The Fall of Jerusalem

The Fall of Jerusalem

 

      October 2 marks the anniversary of the fall of Jerusalem in 1187.  Jerusalem had been captured by the Crusader forces in 1099 at the culmination of the First Crusade.

 

      For those of you who saw the movie Kingdom of Heaven, well, lets just saw the script writers did not feel themselves bound by the historic record. The movie failed to acknowledge Balian’s wife and children.  Also ignored was the fact that Balian not only fought at the Battle of Hattin but was as well captured; the movie has him staying behind in Jerusalem, coming to the battle field only after the Crusader army had been destroyed.  At least that part is true; the Crusader army was destroyed, and the Templars were especially hit; all the captive Templers were executed.  Also, the city wall fell not at a gate and not from trebuchet bombardment, but rather from being undermined.  As near as I can tell Balian never visited France.  And he should have been in his mid to late 40’s at the time of the fall of Jerusalem.  And just to show how far the movie departed from reality, he and Sebilla were enemies.