1. About Balian played by Orlando Bloom. There was indeed Balian in the history of the Crusades in the 12th century. He was the youngest son of the Barisan of Ibelin. He married the niece of Emperor Manuel of the Byzantine Empire and the father of Baldwin IV in 1177. Maria Komnene, the second wife of Amalric I of Jerusalem and the stepmother of Baldwin IV (the three identities are the same person). He participated in the Battle of Harding in 1187 and served as the guard of the army, but he still could not avoid the fate of being defeated with the army. According to a description in an unverified anonymous book, Balian escaped during the Battle of Harding. Before retreating from Tyre to Jerusalem, Balian assured Saladin that he would no longer fight Saladin. But after returning to Jesus Salem, his pledge to Saladin was declared invalid by Patriarch Eraclius. As the main commander of Jesus Salem's defense of the city, he and Saladin reached an agreement to surrender the city.
2. About Godfrey de Ibelin played by Liam Neeson. Godfrey de Ibelin in history is the Barisan of Ibelin. He may be an Italian and was named the lord of Ibelin. There are three sons, Hugh, Baldwin and Balian.
3. About Reynald de Chatillon. This man commanded the army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the Battle of Mongissa in 1177 when Baldwin IV was suffering from leprosy, so he was not as reckless and ignorant as described in the movie. However, the death of Reynald described in the movie is in line with historical facts. According to Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani’s record: “Seeing King Guy’s mouth dry and panting, with fear on his face, Saladin handed him a glass of ice water, Guy After drinking it, he handed it to Reynald, and Reynald drank it all. Saladin said to Guy:'You didn't get my permission before handing him the water, so I can't pity him.' After reviewing the army , Saladin personally cut off Reynald's head."
4. About the princess Sibylla played by Eva Green. Historically, in 1177, Sibylla's husband William of Montferrat died of illness. Sibylla became a widow but had a posthumous child (this posthumous child is Baldwin V). The nobles of the kingdom tried to find another husband for her. At this time, Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders, made a pilgrimage to the Holy City, and he suggested that Sibylla marry one of his men. However, the members of the High Council of the Kingdom headed by Baldwin of Ibelin were worried that Philip would use this to achieve the purpose of controlling the kingdom of Jesus Salem, so they rejected Philip's request. In 1180, Sibylla married Guy of Lusignan (Guy). After Baldwin V's childhood death in 1186, Sibylla was canonized as queen. Before being canonized as queen, Sibylla agreed to cooperate with Guy in order to win the High Council of the Kingdom. The prerequisite for divorce is that she has the right to choose her next husband, and the High Council agreed. But after the coronation ceremony, Sibylla chose Guy as her next husband and crowned him as king.
5. About True Cross, true cross. According to the history of Christianity, the true cross is the cross where Jesus was crucified and is a sacred object of Christianity. After the Battle of Harding was captured by Saladin in 1187, they disappeared, but after the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the Crusaders captured Constantinople, some fragments of true crosses were found.
6. The love between Balian and Sibylla in the movie actually happened between Balian's brother, Baldwin of Ibelin and Sibylla. According to William of Tyre, after Sibylla's husband died in 1177, Sibylla fell in love with the widower Baldwin of Ibelin who was twice her age. But Baldwin was captured and imprisoned by Saladin in 1179. Sibylla wrote to Baldwin that he would marry him after he was released. After Baldwin was released, he rushed to the Byzantine royal family to serve for Emperor Manuel. But Sibylla’s mother, Agnes of Courtenay (Agnes of Courtenay, the first wife of Baldwin IV’s father Amarick I, and mother of Baldwin IV and Sibylla) wanted her to marry the French Cavaliers. At the same time, Agnes intends to defeat the attempt of the former regent of Tripoli Earl Raymond III. He intends to marry Sibylla into the Ibelin family that leads the Agnes opposition group (Raymond III and the Ibelin family are in alliance). Baldwin was still in Constantinople at this time, and Sibylla married Guy as a result. In this book by William of Tyre, Sibylla is described as a mean woman, and the book shows great sympathy for the Ibelin family.
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