Bani Qahtan Castle
| Bani Qahtan Castle | |
|---|---|
| Latakia Governorate, Syria | |
  Bani Qahtan Castle | |
| Coordinates | 35°35′N 36°04′E / 35.583°N 36.067°E |
| Type | Castle |
Bani Qahtan castle (Arabic: قلعة بني قحطان) is found in the Syrian Coastal Mountains, about 40 km from Latakia city.
History[edit]
The castle which was known as Bikisrail,[1] was controlled by Byzantine doux of Antioch, Niketas of Mistheia, in 1032.[2] It was later captured by Crusaders led by Tancred in 1111.[3] The castle was later mentioned as being a stronghold in the hands of Nizari Ismaili in 1131, who surrendered it to Saladin in 1188.
Structure[edit]
The castle is totally damaged and not much remained from it, as its ruins are dated back to the 12th century. It is reached by car road through Baniyas-Jableh road from west. External walls are well preserved, which contain the whole massive of the castle. The castle is situated on a high mountain, accessible only from the south through a narrow piece of land.
References[edit]
- ^ France 2002, p. 91
- ^ Theotokis & Meško 2020, p. 256.
- ^ "Qalaat Bani Qahtan". Monuments of Syria. 1 January 2014.
Bibliography[edit]
- France, John (2002), Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades 1000-1300, Routledge, ISBN 9781135365066
- Theotokis, Georgios; Meško, Marek (2020). War in Eleventh-Century Byzantium. Routledge. ISBN 9780429576881.
