Changes

[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ICLRIE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000ICLRIE&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=9c4ccbf03b28480046f0dc3cc1b739e4 The Kingdom of Heaven ] is a 2005 historical epic directed by Ridley Scott, who directed some of the most memorable movies of recent decades such as Gladiator. The historical epic was produced in Spain and Morocco. The movie starred Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, and Jeremy Irons, among others. The movie was scripted by Academy Award winner William Monahanscripted the movie. It was one of the most anticipated releases in 2005 , but the theatrical release did not live up to meet expectations. The motion picture was something of a box-office flop and was not liked by the critics who complained that it felt incomplete and fragmentary.

Most of the movie's problems because were a result of studio meddling in the film's final cut. Ridley Scott was forced to cut his original version of the picture by film to satisfy the studio executives. He did this against his will , and these cuts gutted the movie. Later, Scott was allowed to release a director's cut of the movie on Blu-ray and DVD. The new cut included many scenes that Scott was forced to delete and is fifty minutes longer than the theatrical release. The director's cut was a dramatic improvement and was widely praised by the critics. It is now regarded as the definitive version of the movie. This article evaluates the director’s cut of <i>Kingdom of Heaven </i> and its historical accuracy instead of the dramatically inferior theatrical version.

====The historical background==What is the real story that <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i> is based on? ==

The background to the British director’s movie was 's followed the decline and the fall of the First Kingdom of Jerusalem (1091-1087). This The Crusaders established this kingdom was established by the Crusaders after they had captured the city in 1081. They were The kingdom was created by Christian knights and soldiers who had taken took a religious vow to recapture the Holy Land's sacred sites in the Holy Land (modern Israel). The Kingdom of Jerusalem had been under near -constant attack from the Arabs and Muslims, for whom the city . Jerusalem is of great significant to three religious significance: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.<ref> Runciman, Steve. <i>A History of the Crusades, vol. II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem</i> (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1952), p 167</ref>

The movie captures the constant and brutal conflict between the Christians and the Muslims in the areaHoly Land. The Crusaders were motivated to fight in the Holy Land out of religious fervour and they fervor. They genuinely believed that they could save their souls from eternal damnation by fighting the Muslims. The movie concentrates on the growing threat posed to the Kingdom of Jerusalem by the rise of the Ayyubid Sultanate's rise. This was a kingdom founded by Saladin , who deposed the last Fatimid Caliph in Egypt and later captured Syria. He was the most powerful Islamic ruler in the region in a century. The movie captures the threat posed by Saladin to the Crusaders because he was often regarded as a military genius.

Scott’s movie accurately depicts the lead up to the Battle of Hattin (1187). While the Battle of Hattin is one of the most significant battles in world history, it was a one-sided slaughter. Scott does not spend much time on the Hattin , and the movie's climax of the movie focuses on the Jerusalem's defense of Jerusalem. Scott's decision makes a lot of sense because the Jerusalem's defense of Jerusalem is a far more compelling story.<ref> Runciman, p 189</ref>

Scott's depiction of the Crusaders near-annihilation at Hattin , and Saladin's siege of Jerusalem and Scott's are both fairly accurate. The capture of Jerusalem was a complete disaster for the Crusaders, and they lost most of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In the movie , this is shown as leading to the start of the Third Crusade and an attempt by mainly English and French Crusaders to recapture Jerusalem.<ref> Runciman, p 189</ref>.. This is also historically accurate. In general, the movie's historical background of the movie and its portrayal of major events such as sieges and battles are not only accurate but extraordinarily well done.

==How realistic is the portrayal of Balian of Ibelin in <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i>? ==The historicity [[File: Kingdom_of_Heaven 2.jpg|350px|thumb|left| Balian of the main characters====Ibelin surrendering Jerusalem to Saladin from a 15th-century manuscript]]The main character of the Balian who is played by the English actor Orlando Bloom. The screenwriter loosely based this character on a real-life character. In the movie, Balian is a young blacksmith who decides to go on Crusade when he meets his natural father, who is a knight , and who is played plays by Liam Neeson. Balian is shown as both as both an illegitimate and a humble young man who goes on a Crusade to help to secure his wife’s salvation after her suicide. The character played by Bloom was based on Balian of Ibelin's. Unlike the movie version, he was a member of the nobility and the legitimate son of his father , Barisan of Ibelin. He also was definitely not a blacksmith.<ref> William of Tyre, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea. E. A. Babcock and A. C. Krey, trans (Columbia, Columbia University Press, 1943), p 114</ref>

Instead of using Bailin's real birth father, the movie creates created a character, Godfrey of Ibelin, played by Liam Neeson. Neeson has played this type of role (the father-like mentor who dies in the movie) several times. In the movie, Neeson's character knights his son right before his death. By recognizing Bailian as his son, Bloom's character inherits his father's holding in the Holy Land. In reality, the knighting of an illegitimate son 's knighting would not have been legally possible in the Middle Ages without some dispensation from a monarch or the Catholic Church. Ridley Scott introduces Balian as living in France, but his origins are unknown, and his family may actually have been Italian.

The character is also shown as making his way to the Holy Land , and he did make this journey at some time. His father in the motion picture is shown to be a crusader , and this was indeed the case. The motion picture shows Godfrey of Ibelin as a noble knight who went on Crusade for religious reasons. In fact, Balians Balian's father was one of the most powerful lords in the Crusader States and he . He ruled the County of Jaffa (modern Israel) and . He was a vassal of the King of Jerusalem .<ref> William of Tyre, p 201</ref>. In the movie , we see Balian going on crusade with his father , who died before arriving in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In fact, it seems likely that Balian had been living in the Crusader kingdom since he was a young man. He was not the only son of Barsian of Ibelin and was in reality his youngest son. Balian was given a large area of land and a castle by his father and he too became a vassal of the King of Jerusalem <ref>William of Tyre, p 212</ref>. This meant that he would have been very familiar with the culture and politics of the region. In the movie the main character is portrayed as a young man however at the time of the events shown, he was a mature man. The movie does correctly show that in the 1180s that Balian was a major figure in the politics of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He was very involved in the power struggles that greatly weakened the realm. In the movie the hero is shown as struggling to save the Kingdom from various factions who were only interested in power. In reality Balian was quite Machiavellian and sought to increase his own power and influence at the expense of his rivals. However, the movie does accurately shown that the character played by Bloom was a great and a brave knight. In the movie he is portrayed as a great swordsman and a brave leader. The commander of the Christian garrison of Jerusalem during the Ayyubid army, was indeed Balain and he provided to be a brilliant commander, as portrayed by the British Director. He was able to beat off countless attacks by the Muslims as in the 2005 motion picture. In the movie we seen Balian and Saladin reaching a negotiated settlement that ended the bloody siege. This was actually the case and the Christian did agree to surrender the city on terms in 1187. In one of the most memorable scenes we see the main character as leading the Christians safely out of Jerusalem as he hands it over to Saladin. This actually happened and the Muslims did allow the garrison and the Christian population to leave the city unmolested. In the movie after the surrender of Jerusalem to the Muslim Sultan that he returns to Europe with Sybilla. In one scene he is shown as living happily as a blacksmith in his native village and refusing the entreaties of English knights to go on the Third Crusade. In fact, after the fall of Jerusalem Balian stayed in the region and he became one of the leaders of the Crusader states. He actually participated in the Third Crusades and was a key advisor to the legendary Richard the Lionheart. Scott shows the main character as having good relations with Muslim and indeed in real-life Balian of Ibelin had a good relationship with Saladin.[[File: Kingdom_of_Heaven 2.jpg|200px|thumb|left| Balian of Ibelin surrendering Jerusalem to Saladin from a 15th century manuscripts]]

== Sibylla of Jerusalem==In the movie we see Balian having a passionate affair with Sibylla of Jerusalem. She was a real-life character and a sister of one King of Jerusalem and later became Queen of the Kingdom, for a brief time ref>Bernard Hamilton, "Women had likely been living in the Crusader States: The Queens of Jerusalem", in Medieval Women, edited by Derek Baker. (London, Ecclesiastical History Society, 1978), p 17</ref>. She kingdom since he was a very powerful woman and had great influence among the Crusaders. This is captured in the movie and especially in the performance of Eva Greenyoung man. In real life she He was married to Guy de Lusignan (1150-1194). Balian did not have an affair with Sibylla as shown in the movie. They did not return to Europe only son of Barisan of Ibelin and live was, in a remote village as shown in the climax of the 2005 workreality, his youngest son. His father gave Balian was married to a Byzantine Princess large land area and Sibylla remained married to Guy a castle, and did not leave him, in fact she died he too became a vassal of an epidemic while campaigning with Guy in 1190, dying at the age King of thirty Jerusalem. <ref> William of Tyre, p. 178212</ref>He would have been very familiar with the region's culture and politics. Scott's depiction makes sense from a storytelling perspective. Most viewers would have been unfamiliar with the Crusader Nation. The love affair between Sibylla of Jerusalem and Balian provides a window into this world for the audience. While it is inaccurate from a historical perspective, Scott can introduce this bizarre world to a complete fictionmodern audience.

== Guy de Lusignan==Balian is portrayed as a young man in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the real Balian was already a mature man by this time period. The ‘bad’ guy movie does correctly show that in the movie is 1180s, Balian was a major figure in the nobleman Guy de LusignanKingdom of Jerusalem's politics. He was a real-life historical character and one who was very important involved in the history of power struggles that greatly weakened the Crusadesrealm. In Scott’s the movie he was an evil man, and this was pretty much the case. He had been expelled from France for murder and he had had fled hero struggles to save the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Guy later married Sibylla as shown from various factions interested in the moviepower. In the motion picture he is shown as very anti-Muslim reality, Balian was quite Machiavellian and sought to increase his own power and aligning with influence at his rivals' expense. However, the fanatical Knights Templers <ref> Runciman, p 212</ref>. Scott’s movie accurately shows him that Bloom's character was a great and his allies treacherously attacking brave knight.  The movie's credit does a caravan of Muslims good job accurately portraying Jerusalem's defense by Balian and slayinghis forces. Balian was an outstanding swordsman, every man, womana brave leader, and child and this prompted Saladin to invade an outstanding tactician in the movie. Bloom's character became the commander of the Kingdom Christian garrison of Jerusalem, which was a disaster for before the CrusadersBattle of Hattin. This is a historical fact and Guy’s massacre of innocent Muslims did provoke Saladin and this led to He devised the ultimate capture defense of Jerusalem that effectively beat off countless attacks by the Muslims <ref>Runciman. Balian was the commander, p 213but the movie diminishes the importance of other leaders who were also pivotal in Jerusalem's defense. Balian is essentially a composite character for this battle. <dh-ad/ref>. The movie shows Balian and Guy as implacable enemies and this Saladin reached a negotiated settlement that ended the bloody siege. This is only partially trueaccurate. The men Christians did agree to surrender the city on terms in real life had a complex relationship 1187. In one of the most memorable scenes, we see the main character leading the Christians safely out of Jerusalem as he hands it over to Saladin. This actually happened, and were at times enemies but occasionally also allies. Guy was captured the Muslims did allow the garrison and later released by Saladin as shown in the movieChristian population to leave the city unmolested. In After Jerusalem's surrender to the finale of Muslim Sultan, he returns to Europe with Sybilla in the scene there is a great duel between Balian and Guymovie. The hero He is shown as defeating living happily as a blacksmith in his enemy native village and utterly humiliating him and Scott suggests that Guy was a broken man who was utterly disgraced. The duel probably did not take place and there are no records of Balian and Guy engaging refusing English knights' entreaties to go on the Third Crusade in hand to hand combatone scene. Moreover, Guy after  After the fall of Jerusalem had a claim on , Balian stayed in the kingship region and became one of the Crusader states through his wife Sybilla' leaders. He began a civil war actually participated in a desperate bid to become king but was defeated the Third Crusades and was forced a key advisor to flee from the Holy Landlegendary Richard the Lionheart. However Scott shows the main character as having good relations with Muslims, and indeed, in real-life, this rather unpleasant character was very fortunateBalian of Ibelin had a good relationship with Saladin. He  == Who was able to seize control Sibylla of Jerusalem? ==In <i>Kingdom of the island Heaven</I>, Balian has a passionate affair with Sibylla of Cyprus Jerusalem. She was a real-life character and become its Lord. Indeed, he established a dynasty King of Jerusalem and his successors ruled later became Queen of the islands as kingsKingdom after she married Guy Lusignan.<ref>Bernard Hamilton, until "Women in the coming Crusader States: The Queens of the Ottomans Jerusalem," in 1476 Medieval Women, edited by Derek Baker. (London, Ecclesiastical History Society, 1978), p 17</ref> Edbury She was a potent woman and had an extraordinary amount of influence among the Crusaders. I In real life, Petershe was married to Guy de Lusignan (1150-1194), but Sibylla did not have an affair with Balian. The Kingdom of Cyprus Additionally, Sybilla did not return to Europe and live in a remote village, as shown in the Crusadesmovie's climax. Balian was married to a Byzantine Princess, and Sibylla remained married to Guy and never left him. Ultimately, 1191–1374 (Cambridgeshe succumbed to an epidemic while campaigning with Guy in 1190, 1991)dying at thirty.<ref> William of Tyre, p 22 . 178</ref>The love affair between Sibylla of Jerusalem and Balian, while an important part of the movie, was complete fiction. <div class="portal" style='float:right; width:35%'>====Related Articles===={{#dpl:category=Medieval History|ordermethod=firstedit|order=descending|count=6}}</div>==Did <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i> accurately depict Guy de Lusignan? ==

==Conclusion==The 2005 movie especially One of the key characters in the Kingdom of Heaven is Guy de Lusignan. He was a real-life historical character and critical in the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He is the villain in <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i>. He had been expelled from France for murder, and he had fled to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Guy later married Sibylla and became King of Jerusalem after the release death of Sibylla's brother. He is shown as a radical anti-Muslim in the Director’s Cut motion picture and is now regarded very highly closely aligned with the Knights Templars.<ref> Runciman, p 212</ref> In the movie, Guy repeatedly made horrible decisions. Each of the decisions was driven by criticshis hatred of Muslims and his desire to expel them from the Holy Land. Essentially, his choices led to the Battle of Hattin, the slaughter of Jerusalem's army, and the Crusaders' expulsion from Jerusalem. In one of the movie's key scenes, Guy and his allies attack a Muslim caravan. They then kill every man, woman, and child in the caravan to violate their agreement with Saladin. With regard This attack forced Saladin to invade the question Kingdom of Jerusalem, which was a disaster for the historical accuracy Crusaders. This attack occurred, and Guy’s massacre of innocent Muslims provoked Saladin. This incident precipitated the capture of Jerusalem by the Muslims.<ref>Runciman, p 213</ref>  The movie shows Balian and Guy as implacable enemies, and this is only partially true. The men in real life had a complicated relationship. Occasionally, they were enemies and, other times, allies. In the movie , there is a duel between Balian and Guy. Balian easily defeats Guy and utterly humiliates him. Balian's victory elevated him and disgraced Guy. While it's enjoyable to watch Balian school Guy, it is broadly accurateunlikely that the duel ever took place. There are no records of Balian and Guy engaging in hand to hand combat.  Moreover, after the fall of Jerusalem, Guy still had a claim on the Crusader states' kingship through his wife, Sybilla. He remained in the former Kingdom of Jerusalem and began a civil war in a desperate bid to become king but was defeated. Ultimately, he was forced to flee from the Holy Land. Despite his repeated failures, he was able, after he fled, to seize control of the island of Cyprus and become its lord. He even established a dynasty, and his successors ruled the islands as kings until the Ottomans took control in 1476.<ref> Edbury, Peter. The Kingdom of Cyprus and the Crusades, 1191–1374 (Cambridge, 1991), p 22 </ref> == Is the <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i> realistic? ==Despite its rocky start, <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i> after the Director’s Cut release has been hailed by critics and discovered by audiences. Remarkably, the movie does a good job balancing historical accuracy and telling a story. The historical background and major events such as the Battle of Hattin are portrayed in a very accurate wayfairly. It shows very well does a good explaining the decline and fall of the First Kingdom of Jerusalem. The nature of warfare at the time is shown very well. Moreover, it does present a realistic portrait of Saladin. In essence, this the type of historical accuracy most movies should strive for.  The main issue Kingdom of Heaven does take substantial liberties with the movie is that while its main characters are based on historical figures they are also involved in the Fall of Jerusalem, but these choices made a lot of sense for a movie. Balian, Sibylla, and Neeson's character were either heavily fictionalizedor created specifically for the movie, but each of them is critical to tell the story. For exampleBalian, in addition to being the hero, Balian is shown serves as a typical Hollywood hero but in reality he was a much more complex guide for the viewer. Through his eyes, the viewers are introduced to the Crusades, learn about the history of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and ambiguous figureare shown the divisions with the Kingdom that lead to its destruction. The love affair between him Sibylla also helps the viewer see the decaying Kingdom and Sybilla is a complete fabricationhumanizes the King of Jerusalem, played by Edward Norton. The portrayal  Critical opinions of Guy de Lusignan captures the character <i>Kingdom of this rather repulsive personHeaven</i> are pretty mixed. In real life he did not receive his due deserts as shown in Whatever you do, avoid the theatrical release version and watch the final scenes’, but he became a powerful Lord he even founded a royal dynastylonger edition released on blu-ray.  ====Further Reading====Bernard Hamilton, "Women in the Crusader States: The Queens of Jerusalem,", in Medieval Women, edited by Derek Baker. (London, Ecclesiastical History Society, 1978).

====References====<references/> [[Category: Historically Accurate]] [[Category: Middle Eastern History]] [[Category:History of the Middle Ages]] [[Category:Wikis]]