When Guy and Robin are fighting in the forest, Guy denounces King Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) as a terrible ruler who fought other people's wars rather than take care of his own people. This is actually a very true statement. During Richard's ten year reign, he spent only six months in England. Even though he was born in Oxford, he spoke only French, seeing no need to learn English. He saw England largely as a place that could finance his conquests and crusades. Thus, Guy's hatred and distrust of the king are understandable, a sentiment that was shared by many real citizens of the time.
The opening scenes - supposedly set in the Holy Land - were actually filmed in a sand quarry in Hungary.