| 014 – The Crusade | |||||
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| Doctor Who serial | |||||
The Doctor finds himself involved in the events of the Third Crusade |
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| Cast | |||||
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Others
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| Production | |||||
| Writer | David Whitaker | ||||
| Director | Douglas Camfield | ||||
| Script editor | Dennis Spooner | ||||
| Producer | Verity Lambert | ||||
| Executive producer(s) | None | ||||
| Production code | P | ||||
| Series | Season 2 | ||||
| Length | 4 episodes, 25 minutes each | ||||
| Date started | 27 March 1965 | ||||
| Date ended | 17 April 1965 | ||||
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The Crusade is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from March 27 to April 17, 1965. The story is set near Jerusalem, in Palestine, during the Third Crusade.
Contents |
The TARDIS materialises in 12th century Palestine, during the time of the Third Crusade. When the Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki emerge, they find themselves in the middle of a Saracen ambush. In the confusion, Barbara is seized by a saracen from behind, while the rest of the TARDIS crew stop the attackers from killing William de Tornebu, an associate of King Richard. They realise Barbara is missing, but she has been gagged and is being tied up by the Saracens. William des Preaux, another companion of the king, is also captured by Saracens and pretends to be Richard in order to protect him. The Doctor, Ian, and Vicki agree to take the wounded de Tornebu back to Richard's court, but first must steal clothes from the market in order to blend in. They call Barbara's name, but though she can hear them, she is unable to cry out and is taken away by the Saracens.
Meanwhile, des Preaux and Barbara are presented to Saladin's brother Saphadin by El Akir, who mistakenly believes them to be King Richard and his sister Lady Joanna. When des Preaux reveals their true identity, El Akir is furious but, before he can act, Saladin emerges from hiding and prevents any violence from occurring. Saladin is intrigued by Barbara, who tells tales of having met Nero, and tells her she can become the new Scheherazade.
The disguised Doctor and company bring the injured de Tornebu to the King's court. They are met by Richard, who witnessed their fight during the ambuscade. The King, however, is in a foul mood, and treats the TARDIS crew very curtly. Ian, anxious to rescue Barbara, asks for the King's help in rescuing her, but the irritated monarch tells Ian that Barbara can remain with Saladin until her death.
De Tornebu and the Doctor are able to convince the King to change his mind by playing up the embarrassment Saladin will feel when it's revealed he has not actually captured the King. Richard is amused, and asks the Doctor to join his court. Ian is knighted "Sir Ian of Jaffa" so that he may serve as a proper emissary, and is sent to Saladin's court to both request the release of des Preaux and Barbara, and to offer the hand of the real Lady Joanna in marriage to Saphadin. When Joanna learns of these plans, she is infuriated, and tells her brother she will not consent.
Ian, on the way to Saladin's court, is attacked by bandits and knocked out. When he claims to have no money, one of the bandits, Ibrahim, ties him down with stakes in the hot sun and daubs him with honey. He tells Ian the ants will loosen his purse strings.
Barbara is kidnapped by El Akir and taken to his dominion, but manages to escape, and is taken in by Haroun ed-Din, who defeats a guard looking for her. He is sympathetic because El Akir killed his wife and kidnapped his daughter, and now Haroun is looking for revenge. Haroun leaves to attack El Akir, but is knocked out by soldiers. They go to Haroun's house, recapture Barbara, and bring her to El Akir. El Akir taunts Barbara with threats of death, but she once again manages to escape, this time hiding out in the Emir's harem. El Akir tries to find Barbara, but she is hidden by a sympathetic harem girl.
Ian eventually tricks Ibrahim into untying his feet, and overpowers him. Ian convinces the bandit to accompany him to Lydda and aid him in his quest for Barbara. Meanwhile, Barbara convinces the harem girl, Maimuna, to help her get out of the castle. It turns out Maimuna is Haroun's long lost daughter and, when she finds out her father is still alive, joyfully agrees to help. Before they can do so, another harem girl, Fatima, betrays them and El Akir bursts in on the two women.
El Akir is about to attack Barbara when Haroun arrives in the nick of time and fatally stabs El Akir. Fatima screams, and two guards burst in. Ian arrives, and he and Haroun subdue the guards. Haroun and Maimuna are reunited, and Barbara and Ian head for the TARDIS.
The Doctor, who has been trying not to get caught up in court politics, attempts to make a break for the TARDIS. He is caught by the Earl of Leicester, who thinks the Doctor is a spy for Saladin. He sentences the Doctor to death. Ian arrives and, presenting himself as "Sir Ian of Jaffa," tells Leicester that the Doctor is a spy and that he is here to carry out the execution. The Doctor plays along and asks for one last chance to see Jaffa before he dies. Leicester agrees, and the Doctor is able to sneak away to the TARDIS with the rest of the crew and leave. When Leicester and his knights see the TARDIS vanish, they agree to keep the story quiet, so as not to look like fools.
On board the TARDIS, the crew enjoy a good laugh over their escape. As the TARDIS prepares to land, the power fails and all the interior lights dim. The crew freeze into immobility.
| Episode | Broadcast date | Run time | Viewership (in millions) |
Archive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Lion" | 27 March 1965 | 24:56 | 10.5 | PAL Digital Betacam |
| "The Knight of Jaffa" | 3 April 1965 | 23:28 | 8.5 | Only stills and/or fragments exist |
| "The Wheel of Fortune" | 10 April 1965 | 24:51 | 9.0 | 16mm t/r |
| "The Warlords" | 17 April 1965 | 23:40 | 9.5 | Only stills and/or fragments exist |
| [1][2][3] | ||||
This story has been noted for its treatment of the two opposing leaders. Saladin (played by Bernard Kay) is portrayed as calculating but compassionate, while King Richard I is portrayed as volatile and at times childish.
A different version of the final episode of the previous story The Web Planet featured a caption with "Next Week: The Space Museum" instead of "Next Week: The Lion." This alternative end tag was on the version of The Web Planet recovered from Nigeria.[4]
| Doctor Who book | |
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| Doctor Who and the Crusaders | |
| Series | Target novelisations |
| Release number | 12 |
| Writer | David Whitaker |
| Publisher | Target Books |
| Cover artist | Chris Achilleos |
| ISBN | 0-426-10137-5 |
| Release date | 2 May 1973 |
| Preceded by | ' |
| Followed by | ' |
This serial was the third and final story to be novelised by Frederick Muller publishers. Written by David Whitaker as Doctor Who and the Crusaders, it was first published in 1966 and was the last novelisation published until 1973 when Target Books launched its long-running line of episode adaptations, beginning with reprints of this and the preceding two novels. There have been French, Dutch and Portuguese editions.
As with Whitaker's first novelisation, the story is converted into a stand-alone novel with a lengthy prologue in the TARDIS where the travellers discuss the paradoxes of their journeys and time travel. The pointlessness of a religious war is also emphasised more.
Once again, Whitaker plays up the romantic potential of Ian and Barbara and includes a graphic passage of Barbara being scourged. For some reason the name of Susan's husband has changed from David Campbell to David Cameron.
In 2005 the novel was also issued by BBC Audio as part of the Doctor Who: Travels in Time and Space audio book collectors' tin, read by William Russell.
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