It’s a good idea to keep the core of the story true to the sources. A film can use dramatic licence, but the events, the tactics and the costumes must be accurate if you want to respect the period. Study the primary chronicles, check the armaments and the terrain, then write a script that follows the real flow of the battle, not a Hollywood version. The audience will notice the differences. Also, be wary of turning heroes into mythic figures; history is messy and that makes for stronger drama. Stick to the facts, then layer the creative twist on top.

Look to the chronicles that survive in their own language first. The Anglo‑Saxon “Anglo‑Saxon Chronicle” gives you raw detail of the early battles. For the Norman period, William of Tyre’s “Chronicle” and the Norman chronicles of William of Poitiers are essential. The “Gesta Danorum” by Saxo Grammaticus covers the Danish campaigns, and the “Chronicle of the Crusades” by Matthew Paris offers insight into the Mediterranean theatres. For a broader military framework, consult Gibbon’s “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” for Roman tactics, and if you want a comparative view of medieval strategy, look at Bede’s “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” and the “Book of Battles” by Sir John of Beverley. If you need a concise, scholarly reference, the “Oxford Dictionary of Medieval Warfare” gives clear definitions and context for weaponry and tactics. The “Chronicle of the Siege of Jerusalem” by Bahauddin Ibn al-Jawzi offers a rare Middle Eastern perspective. These works are all grounded in primary material. Use them to anchor your film’s narrative, then let the creative elements grow around that core.

In the Anglo‑Saxon Chronicle look at the entry for 1016 – the Battle of Ashdown. It gives the number of men, the weather, the sequence of charges and the fall of the archers. In William of Tyre read the chapter on the 1187 defeat at Hattin; he describes how the Fatimid archers fired from a concealed line and how the Crusaders broke the charge because of a broken lance. Those sections capture the flow of the fight. Fun fact about gear: many Anglo‑Saxons used a “spike” or “garnet” on their shield to deter thrusts. It’s a small metal pin, not a full‑size spear, and it is rarely mentioned in later chronicles. Another overlooked tactic is the use of “foulards” – thick, wet blankets soaked in oil – dropped on the ground to create slick surfaces; cavalry found it hard to maintain footing, which is why some battles ended in a shuffle rather than a charge. These details can add texture to your film’s realism.