Movies about the Crusades: Essential Films
Our Crusades watch list presents films depicting the medieval religious wars between Christian Europe and Muslim forces for control of the Holy Land, spanning from 1095 to 1291. These campaigns began with Pope Urban II's call to arms and ended with the fall of Acre, profoundly shaping East-West relations for centuries.
The list includes diverse perspectives on the Crusades: Hollywood epics like Cecil B. DeMille's spectacle and Ridley Scott's modern benchmark, international viewpoints including the Egyptian Saladin the Victorious offering a Muslim perspective, and arthouse masterpieces such as Bergman's existential meditation.
The collection encompasses the Third Crusade with Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, the Children's Crusade, the Northern Crusades in the Baltic, and the Spanish Reconquista. Films range from grand battle epics to intimate character studies, from historical dramas to satirical comedies, providing a comprehensive cinematic exploration of this complex and controversial period.
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List not ranked (sorted by Release Date)
The Crusades
King Richard the Lionhearted leads a crusade to the Holy Land to defend Christianity in Jerusalem during the medieval period.
King Richard and the Crusaders
Set during the Crusades, this romantic adventure follows the conflicts and relationships between Christians and Muslims as they battle for control of the Holy Land during King Richard the Lionheart's reign.
The Saracen Blade
In 15th century Italy, an orphaned young man seeks vengeance against the tyrannical baron who killed both his father and guardian, but faces a moral dilemma when he falls in love with the baron's daughter.
The Mighty Crusaders
A 1957 Italian epic film about the First Crusade, based on Torquato Tasso's classic 16th-century poem Jerusalem Delivered.
The Seventh Seal
A disillusioned Swedish knight returning from the Crusades challenges Death to a chess match as the Black Death ravages his homeland. Tormented by questions of faith and God's existence, he seeks to perform one meaningful act before his fate is decided.
El Cid
Epic tale of Rodrigo Diaz, the legendary Spanish knight known as El Cid, who leads the fight to drive the Moors from medieval Spain while maintaining his unwavering code of honor.
Saladin the Victorious
The story of Saladin, the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, who led the Muslim forces against the European Crusaders during the Third Crusade in the 12th century.
For Love and Gold
A ragtag group of rogues elects the bumbling knight Brancaleone as their leader and embarks on a journey to claim supposedly wealthy lands in southern Italy based on a stolen scroll. Their quest leads them through numerous comedic adventures and mishaps.
The Valley of the Bees
A young man cast out by his father joins the austere Order of the Teutonic Knights, only to escape years later and return home to claim his inheritance and pursue a forbidden romance with his former stepmother.
Gates to Paradise
In 1212, a young shepherd named Jacques de Cloyes claims to have a vision that leads to a Children's Crusade to liberate Jerusalem. A monk joining the crusade discovers that the children's motivations are more personal and romantic than religious.
Brancaleone at the Crusades
A bumbling knight forms a ragtag army to return a royal infant to his father, a prince fighting in the Crusades, leading to comedic adventures across medieval Europe.
Robin and Marian
An aging Robin Hood returns from the Crusades to reunite with Maid Marian in this romantic adventure about love and legend in their twilight years.
Hearts and Armour
A female crusader knight in invincible armor falls in love with a Moorish prince, but their romance is threatened by a prophecy of betrayal and death involving fellow warriors and forbidden love.
Lionheart
A young knight on his way to join King Richard's crusaders encounters a villainous Black Prince who enslaves children, forcing him to protect the young captives and lead them to safety.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
After escaping from a Jerusalem prison, nobleman Robin of Locksley returns to England to find his father murdered by the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham. He joins forces with a band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest to fight injustice and protect the innocent.
Kingdom of Heaven
A blacksmith named Balian finds himself drawn into the political intrigue and bloody conflicts of the Crusades after personal tragedy changes his fate.
Arn: The Knight Templar
A young Swedish nobleman is sent to serve as a Knight Templar in the Holy Land as penance for a forbidden romance.
Arn – The Kingdom at Road's End
Arn returns from the Holy Land to reunite with his beloved Cecilia, but faces political opposition to their union until Queen Blanka intervenes. With war approaching, Arn uses his military expertise to build an army at his new home in Forsvik.
Valhalla Rising
A mute warrior of supernatural strength escapes captivity and embarks on a mystical journey with Vikings into an unknown land. As they venture deeper into this dark new world, the warrior discovers his true nature while the crew faces a terrible fate.
Season of the Witch
Two 14th century Crusaders are tasked by the Church to transport a suspected witch to a remote abbey, where monks believe a ritual involving her could end the devastating Black Plague.
Ironclad
In 1215, after King John reneges on the Magna Carta, a group of rebel barons must defend Rochester Castle against the king's mercenary army. This medieval siege becomes a desperate struggle for justice and freedom against tyrannical rule.
Pilgrimage
In 13th century Ireland, a group of monks undertake a dangerous journey to transport a sacred relic across treacherous terrain.
The Pagan King
When an unexpected heir inherits the throne, he must unite his people against violent crusades that threaten their freedom and way of life.
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Vikings
Films exploring Norse warriors, mythology, and the Viking Age across diverse styles from Hollywood epics to arthouse cinema.