castle Krak des Chevaliers (Qal `at al-Hosn Arabic) exudes history from all sides and only a simple overview to let your imagination and contemplate the coats flapping in the wind, hear the neighing of horses and watch the knights stationed in the towers standing guard. It is not surprising that Lawrence of Arabia himself upon discovery in 1909 described it as the castle "best preserved and admirable in the world"
Strategically located between the cities of Damascus and Aleppo, in the Orontes Valley, was a must for those they wanted to go to Lebanon and thus reach the shores of the Mediterranean. This passage, known as the passage of Homs was likewise the only road to the city of Tartus (known as Tortosa by the Crusaders)
Keep in mind that in those days the roads to travel through the different cities were almost forced, and control the passage meant Homs control much of Lebanon's coast, between Antioch and Beirut, and a large area of \u200b\u200bSyrian territory.
The castle is located on top of a hill and was originally built as a small fortress occupied by Kurdish garrisons under the command and command of the Muslim Emir of the nearby city of Homs. Its main mission was to monitor possible incursions into Syrian territory of foreigners from the coast. The first
you developments relating to the castle of Krak must be placed in the context of the Crusade of the princes (1 st cross) with the participation of men like Godfrey of Bouillon and his brother Baldwin of Boulogne, Hugh I of Vermandois, Stephanus II of Blois, Raymond IV of Toulouse, Bohemond of Taranto and his nephew Tancred of Galilee.
Divided into four groups, these gentlemen leave from different parts of Europe in August 1096 for various walking routes, matching all of them in Constantinople at the end of that year. From that moment began a series of conquests by Franj crusaders on their way to Jerusalem, which include cities like Edessa, Antioch and Tripoli.
Cross's first foray into the Krak runs from the hand of Raymond of Toulouse Godfrey of Bouillon and that lack of provisions for his troops on their way to Jerusalem, encounter with the castle and take it for a while expelling Kurds and peasants who defended it, but only temporarily, and to continue their way to Jerusalem.
Strategically located between the cities of Damascus and Aleppo, in the Orontes Valley, was a must for those they wanted to go to Lebanon and thus reach the shores of the Mediterranean. This passage, known as the passage of Homs was likewise the only road to the city of Tartus (known as Tortosa by the Crusaders)
Keep in mind that in those days the roads to travel through the different cities were almost forced, and control the passage meant Homs control much of Lebanon's coast, between Antioch and Beirut, and a large area of \u200b\u200bSyrian territory.
The castle is located on top of a hill and was originally built as a small fortress occupied by Kurdish garrisons under the command and command of the Muslim Emir of the nearby city of Homs. Its main mission was to monitor possible incursions into Syrian territory of foreigners from the coast. The first
you developments relating to the castle of Krak must be placed in the context of the Crusade of the princes (1 st cross) with the participation of men like Godfrey of Bouillon and his brother Baldwin of Boulogne, Hugh I of Vermandois, Stephanus II of Blois, Raymond IV of Toulouse, Bohemond of Taranto and his nephew Tancred of Galilee.
Divided into four groups, these gentlemen leave from different parts of Europe in August 1096 for various walking routes, matching all of them in Constantinople at the end of that year. From that moment began a series of conquests by Franj crusaders on their way to Jerusalem, which include cities like Edessa, Antioch and Tripoli.
Cross's first foray into the Krak runs from the hand of Raymond of Toulouse Godfrey of Bouillon and that lack of provisions for his troops on their way to Jerusalem, encounter with the castle and take it for a while expelling Kurds and peasants who defended it, but only temporarily, and to continue their way to Jerusalem.
Having conquered the holy city of Toulouse Raymond IV, as they had done the rest of crusaders march to Tripoli to take power of new territories. Tortosa conquest but can not be done with the castle of Krak and the city of Homs. Raimundo then concentrated all its forces besiege and dominate the city and die there in the fort that he built near the port. He will be succeeded by his nephew William Jordan Cerdaña that govern the territories of his uncle until the advent of Beltrán de Toulouse, son of Raymond, who will claim their rightful inheritance and definitely take Tripoli.
castle Krak, who meanwhile had been taken by Tancredo of Galilee in 1110 became part of the county of Tripoli left in the hands of the successors to the French Toulouse branch.
In 1142 Raymond II of Tripoli gave the castle to Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem , also known as Order of Malta, and the castle will become the first headquarters of the order on holy ground. Since that time a garrison composed of about 2000 hospital takes care of his defense against Saracen attacks.
During the century and a half, the Knights Hospitaller expanded and renovated the imposing fortress, l
higher in the Holy Land, which held at least a dozen assaults by the Muslims among them the Sultan of Damascus, Nur al-Din's own or Salah ad-Din (Saladin) about which I spoke on another occasion. (See entry )
Finally would Mamluk Sultan Baybars of Egypt, the scourge of Templars and Hospitallers, who according to popular legend would Krak of the knights with their particular craft:
is said that he sent a carrier pigeon to the castle with a note signed by the master of hospital where they were invited to surrender because they can not send aid to his defense. These follow scrupulously obey the orders and decide to surrender to what the castle is taken without spilling a single drop of blood.
Baibars With the conquest of an end to 129 years of cross-resistance and hospital in the castle.
To the crusades the krak longer has strategic importance and is almost forgotten, but his evocative character currently has resisted becoming one of those timeless places that fills our hunger traveler and our delight in the old Medieval deeds.
Links:
castle Krak, who meanwhile had been taken by Tancredo of Galilee in 1110 became part of the county of Tripoli left in the hands of the successors to the French Toulouse branch.
In 1142 Raymond II of Tripoli gave the castle to Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem , also known as Order of Malta, and the castle will become the first headquarters of the order on holy ground. Since that time a garrison composed of about 2000 hospital takes care of his defense against Saracen attacks.
During the century and a half, the Knights Hospitaller expanded and renovated the imposing fortress, l
higher in the Holy Land, which held at least a dozen assaults by the Muslims among them the Sultan of Damascus, Nur al-Din's own or Salah ad-Din (Saladin) about which I spoke on another occasion. (See entry ) Finally would Mamluk Sultan Baybars of Egypt, the scourge of Templars and Hospitallers, who according to popular legend would Krak of the knights with their particular craft:
is said that he sent a carrier pigeon to the castle with a note signed by the master of hospital where they were invited to surrender because they can not send aid to his defense. These follow scrupulously obey the orders and decide to surrender to what the castle is taken without spilling a single drop of blood.
Baibars With the conquest of an end to 129 years of cross-resistance and hospital in the castle.
To the crusades the krak longer has strategic importance and is almost forgotten, but his evocative character currently has resisted becoming one of those timeless places that fills our hunger traveler and our delight in the old Medieval deeds.
Links:
Krak
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