Kingdom Of Heaven

            The Crusades were known as a series of expeditions in the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th centuries undertaken by the Christian countries to take the Holy Land, which is Jerusalem, from the Muslims. Many years ago, Jerusalem was under the control of Muslims. Christians could hardly enter the Holy Land for their pilgrimage to pray and sing their praises. For Christians, Jerusalem is a very important place for it is where Jesus was born and crucified. The Holy Land is where the forgiveness, wealth and peace are. For Muslims, Jerusalem is important because of their belief that Mohammad, their god, is there. These are the very reasons for the crusades that took place for a long period.

            The crusade was a conflict between the Christians and Muslims where interactions of war are minimal. The movie portrayed the presence of both Christians and Muslims ruled by King Baldwin IV and Saladin respectively. Throughout the entire movie, there were only three wars that broke up and two of it was perfected. The first war sparked through the influence of Reynan and Guy de Lusignan, husband of King Baldwin IV’s sister, Sibylla when they attacked a Muslim caravan. However, both parties pulled back after King Baldwin IV and Saladin’s conversation:

                        Saladin: I pray you pull back your cavalry and leave this matter to me.

            King Baldwin IV: I pray you retire unharmed to Damascus. Reynald of Chatillon will be punished. I swear it. Withdraw or we will all die here. We have terms.

            Saladin: We have terms. (Kingdom of Heaven)

The second war was again influenced by wickedness and war thirst of Reynald and Guy de Lusignan when the latter succeeded the throne but the war ended in their indiscriminate loss due to lack of water and armies. The third was an attack to the Jerusalem by the Muslim as an aftermath of the second war. Though the Christians lost the war, the lives of many women children and helpless were spared through the righteousness and courage of Balian.

            The crusades were influenced by the belief of the Christians that their sins would be forgiven and they would find wealth in Jerusalem. This has been portrayed in the movie with several conversations:

Godfrey of Ibelin: (speaking to Balian): Some say, Jerusalem is the very center of the world for asking forgiveness but myself I call it here. Now. I have one hundred men at arms. If you will come with me you will have a living… (Kingdom of Heaven)

            It is depicted also by the priest by saying “If you take the take the crusade, you may relieve your wife’s possession in hell. She was a suicide. She is in hell”. This was believed by Balian when he followed his father:

Balian: I have done murder… Is it true that in Jerusalem I can erase my sins and loss  of my wife? Is it true?

Godfrey: We can find out together. (Kingdom of Heaven)

            The movie has depicted the histories of disintegration of the crusades. When Guy de Lusigna succeeded the throne of the king, he wanted to get rid of the Muslims, as what happened also in the history of the crusades. Upon sitting, Guy de Lusigna formed his armies to wage war against the Muslims but Tiberia and Balian resisted because they were certain of loss for lack of water, arms and the powerful armies of the enemy. The greediness and politics that have happened in the history of the crusades were depicted by the movie in the person of Guy de Lusigna and Reynald. This has also caused the disintegration because of Guy de Lusigna’s arrogance and rudeness to Godfrey and Balian, as showed when they were eating together:

                        Guy de Lusigna: You sit at my table.

                        Balian: Is it not the king’s table?

Guy de Lusigna: … I cannot eat. I’m fin nicking about the company in front of this could not inherit… (Kingdom of Heaven)

            Guy de Lusigna’s war thirst, as transcended in the crusaders’ history, was portrayed by Guy de Lusigna:

                        Guy de Lusigna: Give me a war.

                        Reynald: Yes my lord. That’s what I do. (Kingdom of Heaven)

            Notably, the personalities in the crusades were also portrayed in the movie in the person of King Baldwin IV and Saladin. These personalities were credited for their greatness and braveness in the crusades. King Baldwin IV and Balian portrayed the very purpose of the crusades which is to protect the Christians even it means their life:

King Baldwin IV: We must meet him before he reaches Kerak. I will lead the army.

Tiberias: My lord, if you travel, you’ll die.

King Baldwin IV: Send word to Balian to protect the villagers.

King Baldwin IV: Assemble the army! (Kingdom of Heaven)

            Further, these two personalities, during their reign has established and maintain between them peace. Both Christians and Muslims were free to pray in Jerusalem as showed where Muslims were praying in the Messina, port of the Holy Land and in the place ruled by Balian. It was also portrayed when Balian spared the life of Nasir.

            With all the statements above, it can therefore be said that the movie Fingdom of Heaven has portrayed the conflict of the Christians and Muslims that created crusades in the olden history of Middle East.