Krak des Chevaliers has a rich and unique history, making it one of the most well-known fortresses in the world. Stories swirl around this medieval fortress, perched high above the arid plains of Syria, and it was said that it could never be taken by force.
It played an instrumental role in the crusades, serving as a hub of administration operations both peaceful and military. What is this greatest of Syrian fortresses, who made it their base, and what happened to it?
What was Krak des Chevaliers?
Krak des Chevaliers is an ancient castle that is preserved even today. Situated in Syria, and with the earliest sections dating from the 11th century it is considered to be one of the most prominent, largest and strongest examples of fortified architecture in the entire world.
The castle is remembered today chiefly as one of the best-preserved examples of crusader castles to have ever existed. The robust quality of construction is evident from the fact that it has survived centuries of historic events, and it continues to stand with pride on its founding spot.
One of the unique features of the Krak des Chevaliers is that it combines its Byzantine origins from the 10th century with the Frankish transformations that took place in the 12th century. The fortress also represents the Ayyubid dynasty which had added fortifications during the late 12 and mid-13th centuries. The castle is known to be a symbol of developing and evolving fortification systems, a record of technological innovation and defensive thinking.
The Krak des Chevaliers castle is located around 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the city of Homs in Western Syria, with the Mediterranean coast within reach for supply caravans and mounted soldiers. As a symbol of power and dominance in the region, no other fortress comes close.
However it is not invulnerable. Some of the parts of the castle were damaged in the year 2014 due to the Syrian civil war and ongoing political unrest. However, conservation and renovation activities were conducted, which helped in its restoration.
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The sincere efforts taken to preserve the monument give a glimpse into its high relevance even in the 21st century. Happily the architecture lends itself to preservation: this is a castle of thick walls, heavy towers, and strong defenses.
Who Built It?
The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, better known as the Knights Hospitaller, are probably those most responsible for the formidable fortress we see today. Their construction work at Krak des Chevaliers continued almost uninterrupted from 1142 to 1271, and they more than anyone are the “chevaliers” (horsemen) of Krak.
However, they were not the first. Originally, the castle was built by the Emir of Aleppo in 1031 AD and even then there was already a fort on the site, albeit a small one. But the stories of the Emir and his new fortress have been lost for us, and it is 70 years later that we first start to follow the history of Krak.
In the year 1099, with the armies of the first crusade marching through the Holy Land towards Jerusalem, Raymond IV of Toulouse came across the great fortress, but found it standing empty. Not a man to be distracted from his purpose, he left it with only a small and temporary garrison, and the castle would soon be deserted once again.
The Knights Hospitaller by this point were a well-established and powerful crusading faction in Jerusalem, and after the early victories or the crusaders they were given Krak as their headquarters, charged with guarding the road to Jerusalem.
Faced with harrying attacks from Muslim Turks and assassins, the knights could ensure safe passage for pilgrims seeking access from Europe to the Holy Land. The castle stood as a massive statement or permanence and power for the new Christian rulers of Outremer.
And the Hospitaller were not idle in possession. Even though the rulers and dynasties changed over the years, its construction did not come to a halt. From a favorably positioned castle it grew over centuries to a massive fortress, dominating the landscape as it does to this day.
An Impregnable Fortress
The castle of Krak des Chevaliers had the reputation of being an impregnable fortress. It was created so that it would be able to withstand a siege for up to five years, an extraordinarily long time for any castle to hold out.
The castle’s strength was further solidified when the Hospitallers decided to further extend the castle and add a new exterior defensive wall. These developments in the castle helped it gain the reputation of being impossible to take.
The addition of the defensive mechanisms was further strengthened since the chief enclosure was enveloped by a man-made moat carved out of solid rock. The moat added to the uniqueness of the castle since the crusade-era engineering techniques were adopted for its creation, techniques which were in rapid development at the time.
Based on the strong planning and architectural designing aspects, it is maybe an understatement to state that Krak des Chevaliers was an impregnable fortress. The high security that it offered made it a vital hub where strategic military operations were carried out.
But it was conquered, although by trickery rather than force. Captured in 1271 by the Mameluke Sultan Baibars, the main reason for this success was the use of a forged letter, which prompted the Knights to surrender. The Hospitallers were finally ousted not in battle, but by deception.
Even with the castle under new ownership, Krak continued to play an instrumental role in ancient times. The Baibars, after the deceitful capture of the fortress, utilized it for the expansion of Mameluke territories towards the late 13th century.
Krak des Chevaliers is regarded to be a treasured example of medieval military architectural monuments that European crusaders built. The fortress is a fusion of diverse dynasties and cultures that worked on its fortification elements.
In the modern day, the castle gives a glimpse into how the fortification system was undergoing transformation a few hundred years back. Apart from being of high strategic importance, the study nature of the fortress makes it special in its own rights.
While exploring the rich history of the Krak des Chevaliers, it is hard to negate the fact that no specific dynasty could have total control over it as it moved from one hand to another, which helped it be known as an unconquerable fortress.
Top Image: It was said that Krak des Chevaliers could not be taken by force, and with good reason. Source: samografy / Adobe Stock.
By Bipin Dimri
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