Empires - Holy Warriors: Richard the Lionheart & Saladin (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like a previous reviewer, I found the omissions in this program to be glaring & laughable. If anyone is expecting to get a comprehensive treatment of the Third Crusade, look elsewhere. One is gets as accurate a treatment of history as in "Kingdom of Heaven," which played fast & loose with historical accuracy.
One would get the impression that Richard I was the prime force behind the Crusade, depsite the fact that Barbarossa & the Germans left for the Holy Land a full two years earlier. The program would have you believe that after Barbarossa's death, the German armies simply melted away --- I believe the narrator actually said that most of the Germans "went home." If he meant that "home" was Antioch, then I suppose that is an accurate statement. It was the remnants of the German army (largely decimated by plague) that successfully defended Tyre (left almost unmentioned in this program) against Saladin's forces. Also barely mentioned is Phillip II of France, who played a key role in the political events that unfolded in the Holy Land.
The producers at least mentioned Richard's execution of the 3000 prisoners (following the siege of Acre), but left unmentioned is Richard's complicity in the assasination of Conrad of Montferrat, recently crowned King of Jerusalem, in 1192. The program would prefer to paint Richard as a noble warrior, rather than a political strategist of the first order. The political in-fighting between the Germans, French & English (not to mentioned the already entrenched Crusader States) is a not insignificant part of the story of the Third Crusade, but it goes entirely unmentioned here.
In fact, this program skims the topwaters to such a degree that only a historical neophyte could find much value in it. This program is a big disappointment overall.

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Studio: Paramount Home VideoRelease Date: 10/11/2005

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In Search of History - The Knights Templar (History Channel) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)WARNING -- this entire documentary is included as a bonus on disk 2 of "Crusade: the Crescent and the Cross", also made by the History Channel. Not only that, but at the time I am writing this review, "Crescent and the Cross" is selling for less than $15, for 2 disks, with bonus material, while this DVD, "Knights Templar" is selling for about $22 and contains no bonus material at all.
"Knights Templar" is a good, not great, documentary. The story is very good, if brief, but the film footage is definitely NOT up to the History Channel's usual quality. They use a lot of Black and White footage from what looks like a very low budget film -- people swinging weapons like they don't know what to do with them. No actual actors performing for the camera, just background footage with voice-over.
My recommendation -- if you are interested in the history of the Knights of the Temple of King Solomon, buy this DVD, but as the bonus disk in "Crusade: The Crescent and the Cross". That, by the way, is a GREAT DVD!

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Item Name: In Search of History - The Knights Templar (History Channel); Studio:A&E Home Video

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The History Channel Presents The Crusades - Crescent & The Cross (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I received this advanced review copy from the promotional company working for the History Channel. I must admit that they sent me a very nice package and a bonus disk. This is an eight sided box, like a two pound box for candy - lovely print job. The two disks are contained in a book inside the box, along with a CD disk of photos - some from the production, others are historical pictures of either the key players or events/places. A very nice package, though it will not fit on your DVD shelf. Also, one of the pages in my book was stapled in upside down. Still, a nice presentation. Not sure if this product will be the same when released.
Apart from this, the work itself is very interesting. I sat through the entire production and was never bored or antsy. Actually, I found myself marveling at what the History Channel has done here.
The program covers the First Crusade on the first disk. There is an examination of the causes of the initial conflict, examining cultural issues, Religious issues, European social and political unrest, Church influences, financial issues and points of conflict in the Moslem and Byzantine world. While Religion is acknowledged as the primary cause of the conflict, they also do not ignore key issues that lead to these conflicts. There is also discussion of Urban's "selling of the Crusades". Very well put together and an in depth examination of the events leading up to the First Crusade.
Included also are maps of the areas, modern day images of the cities today as well as places that have survived, and those that have not.
There is a lot of information to sift through here. While the story is carefully laid out and well developed in order of events, the program purposefully comes across as a story woven by an expert story teller. Even the added discussions by such noted scholars as Dr. Thomas Asbridge, Tariq Ali, Prof. John France and Dr. Taef el-Azhari, to name a few, comes across as additional parts of the storytelling.
There are the usual added "tidbits" thrown in by the History Channel, like uncovered bits of text to give clarification to some accounts and the discovery of a location of a famous battle that up to now had been unknown.
Emphasis appears to be on key battles, as these are reenacted for the viewer. These are provided by Lion Television, and are nice additions to the material. They keep the viewer interested as this material could get rather dry if not for points of interest like this.
The second disk covers the Second and Third Crusades. Again, social and political climates are discussed and examined. Again, the story is covered in a "timeline" of events from the vantage point of the chroniclers.
We are presented with the fall of Edessa, the calling of the Second Crusade, the rise of Nur-el-Din, the battle for Damascus, Egypt and Sal-al-Din and the arrival of Richard the Lionheart in the Holy Land for the Third Crusade.
Again, key battles are reenacted, strategies discussed, failures noted and by the end of the film we are looking at a very good wrap up of the entire program.
Conflict, social upheaval, cultural differences, battle strategies, religious zealots and the lust for war and violence all comes through as the story of the Crusades unfolds in this production. We see the heroes, and the vile nature of the event itself. Nothing is left glossed over. There is some romanticism here, as the chroniclers tended to be very bias towards their benefactors, but on the other hand, we also see the social and political issues that were key to the events that took place. And while not shown, there is discussion of the atrocities and barbarism that was prevalent during these events.
This is a good overview of the events that took place starting 1099 and which continued for about 200 years. There are some events that are more examined than others, and some key figures that are discussed in some detail. It was, however, very entertaining, factual and well worth, I felt, the time I spent watching it.medievalcrusadesbabe

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THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS presents the epic battle between two Middle Age superpowers: the Christian Crusaders and the Muslims. Fought over two centuries, the conflict decided the fate of the Holy Land of the Middle East. Only a tiny strip of land, just a few hundred miles long, it contained the ultimate prize, the city of Jerusalem. The documentary is driven by the key personalities of the First, Second and Third Crusades, the popes, kings, sultans and knights who, in the name of God, ruthlessly fought for land and power. Experience the murder, treachery, and bloodshed of this legendary chapter of history throuth the eyes of key historical figures such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, King Louis VII and Nur al-Din. With breath-taking CGI-enhanced visuals, heart-pounding reenactments, and stunning footage from rarely-seen locations THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS brings the first three Crusades alive for a new generation in conflict. DVD Features: Timeline; Behind-the-Scenes Featurette "History in the Making: The Crusades"; Bonus Documentary "The Knights Templar"; 16:9 Widescreen Format; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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The Normans - The Complete Epic Saga (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Well,I'll have to give this production a big thumbs up.
I enjoyed it immensely.
If you are an avid student of history-which many here are-I doubt you'll learn much that's new to you.
But,if for no other reason,the thing is worth owning for the visuals,which are magnificent.
And yes,this type of production will seem familiar to anyone that watches The History Channel.
They used re-enactment groups for the battle scenes,which of course are never very realistic.No actual heads and arms being lopped off.But the regalia is all authentic,so you get an excellent visual sense of the era.
The Bayeux Tapestry footage is superb.
The disc is actually presented in 3 installments.
It shows the progression from Rollo down through William and on through the end,under John.
The main thing I'd never seen much about was the stuff about Robert Guiscard and Sicily.Never have really looked at that too closely,as my interests lie mainly in the goings-on in Northern Europe.The architecture and artwork shown from each era is all breathtaking.
My main quibble-and I'll probably be in the minority-is the soundtrack.It's like they are afraid of leaving much empty space.I always find it distracting while listening to narration,to have period instruments playing-too loudly-and singers singing-too loudly.It's like-enough is enough,ya know?
But then again,I'd rather listen to Muddy Waters singing Hoochie Coochie Man.

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This 3x60 minute major landmark documentary series presents the epic history of Normans in the round. They were the brutal band of thugs who civilized a nation, conquered a kingdom and uncovered a continent. They were at once the most civilized of statesmen, the most fearless and skilled of warriors and the most gallant and accomplished of explorers. Theirs is a saga of epic proportions. They were the pioneers of the New World and the trailblazers of our modern society. They rose through the ranks to reign in France; they conquered England through fear and terror then Scotland by way of invitation before they moved on to Ireland with Papal permission. Wherever they went they penetrated the power elite the dual axis of the Church and the Monarchy and left their mark. Born of Scandinavian roots, we chronicle their emergence from the forests and the fjords in search of a new homeland. With the inexhaustible energy of their Viking forefathers they sailed their longboats up the Seine into Northern France. They were the lawless bandits who embraced the French legal system, the heathens who infiltrated and dominated Christian Europe. But the law and the Papacy were slaves to the Normans and a strong slave is much better than a weak one. Northern France became the most progressive region of Western Europe while the Normans, hungry for Lebensraum and with a thirst for adventure, embarked on another epic voyage. This voyage led them across rugged terrain and high seas from Greenland and Iceland to Nova Scotia and New England they were the pioneers of the New World who faded from the memory of man to be replaced by the likes of Columbus and Cabot. Piracy, perjury, robbery and rape were staples of Norman rule and traveled with the accomplished statesmen and expert warriors as they worked their way across the continent and across the high seas. The other Norman Conquest in Southern Italy placed the Normans at the very hub of Papal Politics, cementing the unholy alliance between the Normans and the Pope. Before the southern sun had a chance to mellow the Northmen, they embarked on a campaign against the Byzantine Empire under the banner of the Pope, but with the Normans very much at the helm. The campaign resulted not in a Christian Eastern Europe but in the Islamisation of Eastern Europe and their terrifying use of force and efficient and deadly warfare set a chilling precedent for the Crusades. Conquerors of half the known world, New World pioneers, enemies of Islam: the Normans, once illiterate barbarian thugs, came to be the most civilized statesmen, the most valiant and skilled warriors and the most gallant and accomplished of explorers

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