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__NOTOC__[[File:KoHposter.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Kingdom of Heaven]][https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ICLRIE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000ICLRIE&linkCode=Introductionas2&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. It was scripted by Academy Award winner William Monahan who is an Academy award winnerscripted the movie. It was one of the most anticipated releases in 2005 , but the movie theatrical release did not live up to people’s meet expectations. The motion picture was something of a box-office flop and it was not appreciated liked by the critics, who felt complained that it was felt incomplete and fragmentary.  Most of the movie's problems were a result of studio meddling in the film's final cut. Ridley Scott was obliged forced to cut his original version of the picture by film to satisfy the studio executives. He did this against his will , and he later released these cuts gutted the movie. Later, Scott was allowed to release a directors’ director's cut of the movie on Blu-ray and DVD. The new cut, which included many scenes that Scott was forced to delete. The director’s cut and is some fifty minutes longer than the movie that theatrical release. The director's cut was shown in the cinemas. This longer version a dramatic improvement and was widely praised by the critics and it . It is now regarded as the definitive version. The director’s cut of Kingdom of Heaven and its historical accuracy is examined in this article. [[File: Kingdom of Heaven 1.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Orlando Bloom in 2005]]==The historical background==The background to the British director’s movie was the decline and the fall of the First Kingdom of Jerusalem (1091-1087). This kingdom was established by article evaluates the Crusaders after they had captured the city in 1081. They were Christian knights and soldiers who had taken a religious vow to recapture the sacred sites in the Holy Land (modern Israel). The Kingdom director’s cut of Jerusalem had been under near constant attack from the Arabs and Muslims, for whom the city is of great religious significance <refi> Runciman, Steve. A History of the Crusades, vol. II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1952), p 167Heaven</refi>. The movie captures very well the near constant and brutal conflict between the Christians and the Muslims in the area. The Crusaders were motivated to fight in the Holy Land out its historical accuracy instead of religious fervour and they genuinely believed that they could save their souls from eternal damnation by fighting the Muslimsdramatically inferior theatrical version. The movie concentrates on the growing threat posed to the Kingdom of Jerusalem by the rise of the Ayyubid Sultanate. 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 very well captures the threat posed by Saladin to the Crusaders who  ==What is often regarded as a military genius. Scott’s movie also shows very accurately the lead up to the Battle of Hattin (1187). As in the motion picture this battle was fought in a desert and it was a military disaster for the Crusaders and a great victory for the Ayyubid Sultan <ref> Runciman, p 189real story that </refi>. The British director’s account of the Crusaders near-annihilation by the army of Sultan is factually correct. The aftermath of the battle was that Saladin was able to besiege Jerusalem and this is also correctly shown in the 2005 movie. 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 attempt by mainly English and French Crusaders to recapture Jerusalem<ref> Runciman, p 189Heaven</refi>.. This is also historically accurate. In general, the historical background of the movie and its portrayal of major events such as sieges and battles are fairly accurate. based on? ==

==The historicity British director’s movie's followed the decline and fall of the main characters==The hero First Kingdom of the movie is Balian who is played by the English actor Orlando BloomJerusalem (1091-1087). The screenwriter loosely based Crusaders established this character on a real-life characterkingdom after they had captured the city in 1081. In the movie Balian is a young blacksmith who decides to go on Crusade when he meets his natural father, who is a knight The kingdom was created by Christian knights and soldiers who is played by Liam Neeson. In the movie Balian is shown as took a very humble young man who goes on Crusade religious vow to help to secure his wife’s salvation after her suicide. The character played by Bloom was based on Balian of Ibelinrecapture the Holy Land's and he was a member of the nobility. He was definitely not a lowly blacksmith. Rather he was the legitimate son of his father Barsian of Ibelin <ref> William of Tyre, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea. E. A. Babcock and A. C. Krey, trans sacred sites (Columbia, Columbia University Press, 1943modern Israel), p 114</ref>. The motion picture gives Balian’s father the name Kingdom of Godfrey of Ibelin which is incorrect. In the movie Godfrey played by Liam Neeson recognized Balian as his son and before he dies he knights his son. The knighting of an illegitimate son would not have Jerusalem had been legally possible in the Middle Ages without some dispensation under near-constant attack from a monarch or the Catholic Church. Ridley Scott introduces Balian as living in France, but his origins are not known, Arabs and his family may actually have been ItalianMuslims. The character Jerusalem is also shown as making his way significant 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 three religious reasons. In fact: Christianity, Judaism, Balians father was one of the most powerful lords in the Crusader States and he ruled the County of Jaffa (modern Israel) and was a vassal of the King of Jerusalem Islam.<ref> William of TyreRunciman, p 201Steve. </refi>. In A History of the movie we see Balian going on crusade with his father who died before arriving in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In factCrusades, it seems likely that Balian had been living in the Crusader kingdom since he was a young manvol. 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 II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem <ref/i>William of Tyre(Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1952), p 212167</ref>. This meant that he would have been very familiar with  The movie captures the culture constant and politics of brutal conflict between the region. In Christians and the movie Muslims in the main character is portrayed as a young man however at the time of the event shown, he was a mature manHoly Land. The movie does correctly show that Crusaders were motivated to fight in the 1180s that Balian was a major figure in the politics Holy Land out of the Kingdom of Jerusalemreligious fervor. He was very involved in the power struggles They genuinely believed that greatly weakened they could save their souls from eternal damnation by fighting the realmMuslims. In the The movie concentrates on the hero is shown as struggling growing threat posed 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 Jerusalem by Bloom was a great and a brave knight. In the movie he is portrayed as a great swordsman and a brave leaderAyyubid Sultanate's rise. The commander of the Christian garrison of Jerusalem during the Ayyubid army, This was indeed Balain and he provided to be a brilliant commanderkingdom founded by Saladin, as portrayed by who deposed the British Directorlast Fatimid Caliph in Egypt and later captured Syria. He was able to beat off countless attacks by the Muslims as most powerful Islamic ruler in the 2005 motion pictureregion in a century. In The movie captures the movie we seen Balian and threat posed by Saladin reaching a negotiated settlement that ended to the bloody siege. This Crusaders because he 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 often regarded as leading the Christians safely out of Jerusalem as he hands it over to Saladina military genius. This actually happened and the Muslims did allow the garrison and the Christian population to leave the city unmolested. In the  Scott’s movie after accurately depicts the surrender of Jerusalem lead up 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 Battle of English knights to go on the Third CrusadeHattin (1187). In fact, after While the fall Battle of Jerusalem Balian stayed in the region and he became Hattin is one of the leaders of the Crusader states. He actually participated most significant battles in the Third Crusades and world history, it was a key advisor to the legendary Richard the Lionheartone-sided slaughter. Scott shows does not spend much time on the main character as having good relations with Muslim Hattin, and indeed in real-life Balian of Ibelin had a good relationship with Saladin.[[File: Kingdom of Heaven 2.jpgFile.png|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 's climax focuses on Jerusalem's defense. She was a real-life character and Scott's decision makes a sister of one King lot of sense because Jerusalem and later became Queen of the Kingdom, for a brief time ref>Bernard Hamilton, "Women in the Crusader States: The Queens of Jerusalem", in Medieval Women, edited by Derek Baker. (London, Ecclesiastical History Society, 1978), p 17</ref>. She was a very powerful woman and had great influence among the Crusaders. This 's defense is captured in the movie and especially in the performance of Eva Green. In real life she 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 and live in a remote village as shown in the climax of the 2005 workfar more compelling story. Balian was married to a Byzantine Princess and Sibylla remained married to Guy and did not leave him, in fact she died of an epidemic while campaigning with Guy in 1190, dying at the age of thirty <ref> William of TyreRunciman, p. 178189</ref>. The love affair between Sibylla of Jerusalem and Balian is a complete fiction.

Scott's depiction of the Crusaders near-annihilation at Hattin, and Saladin's siege of Jerusalem and Scott's are 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 and its portrayal of major events such as sieges and battles are not only accurate but extraordinarily well done. == Guy de LusignanHow realistic is the portrayal of Balian of Ibelin in <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i>? ==[[File: Kingdom_of_Heaven 2.jpg|350px|thumb|left| Balian of Ibelin surrendering Jerusalem to Saladin from a 15th-century manuscript]]The ‘bad’ guy in main character of the movie Balian who is played by the nobleman Guy de LusignanEnglish actor Orlando Bloom. He was The screenwriter loosely based this character on a real-life historical character . In the movie, Balian is a young blacksmith who decides to go on Crusade when he meets his natural father, a knight, and one plays by Liam Neeson. Balian is shown 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 very important in based on Balian of Ibelin's. Unlike the history movie version, he was a member of the Crusadesnobility and the legitimate son of his father, Barisan of Ibelin. In Scott’s movie he He also was an evil mannot 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 birth father, the movie created a character, Godfrey of Ibelin, played by Liam Neeson. Neeson has played this was pretty much 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 caseHoly Land. He had In reality, an illegitimate son's knighting would not have been expelled legally possible in the Middle Ages without some dispensation from a monarch or the Catholic Church. Ridley Scott introduces Balian as living in France for murder , but his origins are unknown, and he had had fled his family may have been Italian.  The character is also shown as making his way to the Kingdom of JerusalemHoly Land, and he did make this journey at some time. Guy later married Sibylla as shown His father in the movie. In the motion picture he is shown to be a crusader, and this was indeed the case. The motion picture shows Godfrey of Ibelin as very anti-Muslim and aligning with a noble knight who went on Crusade for religious reasons. Balian's father was one of the most powerful lords in the Crusader States. He ruled the County of Jaffa (modern Israel). He was a vassal of the fanatical Knights Templers King of Jerusalem .<ref> RuncimanWilliam of Tyre, p 212201</ref>. Scott’s In the movie shows him and , we see Balian going on crusade with his allies treacherously attacking a caravan of Muslims and slayingfather, every man, woman, and child and this prompted Saladin to invade who died before arriving in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which .  Balian had likely been living in the Crusader kingdom since he was a disaster for young man. He was not the Crusadersonly son of Barisan of Ibelin and was, in reality, his youngest son. This is His father gave Balian a large land area and a historical fact castle, and Guy’s massacre he too became a vassal of innocent Muslims did provoke Saladin and this led to the ultimate capture King of Jerusalem by the Muslims . <ref>RuncimanWilliam of Tyre, p 213212</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. 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 modern audience. The movie shows  Balian and Guy is portrayed as implacable enemies and a young man in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the real Balian was already a mature man by this is only partially truetime period. The men movie does correctly show that in real life had the 1180s, Balian was a complex relationship major figure in the Kingdom of Jerusalem's politics. He was very involved in the power struggles that greatly weakened the realm. In the movie, the hero struggles to save the Kingdom from various factions interested in power. In reality, Balian was quite Machiavellian and sought to increase his own power and were influence at times enemies but occasionally also allieshis rivals' expense. Guy However, the movie accurately shows that Bloom's character was captured a great and later released brave knight.  The movie's credit does a good job accurately portraying Jerusalem's defense by Saladin as shown Balian and his forces. Balian was an outstanding swordsman, a brave leader, and an outstanding tactician in the movie. In Bloom's character became the commander of the Christian garrison of Jerusalem before the Battle of Hattin. He devised the finale defense of Jerusalem that effectively beat off countless attacks by the Muslims. Balian was the commander, but the movie diminishes the scene there importance of other leaders who were also pivotal in Jerusalem's defense. Balian is essentially a great duel between composite character for this battle. <dh-ad/>Balian and GuySaladin reached a negotiated settlement that ended the bloody siege. The hero This is shown as defeating his enemy and utterly humiliating him and Scott suggests that Guy was a broken man who was utterly disgracedaccurate. The duel probably Christians did not take place agree to surrender the city on terms in 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 there are no records of Balian the Muslims did allow the garrison and Guy engaging the Christian population to leave the city unmolested. After Jerusalem's surrender to the Muslim Sultan, he returns to Europe with Sybilla in the movie. He is shown as living happily as a blacksmith in hand his native village and refusing English knights' entreaties to hand combatgo on the Third Crusade in one 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, she was married to Guy de Lusignan (1150-1194), Peterbut 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]]