A Brief History Of Crusader Castles In Jordan

Jordan is a cradle of ancient civilizations that left remarkable stamps on the treasured history of the country. Jordan has six Crusader castles, so named because they were built during or served important purposes during the Crusades—read our guide to some of their highlights and their glorious histories.

Kerak Castle

Kerak Castle, built in the 12th century, is one of the largest Crusader castles in the Levant region. According to Biblical tradition, Kerak was designed by the king of Israel.
In the early 1170s, the Crusader kingdom was ruled by Reynald of Châtillon, a notorious leader who took joy in savage acts such as throwing prisoners off the castle wall onto the rocks below. When the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin launched his attack on the Crusader kingdom and executed the tyrant himself, Kerak eventually fell under Saladin’s rule. The castle holds the honor of being the first site to use contemporary artillery in the Middle East.
On December 18, 2016, the castle was attacked by ISIS, who killed more than 10 people and injured more than 34.

Montreal Castle

Vaux Moise

Vaux Moise, or the Valley of Moses, is a small castle in Wadi Rum, also built by King Baldwin, that served an an outstation for the main castle of Montreal.

Helim

It was built in the 12th century by the Crusaders. During the siege of Saladin, the city and its fortress fell in his rule. Two centuries later, it was claimed and rebuilt by Qansah Al-Ghouri, one of the last Mamluks sultans. The Fortress is located on Pharaoh’s Island, a small island close to Aqaba and Egyptian Taba.
Today, all of these castles are well-preserved, marvelous archaeological sites that are open to visitors from all around the world.

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