Kingdom of Heaven

[Leet Eriksson]

Faisal,

Of all the things that can go wrong with this film you're concerned about the build of the actor playing Saladin?!?

these are the least of my concerns, also whats the the kite shield

I thought the early crusaders had norman shields (waterdrop looking). I think i just saw ghulams with round shield in the trailer they looked pretty good despite the pretty brief glimpse

[Steppe Merc]

I think Norman shields are kite shaped... but not triangle. It's like a curve on top, then a kind of triangle at the bottom.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Hurin you are right about the templars. They held out in the citadal with the wounded hospitillar grandmaster being took away by ship to cyprus screaming to his colleagues that he wanted to return to the fray.

But the templars did agree to surrender but the mamluks that entered the fortress started to abuse the remaining acre population in the citadel so the templars cut ehm down and the final siege began with an intense bombardment and when a breach was made the sultan impatiently threw 2,000 mamluks into the breach, the templars fought until overwhelmed but as the mamluks entered the foundations collapsed killing all within including the majority of the attackers.

[Hurin_Rules]

Ah, thx Blind King. I knew I had it a bit garbled. I did seem to remember, however, that one of the Arabic chronicles had a slightly different story, that the Christians were the ones who violated the terms. I'll try to find that if I can-- was it perhaps Ibn al-Athir?

[econ21]

The film looks promising, although information on the plot is scarce - some sites say Bloom is a peasant who becomes a knight and helps the people of Jerusalem fight against the Crusaders who had taken it in 1099. If so, I doubt Pindar will be happy.

PS: Am I the only one here who had a desire to fire up MTW again after viewing the trailer? The shot in the middle of what CA would call "Order foot" advancing through the sand brought back fond memories...

[noramis]

From what I read, Bloom was to play Balian of Ibelin ... who would not be a common man.

Now, I doubt Balian was a common man by the fact that his son was the famous John of Ibelin, who was Lord of Beirut, Nablus and Ibelin.

I hope the director keeps some historical factuality in this movie.

[Krusader]

Let's turn to a good source for info...or so I believe...IMDB!!!

IMDB - Kingdom of Heaven info

Plot Outline: "During the Crusades of the 12th Century, Balian of Ibelin (Bloom), a young blacksmith in Jerusalem, rises to protect his people from foreign invaders."

Hmm....another Troy?
If you check the cast listing, you will see a woman named Eva Green plays Sybilla... Didnt she marry Guy de Lusignan? And then make him King of Jerusalem after her son Baldwin V died?