What was the purpose of Krak des Chevaliers?
What was the purpose of Krak des Chevaliers?
Krak des Chevaliers was among the most important, and acted as a center of administration as well as a military base. After a second phase of building was undertaken in the 13th century, Krak des Chevaliers became a concentric castle. This phase created the outer wall and gave the castle its current appearance.
What does Krak des Chevaliers mean in English?
Castle of the Knights
Krak des Chevaliers, (French-Arabic: “Castle of the Knights”) greatest fortress built by European crusaders in Syria and Palestine, one of the most notable surviving examples of medieval military architecture.
How did Krak des Chevaliers fall?
An earthquake hit the region on 29 June 1170 CE, damaging many castles, including Krak des Chevaliers. Another quake hit in 1202 CE, and it was probably then that the Hospitallers took the opportunity to redesign it and add concentric walls and towers.
Who built Masyaf castle?
Masyaf and its fortress were first mentioned by Crusader chroniclers in 1099. However, because a fortification at Masyaf likely existed prior to the 11th century, it is probable that the Aleppo-based Hamdanid dynasty built a fort at Masyaf, due to its position as an outpost overlooking the mountain roads.
Who built the Crusader castles?
Built by the Knights Hospitaller from the 1140s until its completion around 1170, Krak des Chevaliers bordered the Crusader State of the County of Tripoli. An enormous and hugely impressive concentric fortification built on a natural ridge, the castle held a garrison of 2,000 men at its peak.
Did Altair really exist?
Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad (Arabic: الطائر ابن لا أحد, meaning “The Bird, Son of No One”) is a fictional character in Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed video game series, a Syrian master assassin who serves as the protagonist of the games set in the late 12th and early 13th century.
Why is Ezio in Masyaf?
In March of 1511, Ezio Auditore da Firenze Mentor of the Italian Assassins, traveled to the mountain castle in order to learn more about his Order’s history, and to discover the contents of Altaïr’s library.
Who made Krak des Chevaliers?
Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem
The Crac des Chevaliers was built by the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from 1142 to 1271. With further construction by the Mamluks in the late 13th century, it ranks among the best-preserved examples of the Crusader castles.
Who killed Altair?
Al Mualim
It was decreed that in breaking all three tenets of the Creed—as his actions brought the Templars to Masyaf and endangered the Brotherhood—Altaïr was marked as a traitor to the Assassins. After declaring his judgement to the entire Order, Al Mualim stabbed Altaïr in the stomach with a dagger.
What happened to Altair’s son?
Darim Ibn-La’Ahad (born 1195) was a member of the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins, and the eldest son of its Mentor, Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad, and his wife Maria Thorpe. After returning to the Levantine Brotherhood’s fortress of Masyaf, his family was exiled to Alamut following a coup d’état by Abbas Sofian.
What is Krak des Chevaliers famous for?
Krak des Chevaliers, (French-Arabic: “Castle of the Knights”) greatest fortress built by European crusaders in Syria and Palestine, one of the most notable surviving examples of medieval military architecture. Built at Qalʿat al-Ḥiṣn, Syria, near the northern border of present-day Lebanon, Krak occupied the site of an earlier Muslim stronghold.
What is the etymology of Crac des Chevaliers?
Etymology. Crat was probably the Frankish version of Akrād, the word for Kurds. After the Knights Hospitaller took control of the castle, it became known as Crac de l’Ospital; the name Crac des Chevaliers (alternatively spelt Krak des Chevaliers) was introduced by Guillaume Rey in the 19th century.
Who built the city of Krak?
Built at Qalʿat al-Ḥiṣn, Syria, near the northern border of present-day Lebanon, Krak occupied the site of an earlier Muslim stronghold. It was built by the Knights of St. John (Hospitallers), who held it from 1142 till 1271, when it was captured by the Mamlūk sultan Baybars I.
