That's the problem that I say E.S. ran into. Resulting in falling on her face twice because it's hard to make a claim of fact over 1000 years into the past before a court.
My opinion is that the court put a great deal of weight on deception and making claims without enough proof. So, remove any illusion of impartiality and add the words "in my opinion" and you're set yes?
The same recipe is used by rent-a-gobs who get regular spots in publications to add flavour between factual articles. Casually defame persons various and derate its value to whatever anyone thinks your opinion is worth.
What you're talking about is defamation and is not a criminal offence, this is a situation where someone was prosecuted criminally, completely different scenario. And there is also a massive difference between making claims about historical, practically mythological figures and real living people, the latter actually damages an individual, the former doesn't.