The Castles of the Crusades

The Crusades were a series of religious wars that occurred during the Middle Ages. They were fought between the Christian Kingdoms of Europe and the Islamic Nations of the Middle East. The First Crusade began in the year 1096 CE, and lead to the capture of Jerusalem and the establishment of the Crusader States. Immediately after the First Crusade, dozens of castles and fortifications were constructed throughout the Holy Land. These Crusader Castles were used to defend the region and also to provide support for European Pilgrims as they traveled to Jerusalem. The article below will explore the many different castles constructed within the Crusader States, and also take a look at other fortresses that were constructed throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.

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What were the Crusades?

Beginning with the First Crusade in 1096 CE, the Crusades were a series of military campaigns with the objective of taking control of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Below is a brief summary of the various conflicts within the Crusades:

• The First Crusade occurred from 1096 until 1099 CE. The outcome was the Capture of Jerusalem and several other nearby cities in the region including Acre, Antioch, Tripoli, and Edessa. This campaign was the most successful of all the Crusades, and it began a lengthy occupation of the Holy Land. Four distinct Crusader States emerged at this point: The County of Edessa, the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
  • A series of Religious Military Orders were also established at this time. These groups all fought to maintain control of the Holy Land, and also facilitate the migration of European people. The Knights Templar, Knights Hospitalier, and the Teutonic Order are some of the most well-known of these groups, and they all controlled their own castles and fortifications throughout the Holy Land and in other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean.

• The Second Crusade was an unsuccessful campaign that began in 1145 after the fall of the County of Edessa. The primary objective was to recapture the city of Edessa and provide support to the remaining Crusader States. But, the main Crusader Army was defeated by the defending Seljuk Turks and most of the remaining soldiers dispersed into nearby cities.
  • The Second Crusade wasn’t a complete failure, however, and one major victory did occur. On their way to the Holy Land, a large group of Crusaders ended up joining forces with the Kingdom of Portugal. The combined Portuguese-Crusader Army then took the city of Lisbon, which had been controlled by Moorish invaders since the 8th century. The Siege of Lisbon would go down in history as a pivotal battle in the Reconquista, which was the movement to retake the Iberian Peninsula from the Islamic Moors.

• The Third Crusade began in 1187 after the fall of Jerusalem by the forces of Saladin. The Crusader Armies would be led by two powerful European monarchs, Frederick Barbarossa and Richard I of England. Although achieving some major victories, the Third Crusade was eventually abandoned with no major territorial gains. Many of the crusaders left after the death of Frederick Barbarossa, leaving a much smaller force under the leadership of Richard the Lionheart. Richard would march within a short distance of Jerusalem, but he ultimately retreated because he lacked the resources and personnel to take the city.

• The Fourth Crusade began in 1198 when a large contingent of French Soldiers was assembled by order of Pope Innocent III. The Crusaders would travel to Venice, where they received a large fleet of Venetian Ships. The ships, however, were very costly to construct – and in return, the Venetians demanded payment from the spoils of the Crusade. While on their way to the Holy Land, the Crusaders got involved in a dispute between two factions that were competing for control of the Byzantine Empire. The Crusaders would end up besieging Constantinople and would take the city in 1204. The Crusaders then looted the city as a way to pay for their expedition, and they took vast amounts of gold, jewels, artifacts, and other important items from the defeated Byzantines.

• The Fifth Crusade began in 1217 and the main military objective was the capture of Cairo and other parts of Egypt. Cairo was the Capital of the Ayyubid Sultanate, the largest power in the Middle East at that point in time. The Crusaders believed that a decisive attack against the Ayyubids would eventually lead to the recapture of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Ultimately the Fifth Crusade was unsuccessful, and the Europeans were swiftly defeated at the Battle of Mansurah.

• There were several additional crusades after the failure of the Fifth Crusade, but none of them were met with much success. Eventually, interest in the Holy Land would fade, and the Crusader States steadily declined throughout the remainder of the 13th century. Crusader Presence in the Holy Land finally ended with the Fall of Acre in 1291, but dozens of Crusader Castles were left behind throughout the Holy Land and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Where were Crusader Castles Built?

The map below shows the four main Crusader States that were founded after the First Crusade. The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia is also shown.

• 1. Kingdom of Jerusalem
• 2. County of Tripoli
• 3. Principality of Antioch
• 4. County of Edessa
• 5. Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

The map below shows the same Crusader States but also includes the areas taken during the Reconquista in Spain and the Norman Conquest of Sicily. Various Crusader Castles can also be found throughout these areas, and some of these fortresses are among the Strongest Castles in the World.

• 1. Crusader States
• 2. Portugal & Spain and the Reconquista
• 3. Norman Conquest of Sicily & Southern Italy

What are the greatest examples of Castles from the Crusades?

Below is a list of the 15 Greatest Castles left behind from the Age of the Crusades. The order is based on the size, importance, and overall preservation of the original structure.

1. Krak des Chevaliers  –  al-Husn, Syria

The Krak de Chevaliers is one of the most formidable castles in the world. It was constructed within the lands of the County of Tripoli shortly after the First Crusade. An older castle stood at this location long before the Crusades, but the existing land and fortress were given to the Knights Hospitalier during the 1140s. They would greatly expand the castle and create a series of towers and walls encircling a central keep. The Krak de Chevaliers is also known for its striking position, overlooking the mountains of western Syria.

The Krak de Chevaliers was one of the last bastions of Crusader Knights in the Holy Land. The Knights Hospitalier would remain in control until a final siege that took place in 1271. Today the Krak de Chevaliers is one of the best-preserved castles on this list, and it shows all of the important elements of Medieval Castle design. The fortress is currently protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it has been partially damaged due to the Syrian Civil War.

2. Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes – Rhodes, Greece

The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes is a fortress that was built by the Knights Hospitalier during the Middle Ages. The order of knights captured Rhodes in the early 14th century, and they subsequently began fortifying the island. The castle contains a large assortment of rooms and wings and serves as both a luxurious residence and a defensive fortification. It’s also a great example of Gothic Architecture, and one of only a handful of Gothic Buildings in this part of the Mediterranean.

The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes was besieged several times during the Crusader Era. It was attacked by the Mamluks in the mid-15th century, but the enemy fleet was defeated by the Christian Knights. After the Conquest of Constantinople in 1453, and the fall of the Byzantine Empire – all of the Greek Islands became threatened by the rapidly expanding Ottoman Empire. Eventually, in 1522, the Ottomans would take Rhodes, and their occupation would last for centuries. After WWI, the Island of Rhodes came under the possession of the Kingdom of Italy, and the Palace of the Grand Master would be meticulously restored. The image above shows the main gate of the fortress, which was largely restored in the early 1900s.

3. Kerak Castle – Al-Karak, Jordan

Kerak Castle is one of the largest castles from the period of the Crusader States. It was constructed to defend the newly established Kingdom of Jerusalem, which was ruled by a member of the French House of Anjou. Kerak Castle lies about 100 miles (161 km) to the southeast of Jerusalem, just over the Dead Sea. It’s built in a similar manner to many other Crusader Castles, including the Krak des Chevaliers. The castle would eventually fall to the forces of the Ayyubid Sultanate in 1188 after the fortress was encircled and cut off from supply lines for several months.

4. Kyrenia Castle – Kyrenia, Cyprus

Kyrenia Castle is a Crusader Castle that was built to defend the northern shores of the Island of Cyprus. The fortress has foundations dating all the way back to the days of the Ancient Greeks, and it was largely expanded by the Crusaders that occupied Cyprus from the 12th-15th century. Eventually, Cyprus would come under the control of the Republic of Venice, and the Venetians would make several modifications to the existing structure. However, Venice and its maritime empire began to weaken in the late 16th century, and large portions of the Island of Cyprus were lost to the Ottoman Empire in the 1570s.

5. Silifke Castle  –  Silifke, Turkey

The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was created in 1080 CE by groups of Armenians fleeing the expansion of the Great Seljuk Empire. The kingdom was centered along the Mediterranean coastline of what is now southern Turkey. Like the other Crusader Kingdoms in the Holy Land, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia relied heavily on other groups of knights to help them defend their borders. The Fortress of Silifke was donated to the Knights Hospitalier, and they were tasked with defending this portion of the kingdom. Although large sections of the structure were damaged in various conflicts, the Crusader Castle of Silifke remains one of the best-preserved Crusader Fortresses in the Mediterranean.

6. Ruins of Corycus – Kızkalesi, Turkey

From 1080 CE – 1375 CE the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was one of the most powerful states in the Eastern Mediterranean. Corycus was once one of the kingdom’s most important strongholds. It contained both a sea castle that was located on an island off the shore and a land castle that was located on the water’s edge. Armenian Architecture at this time period was heavily influenced by the European Crusaders, who frequently visited the kingdom on their way to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. After the fall of the Kingdom of Armenian Cilicia, the castles at Corycus fell into the hands of many different nations, and they eventually became an important outpost for the Ottoman Empire.

7. Othello Castle – Famagusta, Cyprus

The Kingdom and Cyprus was a crusader state controlled by a noble house based in France. The French occupiers of the island constructed several impressive fortifications as a way to defend against invasion. Othello Castle is located in Famagusta and it’s one of the larger fortresses constructed during the Crusader Period. In the image above you can see the layout of the castle, with towers and walls encircling an open courtyard. This design allowed for the exterior of the castle to be defended easily, but also allowed the interior to be open so large groups of soldiers could live comfortably within the walls.

8. Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles – Tripoli, Lebanon

The Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles is a large Crusader Castle that was built within the County of Tripoli. It is often referred to as the Tripoli Citadel, and it is one of the most well-known structures in the city. The castle was originally built in the early 1100s, shortly after the First Crusade. It served as an important fortification within Tripoli and helped the County of Tripoli maintain its independence until 1289 when it was conquered by the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo.

9. Bodrum Castle –  Bodrum, Turkey

Bodrum is a city on the western coast of Turkey that was founded by the Ancient Greeks. It’s famous as the location for one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Bodrum Castle was constructed by the Knights Hospitalier during the early 15th century. It protects the main harbor of the city, and it was an important staging point for expeditions to the Holy Land. Bodrum Castle dates to the late stages of the Crusader Era, but it’s still a striking castle built by one of the most powerful military orders of the Middle Ages.

10. Margat – Baniyas, Syria

The fortress of Margat was constructed in the 11th century shortly after the First Crusade. Margat is located along the coastline of Syria, in between several important cities that were fought over during the Crusader Era. The Fortress of Margat was located within the realm of the Principality of Antioch, and it exchanged hands several times throughout history. It fell under Islamic Control for a time and was also taken by the Byzantine Empire at one point.

11. Sahyun Castle – Al-Haffah, Syria

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Sahyun Castle is one of several Crusader Castles located in the Former Principality of Antioch and it has origins dating back to the 10th Century. It was part of the Byzantine Empire for several centuries before becoming part of the Crusader States. The fortress was heavily expanded by European Knights, and many of the current towers and walls date to the Crusader Era. Sahyun Castle was taken over by Islamic Forces after a siege commanded by the infamous ruler, Saladin. Together with a few other Crusader Castles including the Krak des Chevaliers, Sahyun Castle is incorporated within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

12. Sidon Sea Castle – Sidon, Lebanon

Sidon is a city on the coast of modern-day Lebanon, located between Tyre and Beirut. It contains an assortment of historic buildings, one of the most notable of which is the Sidon Sea Castle. It was built by the Crusaders in an attempt to secure their territories within the newly captured Holy Land. Although the castle was very impressive in its day, most of the structure lies in ruin from erosion and subsequent conflicts. The Crusaders were pushed out by the Egyptian Mamluks, and eventually, the castle fell into disrepair.

13. Montreal Castle – Shoubak, Jordan

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The Fortress of Montreal is a Crusader Castle located about 150 miles (241 km) south of Jerusalem, in modern-day Jordan. It was commissioned by the second King of Jerusalem, Baldwin I, who succeeded his brother Godfrey of Bouillon in 1100 CE. Baldwin would rule the Kingdom of Jerusalem for 18 years, and his reign would be one of the high points in the history of the Cruder States. Together with several other castles in the region, the Fortress of Montreal shows the dramatic impact the Crusader Era had on the region surrounding Jerusalem.

14. Byblos Castle – Byblos, Lebanon

Byblos is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the entire world, and thanks to its plethora of historic buildings, it’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to structures like Byblos Castle from the Middle Ages, Byblos also contains several ancient structures from the Bronze Age, including the famous Temple of the Obelisks. Byblos Castle was constructed by the Genoese Rulers of the city during the 12th century. The Europeans would also construct several other notable buildings in the city including a rare Crusader-Era Church known as St. John’s Cathedral.

15. Kolossi Castle – Limassol, Cyprus

Located on the southern shores of the Island of Cyprus, Kolossi Castle is one of several fortifications constructed to secure the borders of the island. It was completed in the mid-15th century by members of the Knights Hospitalier. Cyprus proved to be an easily defendable outpost and a great staging point for the Military Orders of the Crusades. As a result, the Island is dotted with different fortresses constructed by the Knights Hospitalier and the Knights Templar. Cyprus was also a source of many goods and resources for the Crusaders, including sugar and wine.

Destroyed Crusader Castles

In addition to the 15 impressive and well-preserved Crusader Castles listed above, there are dozens of other fortresses that were destroyed as part of the centuries-long conflict between the Medieval Kingdoms of Europe and the Islamic Nations of the Middle East.

1. Belvoir Castle – Northern District, Israel

Belvoir Castle is a ruined castle located in Northern Israel. It was constructed by the Knights Hospitalier in 1168, shortly after the Second Crusade. It was an important fortress that defended a major road into Jerusalem that connected the city with the Sea of Galilee. During the Crusades, Belvoir Castle was one of the largest and most impenetrable castles in the Holy Land. The castle was taken by the forces of Saladin in the late 12th century, and it was subsequently dismantled to help crush Crusader resistance in the area.

2. Fortress of Acre – Acre, Israel

Acre was one of the most important port cities in all of the Crusader Kingdoms. It was the main supply line that connected Jerusalem with the Mediterranean and the rest of Europe. As such, it was a very strategic city that the Crusaders wanted to protect. The Fortress of Acre was constructed immediately against the edge of the sea, and it originally contained several towers and defensive walls. Acre was the last Christian-held city within the Crusader States, but it fell in 1291 after being besieged by the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo.

Crusader Castles in Spain and Portugal: The Reconquista

Although most of the Crusades were concentrated on Jerusalem and the Holy Land, a large portion of the Iberian Peninsula was also the focus of a movement known as the Reconquista. During the early 700s, an army of the Umayyad Caliphate crossed the straight of Gibraltar and conquered a territory that stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pyrenees Mountains. Several Christian kingdoms would eventually be established in the northern portions of the Penninsula, and they would begin a slow expansion southward. These kingdoms would eventually be the foundation for the modern nations of Spain and Portugal.

The Reconquista was a constant back-and-forth of battles and sieges, with different factions gaining the upper hand at various points in time. The final Islamic fortress would fall to the Kingdom of Castille in 1492 and bring an end to the centuries-long Reconquista Movement,

Today Spain and Portugal are home to dozens of castles from this time period. Although they might not technically be considered, “Crusader Castles” they were still an integral part of the Reconquista Movement and were built for the same reasons as the Crusader Castles of the Holy Land.

1. Alhambra – Granada, Spain

The Alhambra was the last major stronghold held by Islamic forces in the Iberian Peninsula. Here in 1492, the last member of the Nasrid Dynasty surrendered to an army led by the Castilian rulers, Isabella I and Ferdinand II. The Christian armies surrounded the city and forced the Sultan of Granada Muhammad XII to leave his home behind and go into exile. The Alhambra was not just a strong fortress, but also a lavish palace that rivaled some of Europe’s grandest royal residences. Today The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s one of the finest examples of Moorish Architecture in Spain.

2. Moorish Castle of Sintra – Sintra, Portugal

The Castle of the Moors in Sintra is one of the finest examples of Moorish Architecture on the Iberian Peninsula. It’s also a great example of an Islamic-built fortress that was constructed as part of the Reconquista. The Moors built the castle in the 8th and 9th centuries, and it only changed hands one time during its existence. The Kingdom of Portugal took control of the nearby city of Lisbon in 1147, and the castle’s defenders subsequently surrendered. Today the Castle of the Moors is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with several other notable buildings in Sintra.

3. São Jorge Castle

São Jorge Castle is one of the oldest works of architecture in all of Lisbon. It has been continuously modified since ancient times, with expansions being done by the Romans, the Moors, and the Kingdom of Portugal. [It’s currently ranked as #23 on our list of the World’s Strongest Castles] The oldest parts of the castle date from the medieval period, and they have square towers built from light-colored limestone. After the adaptation of gunpowder, the Portuguese added several bastions and earthen walls in order to help defend Lisbon from sieges. Today thousands of visitors come to the castle every year to climb the walls and see commanding views over the entire city.

Crusader Castles from The Norman Conquests of Sicily and Southern Italy

Sicily has long been a hotspot for conflict and conquest. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Sicily eventually became controlled by Arab invaders that founded the Emirate of Sicily. The island would then be invaded yet again by the Normans, who had recently gained a foothold in Southern Italy. The Normans first invaded in 1061 and would conquer the entire island over the next few years. The Normans built several fortifications in an attempt to secure possession of Sicily, and their rule eventually lead to the foundation of the Kingdom of Sicily in 1130.

1. Erice Cathedral (Chiesa Madre) – Erice, Sicily, Italy

Erice Cathedral is a building constructed by the Normans that serves two purposes. It was primarily a house of worship, but it also doubled as a fortification during sieges. People within the town could shelter inside the thick stone walls of the church, and soldiers could defend the surrounding area from within the fortified bell tower. This practice of combining churches and fortresses together can be seen throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, primarily in frontier regions that were once filled with conflict and war.

2. Cefalù Cathedral – Cefalù, Sicily, Italy

Located just a short train ride away from the Sicilian capital of Palermo, Cefalù is a remarkably well-preserved seaside village on the Island’s northern coast. Besides the beaches, most visitors come to Cefalù for its Norman Cathedral. Work started on the structure in 1131, shortly after the Normans gained control of the region from the former Arab rulers. Much like the bell tower of Erice Cathedral. the Cathedral of Cefalù was outfitted with two defensive towers that could be utilized during an attack.

Crusader Castles Today

The Crusades were a very critical era in the History of Europe and the Mediterranean. After Jerusalem was Captured in the First Crusade, there was a frenzy of construction in and around the Holy Land. Dozens of castles were built in an attempt to fortify and protect the area from invasion, and to help facilitate the arrival of European Pilgrims. Many different Crusader Castles can be found all over the Eastern Mediterranean and they are some of the world’s most iconic examples of Medieval Military Architecture. The Size, complexity, and quantity of these castles illustrates how influential the Crusades were to the history and development of Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

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