At Krak des Chevaliers

A citadel’s architecture has never been a topic of great interest to me, but the history that usually surrounds such robust structures is fascinating. Europe, of course, boasts many castles which have turned today into points of tourist attraction or hotels with a still-vibrant medieval ambience. Most of these buildings, though, were merely residences of the local royalty and administrative centres for the estates’ management. It was in the Middle East that the military character of such fortifications turned into an art, for, in the Eastern Mediterranean crescent, the Crusaders were always at a numerical disadvantage and had to be creative in defending their captured lands. Krak des Chevalier in today’s Syria is, perhaps, the most important, preserved castle in the area (and one of the best in the world), and I was fortunate enough to visit it a couple of months before the outburst of the civil war.

Krak des Chevaliers sits on the top of a hill near Homs, close to the northern borders of Lebanon and the city of Tripoli, which used to be a major county for the Crusaders. Although the castle is known as a stronghold of the knights (hence its name), it existed since the 11th century, when the Aleppo emir allowed a group of Kurd tribesmen to settle around it to help him maintain access to the coast (and port) of Tripoli. Because of the Kurds’ presence, the castle, which was known until then as Hisn al-Safh, became known as Hisn Al-Akrad (fortress of the Kurds). “Akrad” turned into “Krak” by the Franks, and this led to its present name. 

When the first crusaders advanced with fervour through the Middle East, determined to conquer Jerusalem (as they did), they took the local leaders by surprise and spread terror and death at their passage. As they reached Hisn Al-Akrad, they besieged it and, since its fortifications were not as strong back then, plus it was defended mostly by peasants, they quickly broke through the resistance. The villagers who had found refuge within the walls devised a trick: they let through the doors some of their herds and the besiegers, hungry for food and looting, focused on the animals forgetting the people. The latter, apparently, found an opportunity to slip out of the castle during the night, escaping certain death. So, the fort fell easily into the hands of the Franks and was to remain there for almost two centuries: an impregnable stronghold, a point of reference and solace for the Crusaders, and a source of wealth from the imposed taxation on the surrounding lands.

To my amusement, I found out that this castle did not belong to just any knights but to my recent “friends”, the Knights Hospitaller, whose footprints I have been following of late in the Mediterranean, including Rhodes Island (and its medieval Knights’ Quarter in the old town), Malta (and the famous fortifications of Valletta and Birgu), even Crete and the city of Herakleion.

The Order of St. John was established in Jerusalem, possibly a few decades before the city fell into the hands of the crusaders, and their function was to provide medical assistance to the western pilgrims travelling to the Holy City. During the crusades, their role was enhanced into protecting the pilgrims as well, which added a military flavour to their initial operation. The Order came under the auspices of the Pope in Rome, and its members were prominent representatives of Europe’s aristocracy who had to undergo a strict selection process and vow abstinence from all the joys of the flesh. When the crusaders were finally ousted from the Middle East, the Order of St John (the Knights Hospitaller) found refuge in islands (Cyprus, Rhodes, and Malta successively), and their military expertise was transferred to the sea. They became renowned pirates, looting only Ottoman (and, generally, Muslim) ships, living off their gains and the contributions of the Order’s members from around Europe.

Back to the Middle East: at around 1140, the ruler of Tripoli (the city, by then, was at the hands of the Franks) offered Hisn Al-Akrad to the Knights Hospitaller, and they held it until the end of the Crusades’ era, rebuilding it (there are no remains of its old structure), and continuously improving it. During its “golden period” (the first half of the 13th century), they added an additional wall around the initial fortification, turning it into a concentric castle that could accommodate the astounding number of 2000 warriors. Inside the castle, the vaulted halls, the chapel, the decorations, all reveal the wealth and prestige of the knights, and the overall structure was so strong and formidable, set in a location so strategic, that even the great Salah Ad-Din did not dare attack it and never conquered it.

From the mid-13th century onwards, though, the situation in the region changed dramatically. Jerusalem was recaptured by Salah ad-Din, the Mamluks became a rising force in Egypt, and the presence of the Crusaders in the Middle East was severely weakened. Despite the challenges, the Knights Hospitaller managed to hold to the castle until 1271, when Baibars (the Mamluk Sultan) finally conquered it after a month-long siege, thanks to a trick. Krak des Chevaliers had been the only major inland area to remain constantly under Crusader control during the period of the crusades, and its fall sealed the end of an era.

As the castle is near the town of Homs, which was a significant centre for the recent Syrian civil war, it, unfortunately, suffered destruction and pillage. However, it has been reported that, as the war ended, works are underway to restore this precious monument to its former glory and deliver it anew to the world. One can only hope…

Photo credits: © Konstantina Sakellariou