Ironclad

Synopsis

"In 13th-century England, a small group of Knights Templar fight to defend Rochester Castle against the tyrannical King John." [IMDb]
"The film is only loosely based on reality. William d'Aubigny commanded the garrison but contemporary chroniclers do not agree on how many men it consisted of. Estimates range from 95 to 140 knights supported by crossbowmen, sergeants, and others. John did take the castle, most of the higher nobles being imprisoned or banished; and the French did not arrive in England until some six months after the siege had ended. Characters departing significantly from the historical record include William d'Aubigny, who was not an ennobled wool merchant (nor was he tortured and killed in the siege).
The closing narration explains that this was one of the first victories that the French had that would eventually lead to total victory. However, not mentioned in the narriation was that after John's death in 1216, many of the English rebels preferred a weak English King in the person of nine-year-old Henry III over an experienced French monarch and thus rallied around Henry. The rebellion was defeated by Royalist supporters in 1217.
While the castle itself is depicted realistically, the nearby Norman Cathedral and the City of Rochester itself are completely missing from the location shots. In reality the Cathedral is only a few hundred yards from the castle walls and Rochester has been a substantial settlement since Roman times. . . . Thomas Marshal, the main character played by James Purefoy, is based loosely upon medieval knight and statesman William Marshal." [Wikipedia]

Genre

Historical

Released

2011

Location

British Isles

Period

1215

No