Crusaders and Castles in Jordan

During our trip to Jordan, we visited two different castles that were active during the time of the Crusades. So, a bit old :-)

One was Karak Castle, south of Amman, and off the road known as Kings Highway. From the Jordan Tourism Board's website, some information on Karak Castle.

"While the castle we see today essentially dates back to the 12th century, Karak has been a fortress since biblical times. The Bible relates how the King of Israel and his allies from Judah and Edom ravaged Moab and besieged its king Mesha in the fortress of Kir Heres, as Karak was then known. Centuries later, it took the Crusaders some twenty years to erect their vast castle." It was finished in 1161. (http://www.visitjordan.com/default.aspx?tabid=163).

If you've seen the film "Kingdom of Heaven", the story is set at Karak Castle. (The actual castle was not used in the filming.) The Jordan website notes that Karak is an example of "the Crusader's architectural military genius."

The other castle we visited was north of Amman, called AlJoun (or Aljun, in some publications).  This one was built by the Ottomans, to defend against the Crusaders. Details about AlJoun, from the Jordan Tourism Board's website ... 

"Aljun Castle (Qal'at Ar-Rabad) was built by one of Saladin's generals in 1184 AD to control the iron mines of Ajlun, and to deter the Franks from invading Ajlun. Ajlun Castle dominated the three main routes leading to the Jordan Valley and protected the trade and commercial routes between Jordan and Syria; it became an important link in the defensive chain against the Crusaders, who, unsuccessfully spent decades trying to catpure the castle and the nearby village." (http://www.visitjordan.com/default.aspx?tabid=169)

AlJoun is up on a mountain. The week before we visited, areas of Jordan experienced a snowfall of several feet. There was still snow on the ground in the higher elevations, including AlJoun.

Walking the grounds and around the crumbled walls of both of these castles, you could easily imagine knights and soldiers walking those same grounds and halls all those years ago; easily imagine the sounds of voices and armor and weapons, and the smells of smoking fires and the sight of eager lookouts and ardent battles to defend the massive buildings and surrounding cities.

Copy of a photo from Google, showing AlJoun castle up on the mountain. To get there, Fadi (our guide) had to drive several kilometers through winding mountain roads and small city streets.