 In 1135, King Fulk of Jerusalem erected a castle on the lands of Bayt Jibrin, the first of a series of Crusader fortifications built at this time to ensure control over the ports of Caesarea and Jaffa.In 1136, King Fulk donated the castle to the Knights Hospitallers.In 1168, the Hospitallers were granted a charter to establish a Frankish colony, which they named "Bethgibelin".