Movie Adaptations: The Crusades

By Lisa Yarde

There have been few movies done on the Crusades since the 1930s, beginning with Cecil B. Demille's The Crusades. Varying depictions of the Crusades onscreen show simplified views of the conflicts. They are either spiritual quests to reclaim the Holy Land or brutal invasions that expanded European interests in the region, with Christian knights and Saracen defenders in interchanging roles as villains or victims of aggression. The historical truth about "holy war" during the Crusades is not as clear-cut.

There were nine crusades in total, including what's known as the Children's Crusade. They began in 1095 when Pope Urban II proclaimed at the Council of Clermont that Christians should liberate the Holy Land from the infidel Saracens, in places like Antioch, Acre, Tyre and Jerusalem. He inspired men with promises that God would forgive all their sins if they "undertook the cross" and gave their lives in the effort. Within months, the poorest soldier to the kings and dukes of Europe had affixed a red cross, sewn on his tunic or mantle at the right shoulder. For the next two hundred and seventy years, countless numbers died in the capture or defense of the Holy Land. These events gave rise to several military brotherhoods among knights including the Order of the Hospitallers of St. John and the Templars.


Marton Csokas dressed as a Templar in Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Most screen versions of the Crusades barely skim the surface of the conflicts or contain inaccuracies, altering the history for dramatic purposes. The most recent depiction of the Crusades has been in films about Robin Rood. The first is Kevin Costner's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), in which the lead is a prodigal son held for ransom by the Saracens, and Robin Hood (2010), where Russell Crowe's Robin Longstride and his friends are archers in King Richard the Lionhearted's army, returning from the Crusades. While each briefly touched on the brutal experiences of Crusader soldiers, in the first there is a little more shown as Robin languishes in jail with other knights. When they break free, one of them extracts a deathbed promise from Robin to take care of his sister, setting up the premise of a relationship between Maid Marian and Robin.


Orlando Bloom's Balian of Ibelin defending Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
The last film in which the Crusades received the full treatment was 2005's Kingdom of Heaven, starring Orlando Bloom and Eva Green. The movie does correctly show the differences between the various military orders, including the Hospitallers and Templars, and the ravages of Baldwin IV's leprosy, but the history of the protagonist and his love interest is not accurate. Balian of Ibelin was not a blacksmith in France and was born in the Holy Land as a legitimate heir, not a bastard.

Queen Sybilla of Jerusalem was devoted to her husband Guy de Lusignan and willingly gave the kingship to him when her brother Baldwin IV died. She and Balian did not have a romantic relationship. The Crusaders also did not capture or kill the sister of the Saracen leader, Saladin. Kingdom of Heaven also portrays the Christian cause in an unfavorable light, with the antagonists pressuring for outright warfare against the Saracens.

What portrayals of the Crusades have stuck with you? Any recommendations?

Lisa J. Yarde is a historical fiction author. Her ON FALCON'S WINGS, an epic medieval novel chronicling the starstruck romance between Norman and Saxon lovers, is available now.

Women Did It Better: Deborah and Yael

By Anna C. Bowling

Before there was Judge Judy, there was Judge Deborah, whose story can be found in the Biblical Old Testament Book of Judges. Her story connects with that of a woman named Yael, who proves that Army wives can get the job done. Whether one considers the spiritual side of Deborah and Yael's adventure fact or fable, their tale is a compelling one. Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, held her court between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, serving as leader as well as settling disputes. During the time Deborah led her people, Israel faced an impressive enemy in Sisera, captain of the Canaanite army. For twenty years, Sisera's army oppressed Israel and Israel had had enough.

Deborah, a prophetess as well as a judge, summoned Barak, one of Israel's greatest military men, and told him that God had laid out a plan for Barak to follow which would deliver Sisera's army, with nine hundred iron chariots, into Israelite hands. Barak agreed to follow this plan, but only if Deborah would go with him. If she would not, neither would he. Deborah did accompany Barak, but told him that because of the way he was going about this, the honor for the victory would not be his, and God would hand the enemy over to a woman. Barak, Deborah and ten thousand soldiers set out for Mount Tabor to face off against Sisera.

According to Deborah's prophecy, the plan succeeded. The Israelites conquered the Canaanites, but Sisera managed to escape on foot. Fleeing to a tent he suspected would give him safe haven, Sisera found himself greeted by Yael, who welcomed him into her tent. Yael gave Sisera a drink of milk and covered him with a blanket. Yael, seeing her chance, waited for Sisera to fall asleep and then drove a tent peg through his skull.

"Jael Slaying Sisera" by Maarten van Heemskerck, 1551.
When Barak came searching for Sisera, he found his enemy in Yael's tent, already dead. This fulfilled the second part of Deborah's prophecy, that the honor of dispatching Sisera would go to a woman.