Cast of Characters in Kingdom of Heaven

1. Balian of Ibelin (Orlando Bloom)

Movie: Balian is a blacksmith whose wife is a suicide and who flees his village in France after murdering a
priest. He meets his father and goes to Muslim-held Jerusalem to gain forgiveness and peace for his wifes
soul.
Real Life: The real Balian was a nobleman, not a blacksmith. His claim to fame was organizing the
defense of Jerusalem. Politically, he actually sided with Guy against a later claimant to the throne named
Conrad de Monferrat.
2. Sibylla (Eva Green)

Movie: Sibylla is the beloved sister of the Christian King of Jerusalem. She is in an unhappy marriage to
Guy de Lusignan, but she soon is infatuated by the newcomer Balian
Real Life: Sibylla was actually head-over-heels in love with Guy, and she was heavily involved in court
intrigues, even against her own brother.
3. Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson)

Movie: He is a noble Crusader who returns to France to reconcile with his estranged and illegitimate son
Balian. He convinces Balian to go to Jerusalem.
Real Life: This Godfrey is completely fictional. The real Balians father was named Barisan.

4. Tiberias (Jeremy Irons)

Movie: He is a loyal supporter of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem. He seeks to continue the peace treaty
with Saladin.
Real Life: Tiberias didnt exist, but his character is based on Count Raymond III of Tripoli, who was Guy
de Lusignans rival
5. The Hospitaller (David Thewlis)

Movie: He is a nameless character who supports Tiberias against the Templars. He guides Balian as a
father figure.
Real Life: The Hospitallers were the other military order of monks with the Templars. What happened to
them after the Battle of the Horns of Hattin was, unlike much of the movie, accurate.
6. Reynald de Chatillon (Brendan Gleeson)

Movie: One of the villains of the movie, Reynald is a Templar and the lord of the fortified outpost of
Kerak. He wants nothing more than to break the truce with Saladin and restart the war.
Real Life: Reynald was actually more odious than the movie portrayed, but he helped King Baldwin win
an unexpected victory at the Battle of Montgisard. Reynald was not a Templar, though.

7. Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas)

Movie: The other villain, he is a Templar who is married to Sibylla and covets the throne of Jerusalem. He
is a close ally of Reynald de Chatillon and also seeks to restart the war with Saladin.
Real Life: Like the real Reynald, the real Guy was not a Templar. After the events portrayed in the movie,
Guy buys Cyprus from King Richard the Lionhearted of England, and he rules it with his wife Sibylla.
8. Saladin (Ghassan Massoud)

Movie: He is the leader of the Muslims. He has united the various Islamic factions, and his forces surround
the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem. He wants to keep the truce with the Christians, and he is portrayed as
the chivalrous equal to Baldwin.
Real Life: Saladin was often chivalrous, but he could at times be ruthless. While the movie portrayed the
surrender of Jerusalem, in real life, only those who could afford a ransom were released; the others were
sold into slavery.
9. King Baldwin IVthe Leper (Edward Norton Jr.)

Movie: The gentle king of Jerusalem, Baldwin was diagnosed with leprosy as a child and thus wears a
mask to hide his disfigurement. He wishes to maintain the negotiated peace with Saladin, and he is
portrayed as his noble counterpart. He is close to his sister Sibylla, and he relies on newcomer Balian to
help him.
Real Life: Baldwin became king at a young age, and at the age of 16 his outnumbered forces unexpectedly
defeated Saladins army at the Battle of Montgisard. The movie was generally accurate with the portrayal
of his personality, except that he didnt wear a silver mask in real life.
Assignment:
Select one of the characters, and briefly describe how his/her personality was portrayed in the movie. How
accurate do you think this portrayal was?