<P> Thomas F. Madden, Director of Saint Louis University's Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, criticised the film's presentation of the Crusades: </P> <P> Given events in the modern world it is lamentable that there is so large a gulf between what professional historians know about the Crusades and what the general population believes . This movie only widens that gulf . The shame of it is that dozens of distinguished historians across the globe would have been only too happy to help Scott and Monahan get it right . </P> <P> Scott himself defended this depiction of the Muslim - Christian relationship in footage on the DVD version of the movie's extra features . Scott sees this portrayal as being a contemporary look at the history . He argued that peace and brutality are concepts relative to one's own experience, and since contemporary society is so far removed from the brutal times in which the movie takes place, he told the story in a way that he felt was true to the source material, yet was more accessible to a modern audience . In other words, the "peace" that existed was exaggerated to fit modern ideas of what such a peace would be . At the time, it was merely a lull in Muslim - Christian violence compared to the standards of the period . The recurring use of "Assalamu Alaikum", the traditional Arabic greeting meaning "Peace be with you", is spoken both in Arabic and English several times . </P> <P> The "Director's Cut" of the film is a four - disc set, two of which are dedicated to a feature - length documentary called "The Path to Redemption". This feature contains an additional featurette on historical accuracy called "Creative Accuracy: The Scholars Speak", where a number of academics support the film's contemporary relevance and historical accuracy . Among these historians is Dr. Nancy Caciola who said that, despite the various inaccuracies and fictionalized / dramatized details, she considered the film a "responsible depiction of the period ." </P>

Who was in control of the holy land when balian arrived