Things people “know” about Crusader castles
Some are half true. Some are just wrong.
Myth Crac des Chevaliers was built in one go.
Fact ICOMOS dates the first building phase to 1142 to 1190, the second to 1190 to 1200 and the third to 1200 to 1271. ICOMOS evaluation for UNESCO: Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (2006) ICOMOS says the Mamluks also built new structures such as “the massive square tower on the south side (Qalawun, in 1285)”. ICOMOS evaluation for UNESCO: Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (2006)
Myth Crusader castles just copied castles in Europe.
Fact UNESCO says these castles differed from the more passive defence systems of European castles. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din UNESCO says the Crusader castles show influences passing between peoples, and how fortification developed in the Byzantine, Crusader and Islamic periods. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din
Myth The Knights of St John were only ever soldiers.
Fact By 1080, monks led by Brother Gerard ran a hospital in Jerusalem for pilgrims who fell ill. Museum of the Order of St John: History of the Order The Hospitallers cared for anyone, whatever their race or faith. Museum of the Order of St John: History of the Order
Myth When Acre fell in 1291, the knights’ story ended.
Fact After 1291 the Order moved briefly to Cyprus, then in 1309 to Rhodes. Museum of the Order of St John: History of the Order The Knights of St John held Rhodes from 1309 to 1523. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Medieval City of Rhodes
Myth Everyone agrees when the Knights left Rhodes.
Fact The Knights of St John held Rhodes from 1309 to 1523. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Medieval City of Rhodes Rhodes finally fell in 1522 after a six-month siege. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Medieval City of Rhodes
Myth Crusader castles are only found in the Holy Land.
Fact After 1530, the Order of St John named the old castle Fort St Angelo and made it their headquarters. Heritage Malta: Fort St Angelo Henry II gave the manor of Strood to the Knights Templar in 1159. English Heritage: History of Temple Manor
Myth Crac des Chevaliers has always had that name.
Fact In the early 11th century, the site was the Castle of the Kurds. ICOMOS evaluation for UNESCO: Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (2006) Today the castle is known as Qal’at al-Hosn. ICOMOS evaluation for UNESCO: Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (2006)
Myth Castles stopped mattering once guns arrived.
Fact Firing posts for artillery were the last features added to the walls. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Medieval City of Rhodes In 1689 the engineer Carlos Grunenbergh added four gun platforms for some fifty guns. Heritage Malta: Fort St Angelo
Myth Acre’s Crusader city was lost for ever.
Fact The Crusader city survives almost intact beneath the Ottoman city, and excavation has been revealing it. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Old City of Acre When the city was rebuilt in the 18th century, the Crusader buildings were used as foundations, keeping the Crusader street plan. ICOMOS evaluation for UNESCO: Old City of Acre (2001)
Myth Nobody had proper toilets in the Middle Ages.
Fact In the Hospitaller complex, a 10-metre-tall vaulted toilet room had rows of eight seats draining into a collection room below. Old Akko & Nazareth Development Company: The Knights Halls Finding a complete public toilet system like this is rare; the few similar ones are in 13th and 14th century monasteries and hospitals in England and Wales. Old Akko & Nazareth Development Company: The Knights Halls
Want pupils to weigh the evidence for themselves? The Crusader Castles History Detective Pack asks when the Knights of St John left Rhodes and why the sources give different dates, with six short sources and their provenance, an evidence table, a dates task, a judgement task and full answers (paid download, $4.49 USD, A4 and US Letter).