity indefinitely or to be sold into slavery.

Saladin may be remembered as history's greatest military leader, but his gallantry and kindness as a person far outweigh all of his other achievements. Never in history has a conqueror's people shown such admiration for him. Saladin's teachings and conduct had such a lasting influence that not just Muslims but also Christians and Jews now hold him in high regard. The strategies he employed to vanquish his opponents show that he preferred religious study to warfare, and it may have been his unique combat techniques that allowed him to conquer so many people.