Krak des Chevalier castle – Photo: E.Lafforgue (Flickr)
Krak des Chevaliers is regarded as being one of the best preserved Crusader castles in the world. It is located 65 km west of the city of Homs, close to the border of Lebanon.
- Krak des Chevaliers was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades who were contemporaries of the Knights Templar. It was expanded between 1150 CE and 1250 CE and eventually housed a garrison of 2,000. The inner curtain wall is up to 100 feet thick at the base on the south side, with seven guard towers 30 feet in diameter
Aerial view of Krak des Chevalier castle – Photo: membres.multimania.fr
- Salahuddin Ayyubi unsuccessfully besieged the castle in 1188 CE.
The hall of the Knights – Photo: turcanin.wordpress.com
- In 1271 CE the fortress was captured by the Mameluke Sultan Baybars on April 8 with the aid of heavy catapults, at least one of which was later used to attack Acre in 1291 CE. Baybars refortified the castle and used it as a base against Tripoli. He also converted the Hospitaller chapel to a mosque (masjid).
