The Crusader's Castle at Karak, Jordan
12th Century Construction Begun by Crusader Lord, Pagan the Butler
Jun 4, 2009
Karak Castle sits within the Jordanian town of Karak at the southern tip of a triangular plateau, which boasts commanding views over the surrounding country.
Crusader Crac des Moabites
Construction of the castle, which the Crusaders called Crac des Moabites began around 1140 under Pagan the Butler (Fr Payen Le Bouteiller), a cupbearer to King Fulk, and Crusader Lord in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Karak is some 220 metres long, 125 metres at the north end, 40 metres wide at the southern end and has been built then rebuilt over the centuries. Today it still retains the flavour of both Crusader and Muslim architecture. Even to the untrained eye the rough Crusader masonry is easy to distinguish from the finer and softer limestone material used in later Mamluk building work.
Karak Castle
Once finished in 1161 it became the residence of the Lords of Transjordan another castle in a long line of fortifications that stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Karak was only surpassed in size and grandeur by the Crusader castle of Crac des Chevaliers in what is now Syria.
The position and strength of its fortifications, many of which can still be seen, made the fortress almost unassailable. A deep moat divided it from the town below which was also fortified and access to the castle was obtained only by two steep and narrow tunnels cut in the rock. A sheer precipice defended the east side.
Reynald of Chatillon
In 1176 Reynald of Chatillon, a man who had first come to the Holy Land with the Second Crusade married Stephania, widow of Humphrey III of Toron, heiress to Karak Castle. With marriage came military power and authority over surrounding territory.
Over the next decade or so, Reynald, despite subsequent truces with Saladin (Salah Eddin) Sultan of Egypt and Syria, carried out attacks on peaceful caravans travelling on the ancient trade route between Egypt and Syria.
Battle of Hattin
In 1187, Reynald well known for his penchant for hurling his enemies to their death from the battlements, prompted fearsome retaliation from Saladin who attacked the Crusader kingdom defeating its forces at the Battle of Hattin. While Saladin spared the remnants of the defeated army, he personally executed Reynald.
After Hattin the defenders of Karak held out for eight months in a prolonged siege before surrendering to Saladin who allowed them to walk free.
With the growing Mamluk authority in the 13th century changes were made to the castle. A new tower was added to the northwest corner and further vaulted passages and rooms were added.
Ibn Battuta, the great 14th century traveller, on his immense journey from North Africa to China, passed close to Karak. He wrote: “Then the travellers came to the castle of Karak which is one of the most marvellous, most inaccessible and most celebrated of castles. It is called the Castle of the Raven. It seems to be surrounded on all sides by valleys.”
Another notable 14th century point of discussion was, according to the Karak Resources Project, the first recorded use of gunpowder and cannon in the Middle East, used when Egyptian Mamluk army besieged the castle.
By the 19th century advanced technology made Karak Castle, by this time part of Ottoman territory, redundant as a defensive unit.
For visitors to Karak today, a small museum inside the castle allows a tantalising glimpse into its long history. The museum has exhibits which range in date from 6000 BCE to the 14th century including Roman and Nabatean artefacts, pottery and coins.
Sources:
Virtual Karak Resources Project, A Survey of the Buildings, Last updated 13/3/2004
Visit Jordan, Experiences in Karak – History and Culture, 2008
Ivan Mannheim & Dave Winter, Karak, Jordan, Syria & Lebanon Handbook, pages 151-153, Footprint Handbooks 1998
Stanley Lane Poole, Saladin and the Fall of Jerusalem, Greenhill Books, 2002
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