des french pronunciation arabic castle syria important preserved medieval castles world site inhabited 11th century settlement troops dispatched result known meaning castle given count tripoli knights remained possession fell known coined 19th century began rebuilding castle finished earthquake damaged castle order controlled number castles border state founded crusade des important acted center administration military base second phase building undertaken 13th century concentric castle phase created outer wall gave castle current appearance half century described golden age peak housed garrison large garrison allowed extract tribute wide area fortunes knights took turn worse sultan captured siege lasting days supposedly way forged letter grand master caused knights surrender renewed interest castles 19th century led investigation architectural plans drawn late 19th early 20th century settlement created castle causing damage fabric inhabitants moved castle given french state carried program clearing restoration syria declared independence assumed control today village called exists castle population nearly des located approximately kilometres west city close border lebanon castles din recognized partially damaged syrian civil war extent damage unknown reports hasty repairs etymology modern arabic word castle known fort derives earlier fortification site called meaning fort called confusion fortress probably version word knights took control castle known alternatively introduced 19th century location castle sits atop metre high hill east syria gap gap kilometres away 12th century route strategically important gap connects cities tripoli north castle lies south lebanon surrounding area fertile streams abundant rainfall compared states land suitable farming limestone peaks tripoli suited defensive sites property granted included towns plain separating tripoli control region castle vulnerable expeditions city proximity caused knights problems regard defending territory meant close raid castle command plain knights important base area history according 13th century arab historian established settlement site future castle castle arabic castle site strategically located southern edge mountain range dominated road tripoli building castles muslims chose elevated sites hills mountains provided natural obstacles january journey jerusalem crusade company came attack garrison forerunner following day marched castle found deserted briefly occupied castle february year abandoned continued march jerusalem permanent occupation began prince took control site early castle substantially different extant remains trace castle survives site origins knights unclear order probably emerged jerusalem started religious order cared sick later looked pilgrims holy land success crusade capturing jerusalem donated new property levant hospital john early donations newly formed time order extended holdings states evidence suggests order king jerusalem granted newly built castle order papal bull indicate order hiring people defend pilgrims military orders offered protection pilgrims count tripoli granted order property county according historian effectively established tripoli property included castles expected defend tripoli des given castles borders state allowed order dominate area order agreement stated accompany knights order campaign belonged entirely order present split equally count order peace muslims permission des center administration new property undertaking work castle elaborate fortifications levant acquiring site began building new castle replace fortification work lasted earthquake damaged castle arab source mentions destroyed castle chapel replaced present chapel emerged victorious din battle near drought conditions prompted sign year truce muslims tripoli included terms raids christians muslims territory frequent ventured area unwilling meet open battle retreated relative safety fortifications capturing castles secure control area retreated able damaged lands battle disastrous defeat guy king jerusalem captured discovered crusade ordered execution captured knights importance orders defending states battle castles fell muslim armies following losses order focused attention castles tripoli led army attack seeing castle decided defended instead marched castle failed capture earthquake struck event castle 13th century work period building gave current appearance stone circuit built earlier structure castle inner court ward circuit walls surrounding inner court pre dated current outer walls trace discovered half 13th century characterized golden age strongholds came threat garrison soldiers dominated surrounding area effectively center remained hands major inland area remain constantly control period passed area stop castle probably donations king hungary visited proclaimed castle key christian lands impressed castle gave yearly income marks master brothers uncle noted chronicler jean died buried castle chapel main contemporary accounts relating muslim origin tend emphasize muslim success overlooking setbacks suggest knights forced settlements pay tribute order situation lasted long successors proximity muslim territories allowed offensive role acting base neighboring areas attacked garrison making raids muslim control castle soldiers took attack des acted base expeditions refused pay tribute unsuccessful expedition force demonstrated importance fortunes took turn worse muslim army estimated number men ravaged countryside castle order finances declined sharply master hugh complained area previously home people stood deserted order property produced little income noted point order left east muslim sultan egypt following overthrow incumbent ruler went unite egypt syria result muslim settlements previously paid tribute longer felt intimidated ventured area des allowed men animals fields castle received news year eighth crusade led king louis france left cairo avoid confrontation louis died returned deal marched castle sultan captured smaller castles area including march army arrived time sultan appeared scene castle blockaded forces days arabic accounts siege contemporary present siege peasants lived area fled castle safety kept outer ward soon arrived erected powerful siege weapons later turn castle probable reference walled suburb outside castle entrance records days later line defences fell rain interrupted siege march immediately south forces captured triangular possibly defended timber march attackers undermined tower southwest corner causing collapse army attacked breach outer ward encountered peasants sought refuge castle outer ward fallen handful garrison killed process retreated formidable inner ward days conveyed letter garrison supposedly grand master tripoli granted permission surrender letter garrison sultan spared lives new owners castle undertook repairs focused mainly outer ward chapel converted mosque added interior later history driven european familiarity castles declined 19th century interest buildings renewed detailed plans european researcher scientifically study castles holy land published work sur les monuments architecture des included plans drawings major castles syria including instances drawings inaccurate record features lost visited castle february visited 19th century village people established castle renewed damaged site underground rubbish tips places destroyed fellow architect attempted clear general assigned soldiers help left march work resumed returned years later culmination work castle publication des detailed plans survey widely praised described brilliant military historian finest account history single medieval castle written historian early suggestions castle taken french control november des given control french state cared des villagers moved paid million compensation following years programme cleaning restoration carried force workers finished key tourist attractions undertaken similar work tower lions castles work despite restoration archaeological excavations carried syria lebanon established ended declaration syrian independence castle din owned syrian government castle residents built houses outside fortress village called developed roughly muslim residents benefit economically tourism generated site syrian civil war syrian civil war began voiced concerns war lead damage important cultural sites reported castle shelled august chapel damaged castle reported damaged july siege 18th august clearly damaged destruction unknown recaptured castle village rebel forces march extent damage earlier mortar hits remained unclear architecture writing early 20th century popularly known lawrence remarked best preserved wholly admirable castle world castle forms fitting commentary account buildings syria castles europe provided accommodation owners centers administration levant need defence paramount reflected castle design kennedy suggests castle scientifically designed fighting machine surely reached great buildings like des des classified spur castle site 13th century expansion fully developed concentric castle similar size layout castle built late cited sister castle main building material limestone facing fine mortar barely noticeable outside castle entrance walled suburb known trace remains south outer ward triangular intended build stone walls towers unknown defended time siege suggested surrounded timber south castle spur stands connected hill siege engines approach level ground inner defences strongest point cluster towers connected thick wall inner ward knights undertook building programme site castle defended stone curtain wall square towers projected slightly main entrance towers eastern gate northwest tower center courtyard surrounded vaulted chambers lay land dictated castle irregular shape site natural defences typical location castles steep slopes provided defences sides bar castle defences concentrated phase building incorporated later castle construction 13th century new walls surrounding inner court built followed earlier walls narrow gap west south turned gallery defenders missiles area walls supported sloping provided additional protection siege weapons earthquakes large round towers project vertically accommodation knights garrison peak southwest tower designed house rooms grand master knights defences walls inner longer survive places extend entire circuit absent southern face area inner court outer walls narrow accommodation east defences weakest open filled acted moat water supply castle north end small courtyard chapel southern end raised rest courtyard vaulted area beneath provided storage acted shelter missiles lining west courtyard hall knights probably built 12th century interior dates 13th century delicate decoration sophisticated example gothic architecture probably dating chapel current chapel probably built replace destroyed earthquake east end original chapel housed small south wall survive original chapel later chapel barrel vault design considered contemporary standards france bears similarities built divided roughly equal bays runs round chapel point vault ends wall begins oriented roughly east west metres long metres wide main entrance west second smaller north wall castle early 13th century entrance moved south wall chapel lit windows west end east bay south central bay east end large window second chapel discovered outside castle main entrance longer survives outer ward second phase building work undertaken began early 13th century lasted decades outer walls built major construction site lending current appearance standing metres high outer circuit towers projected strongly wall towers inner court square plan project far wall towers 13th century outer walls rounded design new contemporary castles rounded towers technique developed france richard extension southeast lesser quality rest circuit built unknown date probably added north wall arrow slits walls towers distributed minimize dead ground castle crowned walls offering defenders way projectiles enemies foot wall cramped inside box unusual complex comparable features castles bore similarities muslim work contemporary defences citadel unclear imitated date added unknown provide evidence military ideas muslim christian armies defences accessed wall walk known opinion historian defences outer wall elaborate developed latin east structure brilliantly designed built fighting machine outer walls built 13th century main entrance enhanced vaulted corridor led outer gate northeast corridor turn halfway length making example bent entrance bent entrances byzantine innovation particularly complex example extended metres length murder holes allowed defenders shower attackers missiles going straight ahead following turn emerge area castle circuits walls access inner ward passage followed round despite predominantly military character castle sites art form preserved medieval discovered later plaster white wash decayed painted interior exterior main chapel chapel outside main entrance longer survives writing historian noted time little investigation provide comparison remains found chapel painted masonry rebuild mold smoke moisture difficult preserve nature red blue inside chapel means difficult assess exterior chapel depicted presentation jesus temple
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