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Castle of al-Al

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402: 426: 414: 157:('Mirror of time in histories of the notables'), adds or modifies several of Qalanisi's details: Tughtegin's attack took place during the night, and his return to Damascus happened at a much later date, in February/March 1106. More such details come from al-Jawzi and another historian who used Qalanisi's chronicle as a source, 247:(c. 25 acres). Further possible Crusader-period findings were the large ashlars with chiselled margins found in traces of walls visible beneath the modern village, which could suggest that a large medieval building had once protected the spring located in the wadi below, possibly associated with the fortress. 323:
The triangular rocky spur measures about 110 metres (360 ft) from north to south, with its northern side about 90 metres (300 ft) wide. It is bordered by slopes to the east and west, with the level northern approach once protected by a just faintly discernible ditch, followed inward by a
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surveyed the area in the 1930s and identified the fortified spur known as Qasr Bardawil with a Crusader castle mentioned in a Damascene chronicle, allegedly built by King Baldwin I. Deschamps argued that Qasr Bardawil was a Crusader castle, which dominated a village by the name of al-'Al Pringle
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of Damascus, captured it, returning to Damascus with a huge amount of booty on December 24 of the same year. Qalanisi describes Toghtekin's motive as his fear that, once the allegedly impregnable castle was completed, it would be more difficult to "undo". He makes however no explicit mention of
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in Arabic chronicles. The legend with all its elements (construction year 1105, with Hugh of St. Omer, who did indeed build Toron, as the man put in charge) was copied from one author to the next, from medieval chroniclers to noted modern medievalists such as
817:, p. 117: "Identified by Deschamps and others as a castle built by Baldwin I in 1105 ... However, more recent survey suggests the occupation to be principally Middle Bronze Age II." (October 2021: page not accessible on Google Books.) 226:, built by the Crusaders in the region. The uncompleted castle of al-Al was first used in 1105 and Hugh was killed returning there after a successful raid in Damascene territory, after which Toghtekin, not wishing to have a 389:
In spite of the site's location and Arabic name, the survey results exclude it from being the Crusader castle mentioned by Qalanisi. Therefore, Micaela Sinibaldi considers the castle to be, as of 2014, still unidentified.
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stronghold less than two days' march of Damascus, attacked and easily conquered site, killing or taking captive the defenders. The Franks then abandoned the site as too difficult to defend, relocating to
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A 1969 survey of the village of al-'Al revealed pottery typical of the Crusader period in the centre of the village, where ancient ruins of different ages were identified over an area of about 100
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is an accurate chronology of events. According to Sharon's 1997 theory, all medieval Muslim chronicles after al-Qalanisi are sourced on him and therefore do not prove the castle's existence.
989: 733: 168:(CIAP), states that there has been no such castle at all. He considers it to be a legend that must have begun with someone identifying the Arabic name of the site, Qasr Bardawil ( 357:
is the way the Frankish name of King Baldwin is rendered in Arabic. This fact and the site's location made it appear to be a good candidate for the castle mentioned by Qalanisi.
974: 401: 161:(1160-1233): the castle had a garrison of no less than 200 men, and Tughtegin destroyed the castle after assessing the position as too exposed to Frankish counter-attacks. 984: 1004: 721: 340: 274: 103:
Al-Qalanisi, a politician and historian from nearby Damascus, is the only contemporary chronicler of the castle's existence and history.
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The identification with the ruins at the site of Qasr Bardawil was abandoned after it being classified as a
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The Damascus Chronicle of the Crusades: Extracted and translated from the chronicle of Ibn Al-Qalanisi
994: 675: 328:, of which only traces of the oval and rectangular chambers remain along with masses of collapsed 834: 302:) is an archaeological site on the Golan Heights containing the ruins of a fortified settlement. 70: 836:
A History of the Crusades, Volume Two: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East, 1100-1187
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A 1968 archaeological survey of the site concluded that its main habitation period dates to the
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Settlement in Crusader Transjordan (1100–1189): a Historical and Archaeological Study
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Secular Buildings in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: An Archaeological Gazetteer
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politician and historian Ibn al-Qalanisi (c. 1071–1160), who writes that the
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by Maxime Goepp (in French), 15 May 2005, with good photos of Qasr Bardawil.
693:. Unabridged reprint of first edition, London: Luzac (1932). pp. 71–2. 158: 93: 192: 839:(1999 reprint of 1st ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 95. 889:. Cardiff University (PhD in Archaeology thesis). pp. 17–18, 56–57 310: 306: 196: 58: 53:, "Qal'at al-'Al") was, according to contemporary Damascene chronicler 135: 918: 374: 329: 139: 734:"Three Coins of Alexander Jannaeus from El 'AI in the Golan Heights" 170: 635:
A Seigneury on the Eastern Border of the Kingdom of Jerusalem: The
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It held a strategic position that could potentially control the
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Judea Samaria and the Golan – the archaeological survey of 1968
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fortifications, due to lack of medieval material at the site.
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Judea, Samaria and the Golan: Archaeological Survey 1967-1968
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12th-century disestablishments in the Kingdom of Jerusalem
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Qasr Bardawil, Bronze Age site on the Golan Heights (2021)
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meaning castle), with the Crusader king Baldwin I, called
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lists the ruins at Qasr Bardawil under "Rejects" in his
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quotes "Deschaps and others" as supporting this theory.
195:, in 1968, and published in 1972, dated the site to the 107:, Qalanisi's first English translator, claims that the 27:
Crusader castle in the Golan Heights, not yet identified
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Castles and fortifications of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
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The survey which excluded Qasr Bardawil as an option.
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Bulletin of the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society
985:1100s establishments in the Kingdom of Jerusalem 966: 191:done by Israeli archaeologists right after the 909: 596:Pringle (1997), Qal'at Hunin (No. 164), p. 79. 238: 632:Devais, Cèdric (2010). James Schryver (ed.). 96:considers it to be a mere legend rooted in a 720:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 531:Pringle (1997), Qasr Bardawil (R14), p. 117. 80:. The location is described as "between the 862:Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae 553: 551: 549: 547: 545: 543: 541: 539: 537: 335: 255: 166:Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae 565: 563: 470: 468: 466: 251:Rejected identification with Qasr Bardawil 126:The history of the castle is based on the 57:, a short-lived castle built in 1105 near 1005:Archaeological sites on the Golan Heights 879: 599: 527: 525: 523: 521: 519: 517: 515: 513: 511: 419:Qasr Bardawil, the Bronze Age site (2021) 128:Continuation of the Chronicle of Damascus 832: 613: 611: 534: 790: 755: 728: 683:Gibb, H. A. R. (transl., ed.) (2002) . 560: 463: 218:The castle was one of three, including 14: 967: 631: 508: 488: 486: 484: 482: 480: 864:(CIAP) Volume Two: B-C. BRILL, 1997, 608: 456: 454: 452: 450: 448: 446: 682: 955:Château de Baudouin (Qasr Bardawil) 923:The Archaeological Survey of Israel 557:Sinibaldi (2014), pp. 17-18, 56-57. 477: 407:1935 vertical aerial view of al-'Al 268: 205:The Archaeological Survey of Israel 50: 24: 903: 569:Devais (2010), p. 74 with note 16. 443: 147:Toghtekin demolishing the castle. 138:built the castle in 1105 and that 25: 1016: 948: 155:Mirāt al-Zamān fī Tārīkh al-Ā‘yān 501:Gibb (2002), "Introduction", p. 424: 412: 400: 164:Moshe Sharon, in his monumental 130:, the main work of contemporary 624: 69:, the man put in charge of the 800:. Cambridge University Press. 590: 572: 495: 13: 1: 580:Hunin Fortress (Qal’at Hunin) 436: 384: 360: 7: 880:Sinibaldi, Micaela (2014). 617:Gibson & Urman (1990-1) 239:Crusader findings at al-'Al 100:, with no historical base. 10: 1021: 833:Runciman, Steven (1999) . 827:. Accessed 4 October 2021. 767:Cambridge University Press 641:. BRILL. pp. 71–92 . 393: 153:(c. 1185–1256), author of 121: 29: 1000:Medieval history of Syria 290:32.8197861°N 35.7423806°E 876:. Accessed 19 July 2019. 336:Attempted identification 256:Location and description 30:Not to be confused with 980:Principality of Galilee 942:, p. 286, No. 171. 474:Runciman (1999), p. 95. 821:Qal'at Hunin (No. 164) 769:. pp. 40, 52–53. 605:Kennedy (2001), p. 40. 587:, accessed 4 Oct 2021. 460:Gibb (2002), pp. 71-2. 295:32.8197861; 35.7423806 492:Sharon (1997), p. 34. 189:archaeological survey 959:Forteresses d'Orient 367:Middle Bronze Age II 815:Qasr Bardawil (R14) 286: /  109:Damascene Chronicle 691:Dover Publications 330:unmortared masonry 67:Hugh of Saint Omer 700:978-0-486-42519-1 151:Sibt ibn al-Jawzi 98:popular etymology 18:Fortress of al-Al 16:(Redirected from 1012: 995:Castles in Syria 941: 935: 898: 896: 894: 888: 857: 855: 853: 811: 787: 785: 783: 762:Crusader Castles 752: 750: 748: 738: 725: 719: 711: 709: 707: 679: 673: 669: 667: 659: 657: 655: 618: 615: 606: 603: 597: 594: 588: 576: 570: 567: 558: 555: 532: 529: 506: 499: 493: 490: 475: 472: 461: 458: 428: 416: 404: 349: 319:Lake of Tiberias 301: 300: 298: 297: 296: 291: 287: 284: 283: 282: 279: 270: 52: 21: 1020: 1019: 1015: 1014: 1013: 1011: 1010: 1009: 965: 964: 951: 943: 925: 906: 904:Further reading 901: 892: 890: 886: 860:Sharon, Moshe. 851: 849: 847: 808: 781: 779: 777: 746: 744: 736: 713: 712: 705: 703: 701: 689:. Mineola, NY: 671: 670: 661: 660: 653: 651: 649: 627: 622: 621: 616: 609: 604: 600: 595: 591: 585:Carta Jerusalem 577: 573: 568: 561: 556: 535: 530: 509: 500: 496: 491: 478: 473: 464: 459: 444: 439: 432: 429: 420: 417: 408: 405: 396: 387: 363: 343: 338: 294: 292: 288: 285: 280: 277: 275: 273: 272: 271:, coordinates: 258: 253: 241: 224:castle at Toron 124: 55:Ibn al-Qalanisi 39:Castle of al-Al 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1018: 1008: 1007: 1002: 997: 992: 987: 982: 977: 963: 962: 950: 949:External links 947: 946: 945: 913:, ed. (1972). 911:Kochavi, Moshe 905: 902: 900: 899: 877: 858: 845: 830: 829: 828: 818: 806: 792:Pringle, Denys 788: 775: 753: 732:; Urman, Dan. 730:Gibson, Shimon 726: 699: 680: 647: 637:Terre de Suète 628: 626: 623: 620: 619: 607: 598: 589: 571: 559: 533: 507: 494: 476: 462: 441: 440: 438: 435: 434: 433: 430: 423: 421: 418: 411: 409: 406: 399: 395: 392: 386: 383: 362: 359: 341:Paul Deschamps 337: 334: 257: 254: 252: 249: 240: 237: 123: 120: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1017: 1006: 1003: 1001: 998: 996: 993: 991: 988: 986: 983: 981: 978: 976: 973: 972: 970: 960: 956: 953: 952: 939: 933: 929: 924: 920: 917:(in Hebrew). 916: 912: 908: 907: 885: 884: 878: 875: 871: 870:9789004110830 867: 863: 859: 848: 846:0-521-34771-8 842: 838: 837: 831: 826: 822: 819: 816: 813: 812: 809: 807:9780521460101 803: 799: 798: 793: 789: 778: 776:9780521799133 772: 768: 764: 763: 758: 757:Kennedy, Hugh 754: 742: 735: 731: 727: 723: 717: 702: 696: 692: 688: 687: 681: 677: 665: 650: 648:9789004181755 644: 640: 639: 636: 630: 629: 614: 612: 602: 593: 586: 582: 581: 575: 566: 564: 554: 552: 550: 548: 546: 544: 542: 540: 538: 528: 526: 524: 522: 520: 518: 516: 514: 512: 504: 498: 489: 487: 485: 483: 481: 471: 469: 467: 457: 455: 453: 451: 449: 447: 442: 427: 422: 415: 410: 403: 398: 397: 391: 382: 380: 376: 372: 371:Denys Pringle 368: 358: 356: 352: 347: 342: 333: 331: 327: 326:casemate wall 321: 320: 316: 312: 308: 303: 299: 281:35°44′32.57″E 278:32°49′11.23″N 266: 262: 261:Qasr Bardawil 248: 246: 236: 234: 233:Cave de Suète 229: 225: 221: 216: 214: 213:Moshe Kochavi 210: 206: 202: 198: 194: 190: 186: 182: 177: 173: 172: 167: 162: 160: 156: 152: 148: 145: 141: 137: 133: 129: 119: 117: 112: 110: 106: 105:H. A. R. Gibb 101: 99: 95: 91: 87: 83: 79: 76: 72: 68: 64: 63:Golan Heights 60: 56: 48: 44: 40: 33: 32:Iaal Fortress 19: 958: 914: 891:. Retrieved 882: 861: 850:. Retrieved 835: 820: 814: 796: 780:. Retrieved 761: 745:. Retrieved 740: 704:. Retrieved 685: 654:30 September 652:. Retrieved 638: 634: 625:Bibliography 601: 592: 579: 574: 497: 388: 364: 354: 353: 339: 322: 304: 260: 259: 242: 220:Chastel Neuf 217: 200: 187:, until the 175: 169: 163: 159:Ibn al-Athir 154: 149: 127: 125: 113: 108: 102: 94:Moshe Sharon 86:al-Bathaniya 42: 38: 36: 926: [ 893:7 September 852:7 September 706:7 September 672:|work= 344: [ 293: / 193:Six-Day War 969:Categories 437:References 385:Conclusion 307:Roman road 269:قصر بردويل 197:Bronze Age 116:Bronze Age 92:historian 51:قلعة العال 919:Jerusalem 782:4 October 759:(2001) . 747:4 October 716:cite book 674:ignored ( 664:cite book 375:gazetteer 361:Rejection 211:, editor 140:Toghtekin 132:Damascene 78:Baldwin I 794:(1997). 379:Crusader 355:Bardawil 315:Damascus 228:Frankish 222:and the 181:Runciman 176:Bardawil 394:Gallery 122:History 90:Israeli 71:Galilee 61:on the 41:, also 868:  843:  804:  773:  697:  645:  311:Baysan 265:Arabic 245:dunams 185:Prawer 144:atabeg 136:Franks 118:site. 59:al-‘Al 47:Arabic 43:ʿAlʿāl 938:Carta 934:] 887:(PDF) 872:, p. 823:, p. 737:(PDF) 348:] 309:from 209:Carta 82:Sawad 936:and 895:2020 866:ISBN 854:2020 841:ISBN 802:ISBN 784:2021 771:ISBN 749:2021 722:link 708:2020 695:ISBN 676:help 656:2021 643:ISBN 207:and 183:and 171:qasr 84:and 75:King 37:The 957:at 377:of 313:to 215:). 88:". 73:by 65:by 971:: 932:en 930:; 928:he 921:: 874:34 825:79 765:. 739:. 718:}} 714:{{ 668:: 666:}} 662:{{ 610:^ 583:. 562:^ 536:^ 510:^ 503:10 479:^ 465:^ 445:^ 346:fr 332:. 267:: 235:. 203:, 142:, 49:: 940:. 897:. 856:. 810:. 786:. 751:. 724:) 710:. 678:) 658:. 505:. 263:( 199:( 45:( 34:. 20:)

Index

Fortress of al-Al
Iaal Fortress
Arabic
Ibn al-Qalanisi
al-‘Al
Golan Heights
Hugh of Saint Omer
Galilee
King
Baldwin I
Sawad
al-Bathaniya
Israeli
Moshe Sharon
popular etymology
H. A. R. Gibb
Bronze Age
Damascene
Franks
Toghtekin
atabeg
Sibt ibn al-Jawzi
Ibn al-Athir
Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae
qasr
Runciman
Prawer
archaeological survey
Six-Day War
Bronze Age

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