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Kingdom of Heaven (film)

Kingdom of Heaven
Directed by Ridley Scott
Produced by Ridley Scott
Written by William Monahan
Starring Orlando Bloom
Eva Green
Jeremy Irons
David Thewlis
Edward Norton
Marton Csokas
Liam Neeson
Ghassan Massoud
Music by Harry Gregson-Williams
Cinematography John Mathieson
Editing by Dody Dorn
Chisako Yokoyama (director's cut)
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Scott Free
Release date(s) May 6, 2005
Running time 144 min.
194 min (director's cut).
189 min (Blu-Ray release, omits Overture, Intermission & Entr'acte)
Country UK / Spain / USA / Germany
Language English / Arabic
Budget $130 million
Gross revenue $211,652,051
Official website • IMDb • Allmovie

Kingdom of Heaven is a 2005 epic film, directed by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan. It stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Brendan Gleeson, Alexander Siddig, Ghassan Massoud, Edward Norton, Jon Finch, Michael Sheen and Liam Neeson.

The story is set during the Crusades of the 12th century. A French village blacksmith goes to aid the city of Jerusalem in its defense against the Muslim leader Saladin, who is battling to reclaim the city from the Christians. The film script is a heavily fictionalized portrayal of Balian of Ibelin.

Hamid Dabashi, a professor who mainly specializes in Iranian studies at Columbia University, was the film's chief academic consultant regarding the Crusades.

Most filming took place in Ouarzazate in Morocco, where Scott had filmed Gladiator and Black Hawk Down. A replica of the ancient city of Jerusalem was constructed in the desert. Filming also took place in Spain, at the Loarre Castle, Segovia, Ávila, Palma del Río and Casa de Pilatos in Sevilla.[1]

Contents

Cast and characters

Many of the characters in the movie are fictionalized versions of historical figures:

Synopsis

Balian (Orlando Bloom) at the Battle of Kerak

Balian (Orlando Bloom) at the Battle of Kerak

In a remote village in France, Balian, a blacksmith, is haunted by his wife's recent suicide, following the stillbirth of their child. A group of Crusaders arrive at the small village and one of them approaches Balian, introducing himself as his out-of-wedlock father, Baron Godfrey of Ibelin. Godfrey, having learned of Balian's recent losses, attempts to persuade Balian to join him as they travel to Jerusalem, in the hope he will eventually take his place as Godfrey's heir. Balian quickly refuses, and, after resupplying and resting, the Crusaders ride on. Shortly afterwards, the corrupt town priest (Balian's half-brother) reveals that his wife's body was beheaded before burial (a customary practice in those times for people who committed suicide, to ensure the soul cannot enter heaven) and he has taken the crucifix she wore. Enraged at these insults, Balian slays the priest with the sword he is working on. Balian quickly decides to follow his father after all, in the hope of gaining redemption and forgiveness for both his wife and himself. Shortly after he catches up to his father, soldiers from the village arrive to arrest Balian. Godfrey refuses to hand him over and, though they win the ensuing fight, most of Godfrey's band are killed. Godfrey himself is wounded by an arrow and, though he is not killed outright, it becomes clear as their journey continues that he will soon die.

In Messina, Godfrey, on the brink of death, knights Balian and orders him to serve the King of Jerusalem and protect the helpless. He ultimately shares with him his vision of "a kingdom of conscience, morality, and righteousness in the Holy Land", where Muslims and Christians can peacefully coexist, before finally succumbing to his injuries. On Balian's subsequent journey to Jerusalem, his ship is hit by a storm, leaving Balian as the sole survivor of the wreck, though a horse also survives but runs away as Balian tries to mount it. Tracking the horse into the desert, Balian soon finds himself confronting a Muslim cavalier, and his servant, over possession of the horse. Balian slays the horseman in single combat, but spares the servant, asking him to guide him to Jerusalem. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem, Balian releases his prisoner who then tells him the name of his slain master, and Balian says that he will pray for his soul. As his prisoner departs, he says that, "Your qualities will be known among your enemies before ever you meet them". After being accepted as the new Lord of Ibelin, Balian soon becomes acquainted with the main players in Jerusalem's political arena: King Baldwin IV, stricken by leprosy yet nevertheless a wise and most sensible ruler, Princess Sibylla, King Baldwin IV's sister, and Guy de Lusignan, Sibylla's scheming, bloodthirsty, and intolerant husband. Despite the respect Baldwin engenders from the combined Christian and Muslim population of Jerusalem, Guy, who is determined to rule after Baldwin's inevitable early death, seeks to precipitate a war that will allow him to dispose of the Muslims and claim the Kingdom for Christians alone.

Guy and his co-conspirator Raynald of Châtillon massacre a Muslim trade caravan. Saladin, leader of the Muslim forces seeking to retake Jerusalem, attacks Kerak, Raynald's castle, to bring him to account for his crime. Balian decides to defend Kerak castle from Saladin's cavalry, in order to protect the innocent villagers surrounding the castle. Though outnumbered, he and his knights charge Saladin's cavalry, allowing the villagers time to flee to the castle; the quick battle ends as a stalemate with Balian's capture. In captivity, Balian encounters the 'servant' he freed, Imad ad-Din, learning he is actually one of Saladin's Generals, who then returns the favor, freeing Balian to Kerak. King Baldwin IV then arrives with his main army, successfully negotiates a Muslim retreat with Saladin and averts a potential bloodbath. At Saladin's camp, several of his Generals are angry that he made a truce, but Saladin dismisses these complaints as a foolhardy rush to war; he will only launch an attack against Jerusalem after ample preparation, when he feels he is strategically strong enough. Baldwin beats Raynald and orders his arrest, but the stress of the events causes him to collapse, and his physicians discover he will die shortly.

Saladin's forces besiege the walls of Jerusalem

Saladin's forces besiege the walls of Jerusalem

Baldwin attempts to pair Balian to Sibylla, knowing that the pair have affection for each other, but Balian does not accept as he refuses to be associated with the necessary murder of Guy; such political intrigue being counter to Balian's morality. After Baldwin finally dies, Sibylla succeeds her brother and therefore names Guy as her King Consort of Jerusalem. Guy, now free to do as he pleases, releases Raynald, unsuccessfully tries to have Balian killed by several of the Knights Templar and has Raynald provoke Saladin to war by murdering Saladin's sister. When Saladin sends an emissary to demand the return of his sister's body, the heads of those responsible, and the surrender of Jerusalem. Guy answers by killing the emissary, nearly causing a fight between the Christian and Muslim bodyguards. As the emissary's body is towed away, Guy whispers arrogantly "I am Jerusalem." Subsequently, in their arrogance, they march to the desert without adequate food and water to fight Saladin, leaving Jerusalem unguarded except for Balian, his personal knights and the townspeople. Saladin's army ambushes Guy and Raynald (the Battle of Hattin) and the Crusader army is annihilated. Guy and Raynald themselves are captured; Saladin has Raynald executed, and then marches on Jerusalem. Balian prepares the defences, challenging the Patriarch's advice to flee, and then makes a symbolic gesture by knighting a number of men-at-arms to raise morale. Balian insists that their goal is to defend Jerusalem's population, not the city itself. Knowing full well they cannot defeat the Saracens, the defenders' only hope is to delay their enemies long enough for them to negotiate.

Saladin's siege of Jerusalem is three days of battle wherein Balian demonstrates tactical skill in knocking down siege towers, before inspiring the defenders to hold the line when a section of city wall is opened. Having proven their resolve, Saladin offers terms: Balian surrenders Jerusalem to Saladin when Saladin offers the inhabitants' safe passage to Christian lands. Balian points out that when the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem a hundred years previously, they massacred the Muslim inhabitants, but Saladin assures him that he is a man of honor, and, keeping his word, allows Balian and his people to leave. In the marching column of citizens, he finds Sibylla, and convinces her to come with him.

Later, Balian is back in his French village. A column of crusader knights rides through, led by King Richard I of England, who tells Balian that they are commencing a new Crusade to retake Jerusalem from Saladin. King Richard seeks Balian, the defender of Jerusalem, to join him, but Balian answers that he is only a blacksmith.

After visiting the grave of Balian's first wife, he and Sibylla ride into the sunset. An explanation is given that King Richard failed in his Crusade, negotiated a shaky truce with Saladin after three years of war, and that "nearly a thousand years later, peace in the Kingdom of Heaven remains elusive".

Historical accuracy

King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, who reigned from 1174 to 1185, was a leper, and his sister Sibylla did marry Guy of Lusignan. Also, Baldwin IV had a falling out with Guy before his death, and so Guy did not succeed Baldwin IV immediately. Baldwin crowned Sibylla's son from her previous marriage to William of Montferrat, five-year-old Baldwin V co-king in his own lifetime, in 1183.[2] The little boy reigned as sole king for one year, dying in 1186 at nine years of age. After her son's death, Sibylla and Guy (to whom she was devoted) garrisoned the city, and she claimed the throne. The coronation scene in the movie was, in real life, more of a shock: Sibylla had been forced to promise to divorce Guy before becoming queen, with the assurance that she would be permitted to pick her own consort. After being crowned by Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem (who is unnamed in the movie), she chose to crown Guy as her consort. Raymond III of Tripoli, the film's Tiberias, was not present, but was in Nablus attempting a coup, with Balian of Ibelin, to raise her half-sister (Balian's stepdaughter), princess Isabella of Jerusalem, to the throne; however, Isabella's husband, Humphrey IV of Toron, betrayed them by swearing allegiance to Guy.

Raymond of Tripoli was a cousin of Amalric I of Jerusalem, and one of the Kingdom's most powerful nobles, as well as sometime regent. He had a claim to the throne himself, but, being childless, instead tried to advance his allies the Ibelin family. He was often in conflict with Guy and Raynald, who had risen to their positions by marrying wealthy heiresses and through the king's favor. Guy and Raynald did harass Saladin's caravans, and the claim that Raynald captured Saladin's sister is based on the account given in the Old French Continuation of William of Tyre. This claim is not supported by any other accounts, and is generally believed to be false. In actuality, after Raynald's attack on one caravan, Saladin made sure that the next one, in which his sister was traveling, was properly guarded: the lady came to no harm.[3]

The discord between the rival factions in the kingdom gave Saladin the opportunity to pursue his long-term goal of conquering it. The kingdom's army was defeated at the Battle of Hattin, partly due to the conflict between Guy and Raymond. As already stated, the battle itself is not shown in the movie, but its aftermath is depicted. The Muslims captured Guy and Raynald, and according to al-Safadi in al-Wafi bi'l-wafayat, executed Raynald after he drank from the goblet offered to Guy, as the sultan had once made a promise never to give anything to Raynald. Guy was imprisoned, but later freed. He attempted to retain the kingship even after the deaths of Sibylla and their daughters during his siege of Acre in 1190, but lost in an election to Conrad of Montferrat in 1192. Richard I of England, his only supporter, sold him the lordship of Cyprus, where he died c. 1194.

There was a Haute Cour, a "high court", a sort of medieval parliament, in which Jeremy Irons' character Tiberias is seen arguing with Guy for or against war, in front of Baldwin IV as the final judge.

The movie alludes to the Battle of Montgisard in 1177, in which 16-year-old Baldwin IV defeated Saladin, with Saladin narrowly escaping.

The Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar were the most enthusiastic about fighting Saladin and the Muslims. They were monastic military orders, committed to celibacy. Neither Guy nor Raynald was a Templar, as the movie implies by costuming them both in Templar surcoats: they were secular nobles with wives and families.

During one scene in the movie, shortly before Hattin, three soldiers referred to as "Templars" attack Balian; however, they clearly wear the white surcoats with black crosses of Teutonic Knights, rather than the white and red of the Knights Templar. The Teutonic Knights were not a military order until 1198.[4]

The historical origin of Orlando Bloom's character, Balian of Ibelin, was a close ally of Raymond; however, he was a mature gentleman, just a year or two younger than Raymond, and one of the most important nobles in the kingdom, not a French blacksmith. His father Barisan (which was originally his own name, modified into French as 'Balian') founded the Ibelin family in the east, and probably came from Italy. Balian and Sibylla were indeed united in the defense of Jerusalem; however, no romantic relationship existed between the two. Balian married Sibylla's stepmother Maria Comnena, Dowager Queen of Jerusalem and Lady of Nablus. The Old French Continuation of William of Tyre (the so-called Chronicle of Ernoul) claimed that Sibylla had been infatuated with Balian's older brother Baldwin of Ibelin, a widower over twice her age, but this is doubtful; instead, it seems that Raymond of Tripoli attempted a coup to marry her off to him to strengthen the position of his faction; however, this legend seems to have been behind the film's creation of a love-relationship between Sibylla and a member of the Ibelin family.[3]

William of Tyre discovers Baldwin IV's leprosy; his accounts form the historical basis for much of the film

William of Tyre discovers Baldwin IV's leprosy; his accounts form the historical basis for much of the film

The events of the siege of Jerusalem are based on the Old French Continuation of William of Tyre, a favorable account partly written by Ernoul, one of Balian's officers, and other contemporary documents. Saladin did besiege Jerusalem for almost a month, and was able to knock down a portion of the wall. In the film Balian knighted everyone who could carry a sword, but historical accounts say he only knighted some burgesses. The exact number varies in different accounts, but it is probably less than one hundred in a city which had tens of thousands of male inhabitants and refugees. Balian personally negotiated the surrender of the city with Saladin, after threatening to destroy every building and kill the 3000-5000 Muslim inhabitants of the city. Saladin allowed Balian and his family to leave in peace, along with everyone else who could arrange to pay a ransom. The rest were sold into slavery. Furthermore the members of military orders, such as the Templars, were all executed in brutal manner. Saladin had them all killed by Muslim Sufi mystics that had little experience in killing and therefore made the process more slow and painful.

The "uneasy truce" referred to in the closing scene actually refers to the Treaty of Ramla, negotiated, with Balian's help, at the end of the Third Crusade. The Third Crusade is alluded to at the end of the movie, when Richard I of England visits Balian in France. Balian, of course, was not from France and did not return there with Sibylla; she and her two daughters died of fever in camp during the siege of Acre. Conrad of Montferrat had denied her and Guy entry to the remaining stronghold of Tyre, and thus Guy was attempting to take another city for himself.

Balian's relations with Richard were far from amicable, because he supported Conrad against Richard's vassal Guy. He and his wife Maria arranged her daughter Isabella's forcible divorce from Humphrey of Toron so she could marry Conrad. Ambroise, who wrote a poetic account of the crusade, called Balian "more false than a goblin" and said he "should be hunted with dogs". The anonymous author of the Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi wrote that Balian was a member of a "council of consummate iniquity", and described him as cruel, fickle, and faithless, and accused him of taking bribes from Conrad.

The young Balian of the movie thus did not exist in reality. The historical Balian had descendants by Maria Comnena. Thanks to their close relationship to Sibylla's half-sister and successor, Maria's daughter Queen Isabella (not shown in the movie), the Ibelins became the most powerful noble family in the rump Kingdom of Jerusalem as well as in Cyprus in the thirteenth century. Most notably, Maria and Balian's son John, the Lord of Beirut, was a dominant force in the politics of Outremer for the first third of the thirteenth century.

An episode of The History Channel's series History vs. Hollywood analyzed the historical accuracy of the film. This program and a Movie Real (a series by A&E Network) episode about Kingdom of Heaven were both included on the DVD version of the movie.

Cinematography

The visual style of Kingdom of Heaven emphasizes set design and impressive cinematography in almost every scene. It is notable for its "visually stunning cinematography and haunting music".[5]

A sweeping, surreal landscape in Kingdom of Heaven characteristic of Ridley Scott's cinematographic style

A sweeping, surreal landscape in Kingdom of Heaven characteristic of Ridley Scott's cinematographic style

Cinematographer John Mathieson created many large, sweeping landscapes,[6] where the cinematography, supporting performances, and battle sequences are meticulously mounted.[7] The cinematography and scenes of set-pieces have been described as "ballets of light and color" (as in films by Akira Kurosawa).[8] Director Ridley Scott's visual acumen was described as the main draw of Kingdom of Heaven with the stellar, stunning cinematography and "jaw-dropping combat sequences" based on the production design of Arthur Max.[9][10]

Film score

Main article: Kingdom of Heaven (soundtrack)

The music to the movie is quite different in style and content to the soundtrack of Ridley Scott's earlier 2000 film Gladiator and many other subsequent films depicting historical events. A composition of classical listings, rousing chorales, juxtaposing Muslim sacred chants, and subtle implementation of contemporary rock/pop influences, the soundtrack is largely the result of British film-score composer Harry Gregson-Williams. Gregson-Williams chose to move away from the "battle waltz" and the "wailing woman" that had been introduced by Hans Zimmer in Gladiator and would then find excessive use in more and more other movies, such as Alexander and Troy. During the climactic final battle scene, a piece of Jerry Goldsmith's "Valhalla" theme from The 13th Warrior is used.

Critical response

Edward Norton received acclaim for his portrayal of King Baldwin IV

Edward Norton received acclaim for his portrayal of King Baldwin IV

Upon its release, the film was met with mixed opinions. Critics such as Roger Ebert, however, found the film's message to be deeper than Scott's previous Gladiator.[11]

Several actors/actresses were praised for their performances. The unanimously praised performance was that of actor Edward Norton, who played the leper king of Jerusalem, Baldwin IV. Critics have described his acting as near "phenomenal", "eerie", and "so far removed from anything that he has ever done that we see the true complexities of his talent".[12] The Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud was also praised for his portrayal of Saladin, described by The New York Times as "cool as a tall glass of water".[13] Also commended were Eva Green, who plays Princess Sibylla, "with a measure of cool that defies her surroundings",[6] and Jeremy Irons.[14]

However, lead actor Orlando Bloom's performance generally elicited a lukewarm reception from American critics, with the Boston Globe stating Bloom was "not actively bad as Balian of Ibelin", but nevertheless "seems like a man holding the fort for a genuine star who never arrives".[15] Although the medieval character of Balian of Ibelin is not well known to U.S. culture, many critics had strong notions of how Balian should be acted, as an "epic hero" with a strong presence. One critic conceded that Balian was more of a "brave and principled thinker-warrior"[6] rather than a large, strong commander, and Balian used brains-over-brawn to gain advantage in battle.

Orlando Bloom was not playing the young comedic role of the "Pirates" movies, but rather an older, mature, bearded man, who, in his late thirties, was in military combat for years, and questioned what was worth risking death. Some critics noted his "acceptable performance" in light of the far more difficult role that this film required over his previous famous, but light parts. Orlando Bloom had gained 20 pounds for the part,[6] and the Extended Director's Cut (detailed below) of Kingdom of Heaven reveals even more complex facets of Orlando Bloom's role, involving connections with unknown relatives, which even further complicate Balian's view of life and death. Despite the criticism, Orlando Bloom won two awards for his performance.

Online, general criticism has been also divided, but leaning towards the positive. As of early 2006, the Yahoo! Movies rating for Kingdom of Heaven was a "B" from the critics (based on 15 Reviews). This rating equates to "good" according to Yahoo! Movie's rating system. On Rotten Tomatoes, only 39% of critics gave the film a positive review.

Academic criticism has focused on the supposed peaceful relationship between Christians and Muslims in Jerusalem and other cities depicted. Crusader historians such as Jonathan Riley-Smith, quoted by The Daily Telegraph, called the film "dangerous to Arab relations", claiming the movie was Osama bin Laden's version of the Crusades and would "fuel the Islamic fundamentalists". Riley-Smith further commented against the historical accuracy stating "nonsense like this will only reinforce existing myths," arguing that the film "relied on the romanticized view of the Crusades propagated by Sir Walter Scott in his book The Talisman, published in 1825 and now discredited by academics."[16][17][18]. Fellow Crusade historian Jonathan Phillips also spoke against the film. Paul Halsall defended Scott, claiming that "historians can't criticize filmmakers for having to make the decisions they have to make... [Scott is] not writing a history textbook".[19]

Thomas F. Madden, a professor of medieval history at Saint Louis University, commented against the film's presentation of the Crusades,:

Given events in the modern world it is lamentable that there is so large a gulf between what professional historians know about the Crusades and what the general population believes. This movie only widens that gulf. The shame of it is that dozens of distinguished historians across the globe would have been only too happy to help Scott and Monahan get it right."[20]

Scott himself defended this depiction of the Muslim-Christian relationship in footage on the DVD version of the movie's extra features. Scott sees this portrayal as being a contemporary look at the history. He argued that peace and brutality are concepts relative to one's own experience, and since our society today is so far removed from the brutal times in which the movie takes place, he told the story in a way that he felt was true to the source material yet was more accessible to a modern audience. In other words, the "peace" that existed was exaggerated to fit our ideas of what such a peace would be. At the time, it was merely a lull in Muslim-Christian violence compared to the standards of the period. The recuring use of "Assalamu Alaikum" the traditional Arabic greating meaning: "Peace be with you" spoken both in Arabic and English is also repeated several times.

The "Director's Cut" of the film is a 4-disc set, two of which are dedicated to a feature-length documentary called "The Path to Redemption." This feature contains an additional featurette on historical accuracy called "Creative Accuracy: The Scholars Speak", where a number of academics support the film's contemporary relevance and historical accuracy. Among these historians is Dr. Nancy Caciola, who said that despite the various inaccuracies and fictionalized/dramatized details considered the film a "responsible depiction of the period."[citation needed]

Screenwriter William Monahan, who is a long-term enthusiast of the period, has said "If it isn't in, it doesn't mean we didn't know it... What you use, in drama, is what plays. Shakespeare did the same."[21]

Caciola agreed with the fictionalization of characters on the grounds that "crafting a character who is someone the audience can identify with" is necessary in a film. She said that "I, as a professional, have spent much time with medieval people, so to speak, in the texts that I read; and quite honestly there are very few of them that if I met in the flesh I feel that I would be very fond of." This appears to echo the sentiments of Scott himself. However, the DVD does not feature historians expressing more negative reactions.

The historical content and the religious and political messages present have received praise and condemnation, sentiments and perceptions. It is claimed that Christianity is portrayed in an unfavorable light and the value of Christian belief is diminished, especially in the portrayal of Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem (Eraclius).[22] In several screenings in Beirut, Robert Fisk reported that Muslim audiences rose to their feet and applauded wildly during a scene in the film in which Saladin respectfully places a fallen crucifix back on top of a table after it had fallen during the 3 day siege of the city. [23]

The movie was a box-office failure in the U.S. and Canada, earning $47 million against a budget of around $130 million, but was successful in Europe and the rest of the world, with the worldwide box office earnings totaling at $211,643,158.[24] It was also a big success in Arabic speaking countries, especially Egypt mainly because of the Egyptian actor Khaled El Nabawy who participated in the movie. Director Ridley Scott insinuated that the U.S. failure of the film was the result of bad advertising which presented the film as an adventure with a great love story rather than as an examination of religious conflict.[25] It's also been noted that the film was altered from its original version to be shorter and follow a more simple plot line. This "less sophisticated" version is what hit theaters, although Scott and some of his crew felt it was watered down, explaining that by editing, "You've gone in there and taken little bits from everything".[26]

As a final note, like some other Ridley Scott films, Kingdom of Heaven found success on DVD in the U.S., and the release of the Director's Cut has reinvigorated interest in the film. Nearly all reviews of the 2006 Director's Cut have been positive[citation needed], including a four-star review in Britain's "Total Film" magazine (five star being the publication's highest rating).

Extended director's cut

Sibylla of Jerusalem (Eva Green) has a much more significant role in the director's cut.

Sibylla of Jerusalem (Eva Green) has a much more significant role in the director's cut.

An extended director's cut of the movie was released on December 23, 2005, at the Laemmle Fairfax Theatre in Los Angeles, unsupported by advertising from 20th Century Fox. This version is what Ridley Scott originally wanted released to theaters, and is approximately 45 minutes longer than the original theatrical cut. The DVD of the extended Director's Cut was released on May 23, 2006. It is a four-disc box set with a runtime of 194 minutes, and is shown as a road show presentation with an overture, intermission and entr'acte. (The Blu Ray version omits the roadshow elements and runs for 189 minutes). Ridley Scott gave an interview[27] to STV on the occasion of the Director's Cut's UK release, when he discussed the motives and thinking behind the new version.

After the pitching of this film, studio marketing executives took it to be an action-adventure hybrid rather than what Ridley Scott and William Monahan intended it to be: a historical epic examining religious conflict. 20th Century Fox promoted the film as an action movie with heavy elements of romance, and in their advertising campaign, they made much of the "From the Director of Gladitor" slogan. When Scott presented the 194 minute version of the film to the studio, they balked at the length. Studio head Tom Rothman ordered the film to be trimmed down to only two hours, as he did not believe that a modern audience would go to see a three hour and fifteen minute movie. Ultimately, Rothman's decision backfired as the film gained mixed reviews (with many commenting that the film seemed "incomplete") and severely under-performed at the US box office.


The Director's Cut (DC) has received a distinctly more positive reception from film critics than the theatrical release, with many reviews suggesting that it offers a much greater insight into the motivations of individual characters. Scott and his crew have all stated that they consider the Director's Cut to be the true version of the film and the theatrical cut more of an action movie trailer for the real film. Reviewers have described it as the most substantial Director's Cut of all time[28] and a title to equal any of Scott's other works[29]

It should be noted that Alexander Siddig in particular agitated for the release of a new cut to show more of the original plot.

The new director's cut provides information that may change how some interpret several characters and the story arc:

  • The village priest who taunts Balian and is killed by him is revealed to be his half-brother (his mother's son by her lawful husband). The animosity between them is shown as originating from the priest's coveting of the firstborn Balian's meager inheritance.
  • Godfrey is not only the father of Balian but the younger brother of the village lord who believes that Godfrey is looking for his own son to be Godfrey's heir in Ibelin. It is this lord's son and heir who organizes the attack on Godfrey's party in the forest and is subsequently killed.
  • Both subplots above hinge on the firstborn son's right to exclusive inheritance: this is what apparently drove Godfrey to the Holy Land and the priest to his scheming against Balian.
  • Baldwin IV is shown refusing the last sacrament from Patriarch Heraclius.
  • Another major change is the re-insertion of the character of Baldwin V (who was shown in some of the trailers), the son of Sibylla by her first husband (William of Montferrat, not named in the film). The boy is crowned King after Baldwin IV's death, but is then discovered to have leprosy, like his uncle. His death is depicted as an act of euthanasia by his mother, dropping poison in his ear. Only then is Sibylla crowned queen and has Guy crowned, as in the theatrical version.
  • Balian fights a climactic duel with Guy near the end of the film, after Jerusalem is surrendered and Guy has been released by Saladin (an act intended to humiliate Guy in the eyes of his former subjects). Guy is humiliated furthermore by challenging Balian to a duel, being defeated, and then spared by Balian.
  • More violence, blood and gore are re-inserted.
  • A scene with Balian discussing his situation with the Hospitaller in the desert, which included the line "I go to pray" (featured in most trailers) is re-inserted.
  • It is made clear that Guy de Lusignan knows that Sibylla is having an affair with Balian. However, he is interested in her only for political reasons.
  • It is revealed that Balian has fought in several battles in the past, is skilled at strategic fighting and is well known for building siege engines.
  • Saladin decapitates Raynald de Chatillon instead of only cutting his throat; this is generally believed to be more historically accurate.
  • Sibylla is portrayed much more as a corrupt princess and unpredictable as she herself stated.

Behind the scenes

Awards

Won (3)

European Film Awards:

  • Audience Award - Best Actor (Orlando Bloom)

Satellite Awards:

  • Outstanding Original Score (Harry Gregson-Williams)

VES Awards:

  • Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture (Wes Sewell, Victoria Alonso, Tom Wood, Gary Brozenich)

Nominations (8)

Satellite Awards:

  • Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama (Edward Norton)
  • Outstanding Art Direction & Production Design (Arthur Max)
  • Outstanding Costume Design (Janty Yates)
  • Outstanding Visual Effects (Tom Wood)

Teen Choice Awards:

  • Choice Movie: Action/Adventure
  • Choice Movie Actor: Action/Adventure/Thriller (Orlando Bloom)
  • Choice Movie Liplock (Eva Green and Orlando Bloom)
  • Choice Movie Love Scene (Eva Green and Orlando Bloom - Balian and Sibylla kiss)

Notes

  1. ^ Cinemareview.com "Kingdom of Heaven- Production Notes" web: http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=2960
  2. ^ Depicted in the director's cut.
  3. ^ a b "Making the Crusades Relevant in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" by Cathy Schultz
  4. ^ "Religion/The Military Orders: THE TEUTONIC ORDER" by Eric Opsahl, ORB Online Encyclopedia
  5. ^ Richard J. Radcliff, "Movie Review: Kingdom of Heaven" May 29, 2005, BlogCritics.org, web: BlogCritics-KoH: noted "visually and sonically beautiful; visually stunning cinematography and haunting music."
  6. ^ a b c d Stephanie Zacharek, "Kingdom of Heaven - Salon" (review), May 6, 2005, Salon.com, web: Salon-KoH: noted "Cinematographer John Mathieson gives us lots of great, sweeping landscapes."
  7. ^ Carrie Rickey, "Epic 'Kingdom' has a weak link" (review), Philadelphia Inquirer, May 6, 2005, web: Philly-KoH: noted "cinematography, supporting performances and battle sequences are so meticulously mounted."
  8. ^ Uncut, Review of Kingdom of Heaven, Uncut, 2005-07-01, page 129, web: BuyCom-Uncut: noted "Where Scott scores is in the cinematography and set-pieces, with vast armies surging across sun-baked sand in almost Kurosawa-like ballets of light and color."
  9. ^ Nix, "Kingdom of Heaven (2005)" (review), BeyondHollywood.com, web: BeyondHwood-KoH: noted "Scott's visual acumen is the main draw of Kingdom of Heaven" and "stunning cinematography and jaw-dropping combat sequences" or "stellar cinematography."
  10. ^ Roger Ebert, "Kingdom of Heaven" (review), Chicago Sun Times, SunTimes.com, May 5, 2005, webpage: Ebert-KoH: Ebert noted "What's more interesting is Ridley Scott's visual style, assisted by John Mathieson's cinematography and the production design of Arthur Max. A vast set of ancient Jerusalem was constructed to provide realistic foregrounds and locations, which were then enhanced by CGI backgrounds, additional horses and troops, and so on."
  11. ^ Roger Ebert, "Kingdom of Heaven" reviews for the Chicago Sun Times
  12. ^ Jack Moore, Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut DVD Review
  13. ^ Manolha Dargis, New York Times review of Kingdom of Heaven
  14. ^ James Berardinelli, http://www.reelviews.net/movies/k/kingdom_heaven.html
  15. ^ Ty Burr, "Kingdom of Heaven Movie Review: Historically and heroically challenged 'Kingdom' fails to conquer"
  16. ^ Charlotte Edwardes, " Ridley Scott's new Crusades film 'panders to Osama bin Laden'" The Daily Telegraph Jan. 17, 2004
  17. ^ Truth is the First Victim- Jonathan Riley-Smith
  18. ^ Kingdom of Heaven info page
  19. ^ CNN "Kingdom of Heaven" Transcript web: CNN.com
  20. ^ Thomas F. Madden on Kingdom of Heaven on National Review Online
  21. ^ Bob Thompson (2005-05-01). "Hollywood on Crusade: With His Historical Epic, Ridley Scott Hurtles Into Vexing, Volatile Territory". Washington Post. Retrieved on 2007-01-08.
  22. ^ John Harlow, "Christian right goes to war with Ridley’s crusaders" web:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article384742.ece
  23. ^ Robert Fisk, "Kingdom of Heaven:Why Ridley Scott's Story Of The Crusades Struck Such A Chord In A Lebanese Cinema" web: Zmag.org
  24. ^ "Kingdom of Heaven- Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information" web: The-Numbers.com
  25. ^ Hicelebs.com: "Kingdom of Heaven Trivia" web:http://www.hicelebs.com/movies/kingdom_of_heaven/trivia.html
  26. ^ Garth Franklin, "Interview: Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven" web: DarkHorizons.com
  27. ^ Ridley Scott interview
  28. ^ UGO.com DVD - Kingdom of Heaven: 4-Disc Director's Cut DVD Review
  29. ^ Berardinelli, James. "Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut Review".

References

External links


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Saladin

Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb
Sultan of Egypt and Syria
caption
Artistic representation of Saladin
Reign 1174–1193
Coronation 1174
Full name Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb
Born c. 1137–1138
Birthplace Tikrit, Iraq
Died March 4 1193 CE
Place of death Damascus, Syria
Buried Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria
Predecessor Nur ad-Din
Successor Al-ˤAzīz ˤUthmān
Dynasty Ayyubid
Father Najm ad-Dīn Ayyūb

Salahadin Ayyubi (Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب; Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c. 1138 - March 4, 1193), better known as Saladin in medieval Europe, was a Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He was a Kurdish Muslim and led the Islamic opposition to the Third Crusade. At the height of his power, the Ayyubid dynasty he founded, ruled over Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Hejaz, and Yemen. He led Muslim resistance to the European Crusaders and eventually recaptured Palestine from the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. As such, he is a notable figure in Arab, Kurdish, and Muslim culture. Saladin was a strict practitioner of Sunni Islam. He did not maim, kill or retaliate against those whom he defeated,[1][2] with the notable exception of certain events following the Battle of Hattin. His generally chivalrous behaviour was noted by Christian chroniclers, especially in the accounts of the siege of Krak in Moab.

Contents

Early life

Saladin or Yūsuf Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn ibn Ayyūb was born in Tikrit, in what is now Iraq. His family was of Kurdish background and ancestry,[3] and had originated from the city of Dvin, in Armenia. [4][5] His father, Najm ad-Dīn Ayyūb, was banished from Tikrit and moved with his family to Mosul where he met Imād ad-Din Zengi, the Turkish atabeg of Mosul and the founder of the Zengid dynasty, who was leading Muslim forces against the Crusaders in Edessa.[citation needed] In 1139 Imād ad-Din Zengi appointed Najm ad-Din as the commander of his fortress in Baalbek.[6] After the death of Imād ad-Din Zengi in 1146, his son, Nūr ad-Dīn, became the regent of Mosul.[6] Saladin received his name from Nūr ad-Dīn and was sent to Damascus to complete his education.[7][8] Several sources claim that during his studies he was more interested in religion than joining the military.[6] Another factor which may have affected his interest in religion was that during the First Crusade Jerusalem was taken by force by the Christians by surprise.[6]

Sultan

Egypt

Saladin, King of Egypt from a 15th century illuminated manuscript; the globus in his left hand is a European symbol of kingly power.

Saladin, King of Egypt from a 15th century illuminated manuscript; the globus in his left hand is a European symbol of kingly power.

His career in the military began when his uncle Asad al-Dīn Shīrkūh, or simply named Shirkuh, started training him. Shirkuh was an important military commander under the emir Nūr al-Dīn, who was the son and successor of Zangī. During three military expeditions led by Shīrkūh into Egypt to prevent its falling to the Latin Christian Crusaders who already ruled Jerusalem. Amalric I, the king of Jerusalem; Shāwar, the powerful vizier of the Egyptian Fāṭimid caliph; and Shīrkūh formed a struggle. After Shīrkūh's death and after ordering Shāwar's assassination, Saladin, in 1169 was appointed both commander of the Syrian troops in Egypt and vizier of the Fāṭimid caliph there. Saladin was only 31 when he received the position in the military and tried to finish much of his uncle's work. His relatively quick rise to power was due to the fact he had come from Kurdish cultural background and is cited as having many talents including being an effective and efficient military leader. He became from then onwards a Sultan of Egypt and his clear demonstration of being an efficient leader quickly built up his reputation of a great leader, although he had received the title of king, many had referred to him as the Sultan of Egypt. The founding of the Ayyubid dynasty and restoring Sunni Islam in Egypt is all credited to Saladin.[2] He expanded his territory westwards in the Maghreb and when his uncle was sent up the Nile to pacify some resistance of the former Fatimid supporters, he continued on down the Red Sea to conquer Yemen.[2]

Saladin's position was further enhanced when, in 1171, he abolished the ineffective Shīʿite Fāṭimid caliphate, and lead a return to Sunni Islam in Egypt.[2] When the caliph died in 1171, Saladin had the ˤulamā' pronounce the name of al-Mustadi, the Sunni - and, more importantly, Abbassid - caliph in Baghdad at sermon before Friday prayers; by their authority, they simply deposed the old line. Saladin ruled Egypt, but officially as the representative of the Turkish Seljuk ruler Nūr ad-Dīn, who himself conventionally recognized the Abbassid caliph.[7] Although he remained for a time a vassal of Nūr al-Dīn, the relationship he had had ended with the Syrian's death in 1174.[6] Saladin quickly used the emir's rich agricultural possessions in Egypt as a financial base, Saladin soon moved into Syria bringing with him a strictly disciplined army to claim the regency on behalf of the young son of his former suzerain, however the army he brought was small. Soon, however, he abandoned this claim, and from 1174 until 1186 he rigorously pursued a goal of uniting all the Muslim territories of Syria, northern Iraq, Palestine, and Egypt.[2] Saladin is credited to have revitalized the economy of Egypt, reorganized the military forces and, following his father's advice, stayed away from any conflicts with Nur ad-Din, his formal lord, after he had become the real ruler of Egypt.[7] He waited until Nūr ad-Dīn's death before starting serious military actions, at first against smaller Muslim states, then directing them against the Crusaders. Sources such as Encyclopaedia Britannica are quoted as explaining Saladins techniques in warfare and his attitudes to the conquered:

This he accomplished by skillful diplomacy backed when necessary by the swift and resolute use of military force. Gradually his reputation grew as a generous and virtuous but firm ruler, devoid of pretense, licentiousness, and cruelty. In contrast to the bitter dissension and intense rivalry that had up to then hampered the Muslims in their resistance to the Crusaders, Saladin's singleness of purpose induced them to re-arm both physically and spiritually.[2]

Syria

On two occasions, in 1170 and 1172, Saladin retreated from an invasion of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. These had been launched by Nūr ad-Dīn and Saladin hoped that the Crusader kingdom would remain intact, as a buffer state between Egypt and Syria, until Saladin could gain control of Syria as well. Nūr ad-Dīn and Saladin were headed towards open war on these counts when Nūr ad-Dīn died in 1174. Nūr ad-Dīn's heir, as-Salih Ismail al-Malik, was a mere boy in the hands of court eunuchs, and died in 1181.

Immediately after Nūr ad-Dīn's death, Saladin marched on Damascus and was welcomed into the city. He reinforced his legitimacy there in the time-honored way, by marrying Nūr ad-Dīn's widow Ismat ad-Din Khatun. Aleppo and Mosul, on the other hand, the two other largest cities that Nūr ad-Dīn had ruled, were never taken but Saladin managed to impose his influence and authority on them in 1176 and 1186 respectively. While he was occupied in besieging Aleppo, on May 22, 1176, the shadowy Ismaili assassin group, the Hashshashin, attempted to murder him. They made two attempts on his life, the second time coming close enough to inflict wounds.

While Saladin was consolidating his power in Syria, he usually left the Crusader kingdom alone, although he was generally victorious whenever he did meet the Crusaders in battle. One exception was the Battle of Montgisard on November 25, 1177. He was defeated by the combined forces of Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, Raynald of Chatillon and the Knights Templar. Only one tenth of his army made it back to Egypt.

Crusades

The statue of Saladin at the entrance of the citadel in Damascus.

The statue of Saladin at the entrance of the citadel in Damascus.

Saladin spent the subsequent year recovering from his defeat and rebuilding his army, renewing his attacks in 1179 when he defeated the Crusaders at the Battle of Jacob's Ford.[9] after which a truce was declared between Saladin and the Crusader States in 1180.[citation needed] However, Crusader counter-attacks provoked further responses by Saladin. Raynald of Chatillon, in particular, harassed Muslim trading and pilgrimage routes with a fleet on the Red Sea, a water route that Saladin needed to keep open. In response, Saladin built a fleet of 30 galleys to attack Beirut in 1182. Raynald threatened to attack the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. In retaliation, Saladin twice besieged Kerak, Raynald's fortress in Oultrejordain, in 1183 and 1184. Raynald responded by looting a caravan of pilgrims on the Hajj in 1185. According to the later thirteenth century Old French Continuation of William of Tyre, Raynald captured Saladin's sister in a raid on a caravan, although this claim is not attested in contemporary sources, Muslim or Frankish, rather stating that Raynald had attacked a preceding caravan, and Saladin set guards to ensure the safety of his sister and her son, who came to no harm.

Following the failure of his Kerak sieges, Saladin temporarily turned his attention back to another long-term project and resumed attacks on the territory of ˤIzz ad-Dīn (Masˤūd ibn Mawdūd ibn Zangi), around Mosul, which he had begun with some success in 1182. However, since then, Masˤūd had allied himself with the powerful governor of Azerbaijan and Jibal, who in 1185 began moving his troops across the Zagros Mountains, causing Saladin to hesitate in his attacks. The defenders of Mosul, when they became aware that help was on the way, increased their efforts, and Saladin subsequently fell ill, so in March 1186 a peace treaty was signed.[10]

In July 1187 Saladin captured most of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. On July 4, 1187, he faced at the Battle of Hattin the combined forces of Guy of Lusignan, King Consort of Jerusalem and Raymond III of Tripoli. In this battle alone the Crusader army was largely annihilated by the motivated army of Saladin in what was a major disaster for the Crusaders and a turning point in the history of the Crusades. Saladin captured Raynald de Chatillon and was personally responsible for his execution in retaliation for previously attacking Muslim pilgrim caravans.[11] Guy of Lusignan was also captured but his life was spared.

That night, "with uncharacteristic coldbloodedness", Saladin ordered the execution of the "hundred or so" Templar and Hospitaller knights among the prisoners.[12] Because of their religious "devotion and rigorous training", they were the "most feared" of the Christian soldiers.[12] Seated on a dais before his army, Saladin watched as "the band of scholars, sufis and ascetics... carried out the ceremonial killing".[12]

Capture of Jerusalem

Saladin had almost captured every Crusader city. Jerusalem capitulated to his forces on October 2, 1187 after a siege. Before the siege, Saladin had offered generous terms of surrender, which were rejected. After the siege had started, he was unwilling to promise terms of quarter to the European occupants of Jerusalem until Balian of Ibelin threatened to kill every Muslim hostage, estimated at 5000, and to destroy Islam’s holy shrines of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque if quarter was not given. Saladin consulted his council and these terms were accepted. Ransom was to be paid for each Frank in the city whether man, woman or child. Saladin allowed many to leave without having the required amount for ransom for others.[13][14]

Tyre, on the coast of modern-day Lebanon was the last major Crusader city that was not captured by Muslim forces (strategically, it would have made more sense for Saladin to capture Tyre before Jerusalem--however, Saladin chose to pursue Jerusalem first because of the importance of the city to Islam). The city was now commanded by Conrad of Montferrat, who strengthened Tyre's defences and withstood two sieges by Saladin. In 1188, at Tortosa, Saladin released Guy of Lusignan and returned him to his wife, Queen Sibylla of Jerusalem. They went first to Tripoli, then to Antioch. In 1189, they sought to reclaim Tyre for their kingdom, but were refused admission by Conrad, who did not recognize Guy as king. Guy then set about besieging Acre.

Third Crusade

Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem prompted the Third Crusade, financed in England by a special "Saladin tithe". Richard I of England led Guy's siege of Acre, conquered the city and executed 3000 Muslim prisoners including women and children. Saladin retaliated by killing all Franks captured from August 28 - September 10. Bahā' ad-Dīn writes, "Whilst we were there they brought two Franks to the Sultan (Saladin) who had been made prisoners by the advance guard. He had them beheaded on the spot."[15]

The armies of Saladin engaged in combat with the army of King Richard I of England at the Battle of Arsuf on September 7, 1191, at which Saladin was defeated. All attempts made by Richard the Lionheart to re-take Jerusalem failed. However, Saladin's relationship with Richard was one of chivalrous mutual respect as well as military rivalry. When Richard became ill with fever, Saladin offered the services of his personal physician. Saladin also sent him fresh fruit with snow, to chill the drink, as treatment. At Arsuf, when Richard lost his horse, Saladin sent him two replacements. Richard suggested to Saladin that Palestine, Christian and Muslim, could be united through the marriage of his sister Joan of England, Queen of Sicily to Saladin's brother, and that Jerusalem could be their wedding gift.[citation needed] However, the two men never met face to face and communication was either written or by messenger.

As leaders of their respective factions, the two men came to an agreement in the Treaty of Ramla in 1192, whereby Jerusalem would remain in Muslim hands but would be open to Christian pilgrimages. The treaty reduced the Latin Kingdom to a strip along the coast from Tyre to Jaffa. This treaty was supposed to last three years.

Death

Saladin died of a fever on March 4, 1193, at Damascus, not long after Richard's departure. Since Saladin had given most of his money away for charity when they opened his treasury they found there was not enough money to pay for his funeral.[16] And so Saladin was buried in a magnificent mausoleum in the garden outside the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria. Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany donated a new marble sarcophagus to the mausoleum. Saladin was, however, not placed in it. Instead the mausoleum, which is open to visitors, now has two sarcophagi: one empty in marble and the original in which Saladin is placed, made of wood. The reason why he was placed in the tomb would most likely to have been as a result of respect, and not to disturb Saladin.

The tomb of sultan Saladin near the northwestern corner of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria.

The tomb of sultan Saladin near the northwestern corner of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria.

Recognition and legacy

It is equally true that his generosity, his piety, devoid of fanaticism, that flower of liberality and courtesy which had been the model of our old chroniclers, won him no less popularity in Frankish Syria than in the lands of Islam.
René Grousset (writer)[17]

Despite his fierce struggle against the crusades, Saladin achieved a great reputation in Europe as a chivalrous knight, so much so that there existed by the fourteenth century an epic poem about his exploits, and Dante included him among the virtuous pagan souls in Limbo. Saladin appears in a sympathetic light in Sir Walter Scott's The Talisman (1825). Despite the Crusaders' slaughter when they originally conquered Jerusalem in 1099, Saladin granted amnesty and free passage to all common Catholics and even to the defeated Christian army, as long as they were able to pay the aforementioned ransom (the Greek Orthodox Christians were treated even better, because they often opposed the western Crusaders). An interesting view of Saladin and the world in which he lived is provided by Tariq Ali's novel The Book of Saladin.[18]

Notwithstanding the differences in beliefs, the Muslim Saladin was respected by Christian lords, Richard especially. Richard once praised Saladin as a great prince, saying that he was without doubt the greatest and most powerful leader in the Islamic world.[19] Saladin in turn stated that there was not a more honorable Christian lord than Richard. After the treaty, Saladin and Richard sent each other many gifts as tokens of respect, but never met face to face again.

In April 1191, a Frankish woman's three month old baby had been stolen from her camp and had been sold on the market. The Franks urged her to approach Saladin herself with her grievance. After Saladin used his own money to buy the child, "he gave it to the mother and she took it; with tears streaming down her face, and hugged it to her breast. The people were watching her and weeping and I (Ibn Shaddad) was standing amongst them. She suckled it for some time and then Saladin ordered a horse to be fetched for her and she went back to camp."[20]

A Knight without fear or blame who often had to teach his opponents the right way to practice chivalry.
An inscription written by Kaiser Wilhelm II on a wreath he lay on Saladins Tomb.[17]
Saladin depicted on a Dirham coin (c. 1190)
Saladin depicted on a Dirham coin (c. 1190)

The name Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn means "Righteousness of Faith," and through the ages Saladin has been an inspiration for Muslims in many respects. Modern Muslim rulers have sought to commemorate Saladin through various measures. A governorate centered around Tikrit and Samarra in modern-day Iraq, Salah ad Din Governorate, is named after him, as is Salahaddin University in Arbil. A suburb community of Arbil, Masif Salahaddin, is also named after him.

Few structures associated with Saladin survive within modern cities. Saladin first fortified the Citadel of Cairo (1175 - 1183), which had been a domed pleasure pavilion with a fine view in more peaceful times. In Syria, even the smallest city is centred on a defensible citadel, and Saladin introduced this essential feature to Egypt.

View of the interior of the tomb of Sultan Saladin
View of the interior of the tomb of Sultan Saladin

Among the forts he built was Qalaat al-Gindi, a mountaintop fortress and caravanserai in the Sinai. The fortress overlooks a large wadi which was the convergence of several caravan routes that linked Egypt and the Middle East. Inside the structure are a number of large vaulted rooms hewn out of rock, including the remains of shops and a water cistern. A notable archaeological site, it was investigated in 1909 by a French team under Jules Barthoux.[21]

The Ayyubid dynasty he founded continued fifty-seven years after his death. The legacy of Saladin within the Arab World continues to this day. With the rise of Arab nationalism in the Twentieth Century, particularly with regard to the Arab-Israeli conflict, Saladin's heroism and leadership gained a new significance. The glory and comparative unity of the Arab World under Saladin was seen as the perfect symbol for the new unity sought by Arab nationalists, such as Gamal Abdel Nasser. For this reason, the Eagle of Saladin became the symbol of revolutionary Egypt, and was subsequently adopted by several other Arab states (Iraq, Palestine, and Yemen).

In 1963 an Egyptian film about Saladin was directed by Youssef Chahine and was released, titled Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din. In the 1965 Doctor Who serial The Crusade he was played by Bernard Kay. 2005's Kingdom of Heaven, directed by Ridley Scott, has Saladin portrayed by Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud. In the 2007 Swedish film Arn – The Knight Templar (Arn – Tempelriddaren), Saladin is portrayed by the British Asian actor and supermodel Milind Soman.

The Eagle of Saladin as it appears in the Egyptian coat of arms

The Eagle of Saladin as it appears in the Palestinian coat of arms

The Eagle of Saladin as it appears in the Iraqi coat of arms

The Eagle of Saladin as it appeared in the South Yemen coat of arms

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Notes

  1. ^ "Islam: Empire of Faith", IMDB. Retrieved on 2008-08-20.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Encyclopaedia Britannica (in English).
  3. ^ "Encyclopedia of World Biography on Saladin" (in English). Retrieved on 2008-08-20.
  4. ^ Bahā' al-Dīn (2002), p 17.
  5. ^ "The medieval historian Ibn Athir relates a passage from another commander: "...both you and Saladin are Kurds and you will not let power pass into the hands of..." Minorsky (1957).
  6. ^ a b c d e "Who2 Biography: Saladin, Sultan / Military Leader" (in English). Answers.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-20.
  7. ^ a b c Reston (2001), pp 3–8.
  8. ^ "Saladins short biography from Middle-ages.org" (in English). Retrieved on 2008-08-20.
  9. ^ also Baytu l-Ahazon
  10. ^ C. Bosworth et al. Encyclopaedia of Islam, page 781 Brill (1989) ISBN 9004092390, via Google Books accessed 2008-05-18
  11. ^ Runciman, Volume 2, Book 10, Chapter II
  12. ^ a b c Hindley (2007), p. 132.
  13. ^ Runciman
  14. ^ E. J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936
  15. ^ Bahā' al-Dīn (2002) pp 169-170
  16. ^ Bahā' al-Dīn (2002) pp 25 & 244.
  17. ^ a b Grousset (1970).
  18. ^ (London: Verso, 1998)
  19. ^ Lyons & Jackson (1982), pg 357.
  20. ^ Bahā' al-Dīn (2002), pp 147–148; Lyons & Jackson (1982), pp 325-326.
  21. ^ Schreurs, J. (February 2001). "Saladin". Retrieved on 2007-03-17.

References

  • Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad (trans. Richards, D.S.) (2002). The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin. Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-3381-6
  • Bowman, Alan K. (1986). Egypt After the Pharaohs.
  • Gabrieli, Francesco (trans. Costello, E.J.) (1984). Arab Historians of the Crusades. Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 978-0-710-20235-2
  • Gibb, H. A. R. (1973). The Life of Saladin: From the Works of Imad ad-Din and Baha ad-Din. Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-86356-928-9
  • Gillingham, John (1999). "Richard I", Yale English Monarchs, Yale University Press.
  • Grousset, Rene (1970). The Epic of the Crusades. New York: Orion Press.
  • Hindley, Geoffrey (2007). Saladin: Hero of Islam. Pen & Sword. ISBN 1-84415-499-8
  • Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani (ed. Landberg, C.). (1888). Conquête de la Syrie et de la Palestine par Salâh ed-dîn. Brill.
  • Lane-Poole, Stanley. (1898). Saladin and the Fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Putnam.
  • Lyons, M. C. & Jackson, D. E. P. (1982) Saladin: the Politics of the Holy War. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-31739-9
  • Minorsky, V. (1957). Studies in Caucasian history, Cambridge University Press.
  • Reston, James (2001). Warriors of God: Richard the Lionhearted and Saladin in the Third Crusade. New York: Anchor Books. ISBN 0-385-49562-5
  • Runciman, Steven. A History of the Crusades: Volume 2, The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East. Cambridge University Press.
  • Shahnaz Husain (1998) Muslim heroes of the Crusades ISBN 1-8979-4071-8

External links

Regnal titles
Preceded by
Al-'Āḍid
Fatimid Caliph of Egypt		 Sultan of Egypt
1171–1193		 Succeeded by
Al-Aziz Uthman
Preceded by
As-Salih Ismail al-Malik		 Emir of Damascus
1174–1186		 Succeeded by
Al-Afdal ibn Salah al-din

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saladin"
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