IISA Medieval Castles Student Workbook

IISA
A Week Without

Walls
~Crusader Castles ~
2008
Student Booklet
________________________

Table of Contents
3 Trip Information

4–5 Itinerary

6 Student Work Groups and Hotel Roommates

7–9 Coat of Arms Activity

10 Essential Questions

11 Mapping Our Journey Activity

12 – 15 The Crusades – Historical Information

16 – 17 Qala’at Salah ad-Din Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

18 – 19 Qala’at Salah ad-Din Topographic Map Activity

20 Ugarit Background Information

21 – 22 Ugarit Discovery Walk Activity

23 – 24 Qala’at Marqab Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

25 – 27 Qala’at Marqab Architectural Features Activity

28 – 29 Musyaf Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

30 Musyaf Feudalism Activity

31 Safita and Hosn Suleiman Background Information

32 – 33 How High is the Castle Activity

34 – 35 How Heavy is the Stone Block Activity

36 – 37 Krak des Chevaliers Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

38 – 39 Krak des Chevaliers Crusader Quest Activity

40 – 41 Krak des Chevaliers Creating a Legend Activity

42 – 46 A Knight’s Tale – Journal Activity

47 Self Evaluation

All Information taken from:
Burn, Ross. Monuments of Syria. An Historical Guide. 1999
The Lonely Planet- Syria and Lebanon. 2004

Contact Details

School: 00 000 00 0000000

Trip Chaperones:
Mr. White
Mr. Red
Ms. Blue
Ms. Green
Mr. Yellow
Ms. Orange
Mr. Black

Hotels:
Lattakia – Palace Hotel
Tartus – Grand Hotel
Krak des Chevalier – Bebers Hotel

What To Take:

In a SMALL suitcase:
• Jacket
• Boots/shoes (flat heels) to hike in
• Pajamas, Underwear, and socks for 5 days
• Clothing for 5 days you can layer if it is cold, but can be comfortable in if it is hot (t-
shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweaters) Pants, shorts and a swimsuit
• Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, hair brush/comb, and other toiletries

In a Backpack:
1. Lunch for the first day
2. Spending money
3. Your work booklet
4. Any medication you take (tell your supervisor you are carrying it)
5. Snacks for on the bus and hotel room
6. Flashlight
7. Sunglasses and a hat to shade from the sun
8. Pencil case with blue pen, red pen, ruler, pencil, eraser, highlighter
9. Clipboard to rest your booklet on (optional)
10. Camera (optional)
11. Mobile Phone and MP3 player (optional, and NOT to be used when we are at sites – if
used it will be confiscated – you are taking this at your own risk)

What NOT to take:
• ANY Electronic Games
• Laptops
• ANYTHING that would NOT be allowed at school

3

Week Without Walls
Grades 6 & 7 – Crusader Castles
Tentative Itinerary

Day 1 – Sunday 30th:
8:00 Depart for Saladin Castle
11:00 Arrive Saladin Castle
11:30 – 12:30 Guided tour of Saladin Castle (3-4 guides)
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch – packed from home
2:00 – 3:30 Topography Activity
3:30 Depart for Ugarit
4:00 – 5:00 Ugarit discovery walk
5:30 Check in at hotel – Palace Hotel
6:30 – 7:30 Dinner and reflection
7:30 - ???

Day 2 – Monday 31st:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Depart for Marqab
10:30 – 12:00 Guided tour of Marqab (3-4 guides)
12:00 – 1:00 Activity
1:00 – 1:30 Lunch at Marqab (shawarmas and fallafal)
1:30 Depart for Musyaf
2:00 Arrive Musyaf
2:00 – 3:00 Guided tour of Musyaf
3:00 – 4:00 Activity
4:30 Depart for Tartous
5:30 Arrive in Tartous – Grand Hotel
7:30 – 9:30 Movie (Robin Hood?)

Day 3 – Tuesday 1st: (Castles Closed)
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Depart for Safita and Hosn Suleiman
10:30 Arrive Safita and tour Qala Yahmur (30 min?)
11:30 – 12:00 Drive to Hosn Suleiman
12:00 – 1:00 Activity at Hosn Suleiman (something with math and size of blocks?)
Lunch??? Pick up Shawarmas in Safita? And eat on bus
1:00 Depart for Tartous
2:00 Arrive Tartous ferry dock and depart for Arwad Island
3:00 – 4:30 Tour Castle on Arwad and Corniche with Phoenician blocks
4:30 Return to docks
5:30 Return to hotel – Grand Hotel
7:00 – 9:00 Movie at hotel (First Knight?)

4

Day 4 – Wednesday 2nd:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Depart for Krak des Chevaliers
10:00 - 11:30 Guided tour of Krak (3-4 guides)
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch at Krak restaurant and free time to explore
12:30 – 1:30 Introduction to Writing a Legend Script Activity
1:30 – 3:00 Crusader Quest grade 7 / Legend activity grade 6
3:00 – 4:30 Crusader Quest grade 6 / Legend activity grade 7
5:00 Depart for hotel
7:00 – 8:00 Legend Work Time
8:00 – 10:00 Bonfire

Day 5 – Thursday 3rd:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Depart for Krak
9:30 – 11:00 Legend Work Time – Rehearse and practice scripts
11:00 – 12:00 Presentation of Legends
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch at Krak
1:00 Depart for Aleppo
Lunch – shawarmas and fallafal to go

6

Teams of Knights

Grade 6: (students)

Hotel Roommates

Grade 7: (students)

Hotel Roommates

7

Team Coat of Arms Activity
Why did a knight need to have a coat of arms?

In the 12th century, knights began wearing helmets that completely concealed their faces
except for two narrow slits for the eyes. It made a knight unrecognizable to both his friends
and his enemies. Symbols such as lions or other beasts were painted on the knights’ shields
and banners to aid in recognition during a battle. As time went on these decorations were
repeated on the surcoat (a sleeveless garment that was worn over armor) – therefore the
name, coat of arms. By the 15th century, as the designs became more complex, it developed
into a complicated science called heraldry – a system of personal symbols by which a knight
could be recognized.

Parts of a Coat of Arms:

Ribbon & Motto- A ribbon could be placed above the entire coat of arms or at the bottom of
the shield. A motto (short goal or idea) is placed on the ribbon.

Crest- On some coats of arms a crest is included that almost always sets on top of a Torse.

Torse- Twisted fabrics make up a Torse that contains the same colors as the shield and one
color of metal (gold or silver). The Torse sits on the helm or helmet, and some say it is there to
hold the Mantling in place.

Mantling- (this is usually on a coat of arms only if there is also a helm or helmet shown)- The
Mantling may represent the tattered hooded capes or cloaks worn by a warrior after battle
and is usually all one color on a coat of arms.

Helm- Helm and helmet are the same thing and different helmets symbolize specific classes
such as Bards, Earls, and Peers.

Supporter- Typically the supporters are humans or animals that hold the shield on either
side.

Compartment- The compartment is the area on the coat of arms at the bottom of the shield.
The compartment is there to hold the shield up and in many cases it is made to look like the
ground.

Shield and Arms- The shield and arms make up the design on the shield itself. Traditionally,
a woman’s shield would have been in the shape of a diamond, instead of the shape seen
below. Since a coat of arms was an honor given to a specific person, each one was unique.
Pieces of a coat of arms might be used in a family emblem, however, individuals who were
given this award could have an emblem different from their family’s coat of arms.

8

Create Your Own Coat of Arms
There are very specific rules for designing a coat of arms.

1. Partition the background with lines. You may use any of the designs pictured
below or create a design of your own.

2. Choose a combination of the following colors: black, green, red, purple, gold
or silver to color in your background.

3. Draw a fanciful animal as part of your
design.

4. Complete your coat of arms with any
personal or family symbols.

9

Essential Questions

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________
10

Mapping our Journey

Use the following map to identify all of the locations we visit. Mark the map to
identify each location and create a key. Use the latitude and longitude to
estimate the correct coordinates of each location.

Locations

Aleppo

36.2˚N 37.2˚E

Qala’at Salah ad-Din

_______ _______

Qala’at Marqab

_______ _______

Musyaf

_______ _______

Safita

_______ _______

Krak des Chevaliers

_______ _______

11

What were the Crusades?
The medieval "Crusade" was a holy war. For a conflict to be officially considered a Crusade, it
had to be approved by the pope and conducted against groups seen as enemies of
Christendom. Initially, only expeditions to the Holy Land (Jerusalem and associated
territory) were considered Crusades. More recently, historians have also recognized
campaigns against heretics, pagans and Muslims in Europe as Crusades.

Nowadays, countries have people from all kinds of religions, but in the Middle Ages almost
everyone in Europe was Christian. Western Christians were all members of the Catholic
Church, and the Pope was the head of the Church. All the Christian countries together were
called Christendom. Sometimes the countries of Christendom could work together and most
famously did so during the Crusades – the Wars of the Cross. The Christians wanted to win
back their Holy City, Jerusalem, from the Muslim armies; however, Jerusalem was also a
Holy City for the Muslims, so the Muslim leaders were just as determined to win. The
Crusades eventually failed, in part because of the disagreements arising between different
Christian kings.

How the Crusades Began
For centuries, Jerusalem had been governed by Muslims, but Christian pilgrims were
tolerated because these visitors helped the economy. In the 1070s though, Turks (who were
also Muslim) conquered the Holy Land and mistreated Christians before realizing how useful
their good will (and money) could be. The Turks also threatened the Byzantine Empire.
Emperor Alexius asked the pope for assistance, and Pope Urban II, seeing a way to harness
the violent energy of Christian knights, made a speech calling for Christians to take back
Jerusalem. Thousands responded, resulting in the First Crusade.

There is no doubt that the Crusades contributed greatly to changes in Europe. The effort of
raising armies and providing supplies for Crusaders stimulated the economy. Trade
benefited as well, especially once the Crusader States were established. Interaction between
the East and West affected European culture in areas of art and architecture, literature and
education. Finally, Pope Urban's vision of directing the energies of warring knights outward
succeeded in reducing conflict within Europe. The creation of a common foe and objective
renewed feelings of unity within Christendom, even for those who didn't participate in the
Crusade. On the other hand, the Crusades had a much smaller impact on the societies living
in and around the Holy Land.

Crusader Castles
The Crusader castles that rise from the Syrian hilltops and mountain crags remain the clearest
legacy of the 200-year struggle for the Holy Land between the Christians of Europe and the
12

Muslims of the east. The massive size and intricate craftsmanship of these structures are
characteristic of fortresses that were intended to house and protect inhabitants from any
enemy.

The Europeans who embarked on the First Crusade at the end of the 11th century were
predominantly Frankish, and the basic traditions of Crusader castle construction can be
traced to the country we now call France. Throughout Western Europe, fortification
technology had developed from the days of Roman camps and forts and throughout the
Middle Ages. Despite these developments, there was not standard blueprint for Frankish
castle construction. The nature of castle construction was dictated more by the topography of
a chosen site than by strict adherence to a specific building pattern. The greatest skill of

Frankish engineers was their ability to adapt designs that suited the demands of specific
terrain, whether it was a precipitous mountain peak or a harbour-side promontory. This was
equally true in Syria, where the fortifications in coastal towns like Tartus and the
impregnable hilltop castle of Krak des Chevaliers used similar forms of castle technology but
were fundamentally different in design, appearance, and function.

It is likely that the Crusaders greatly extended their knowledge military architecture during
the lengthy march to the Holy Land. They must have been amazed by the walls of
Constantinople, and they discovered first-hand the effectiveness of ancient Byzantine
fortifications during their long sieges of Nicaea (1097) and Antioch (1098). It is also
interesting to speculate upon possible Armenian influences on the Crusades. The path of the
Crusaders brought them into contact with Armenian populations in the principality of
Antioch and also in Edessa. The Armenians had a tradition of constructing true castles,
rather than city defenses, on elevated or mountainous locations. Armenian castles were

13

frequently built with an outer wall that closely followed the line of the cliff face, with round
towers spaced regularly along it. These features can be seen in some Syrian Crusader castles,
and it is likely that inspiration came, at least in part, from the Armenians.

Why Build Castles?
Following the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, the Crusaders faced a crisis of human resources.
It is estimated that of the 150,000 Crusaders who embarked on the journey, only 40,000
reached Jerusalem. Many of those who had survived the First Crusade returned home after
the city was captured because they believed they had fulfilled their religious duty of
liberating the Holy Land. Crusader nobles remaining in the Holy Land began constructing a
network of castles along the coast and through the mountains. These castles allowed a
smaller number of knights and soldiers to maintain control over the newly-conquered
territory. The virtue of these great strongholds was demonstrated clearly during the
rampaging campaign of Salah ad-Din in 1180 when the hopelessly outnumbered Crusader
forces retreated to Krak des
Chevaliers and the Muslims, who
did not have the resources or the
time to conduct a siege, had no
option but to reluctantly pass on
by. Of course, once the army had
moved away from the castle
walls, the Crusaders sallied forth
again to recapture the local area
and extract tax money.

Krak des Chevaliers sometimes boasted a garrison of more than two thousand, but it was so
well-designed that it could be defended by as few as two hundred soldiers. Even when the
Muslims managed to control the surrounding lands, the castle itself remained impregnable.

The pattern of castle ownership, like the style of castle construction, changed markedly
during the 200-year period of the Crusades. Initially, individual nobles attempted to create
small, self-ruled estates in the Holy Land similar to those of Western Europe. As the tide
turned in favor of the Muslims, the survival of independent foreign states and eventually of
the whole Crusading movement became increasingly precarious. The defensive capacities of
the great castles became even more important as the plight of the Crusaders became ever
more desperate.

The Master Castle Builders
Increasingly, castle ownership and renovation became the responsibility of the two great elite
military orders, the Knights of St John (or Hospitallers), and the Order of the Knights
Templar. Most of the castles that can still be seen in Syria today were controlled by the
Templars or the Hospitallers in the 13th century, and it was these knights who redesigned and
expanded the fortifications, sometimes to a truly remarkable extent.

14

The architecture of the great Hospitaller castles,
particularly Krak des Chevaliers and Qala’at
Marqab, was distinctly different to that of the
Templars. The dominating, rectangular donjons
favored by the Templars (the best example of
which is at Safita) were not used as extensively
by the Hospitallers. The Hospitallers favored
great, round towers that often projected boldly
from the castle walls to allow the defenders a
wide field of vision and fire.

Both Krak and Marqab were effectively two castles in one, with the main castle being fully
enclosed by a complete outer circuit of heavily fortified walls and towers. The upper
windows of the towers were wide enough to allow large defensive weapons to be deployed
from within.

Castles after the Crusades
In 1291, the last of the Crusaders abandoned the castle of Tortosa (present day Tartus) and
sailed to the fortified offshore island of Arwad. Eleven years later, they left this final refuge
and departed the Holy Land forever. In some ways the Crusading movement can be seen as
a failure. The knights came to protect their shrines and pilgrim routes from the Muslims, but
when the last Crusader sailed from the coast the whole region was in Muslim hands.

Equally, it can be argued that the Crusaders did remarkably well to maintain an active
foreign presence for more than 200 years, despite their isolation, lack of resources and
inability to harness the support of the Christian populations in the east. There is no doubt
that the key to the Crusaders’ stubborn resistance was their construction and use of great
fortifications.

Castle building did not, of course, end with the Crusaders. Hard-won experienced led to the
adoption of the use of large-scale fortifications by the Muslims. Late in the 12th century,
rulers like Nur ad-Din built castles of varying styles at Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Bosra, and
elsewhere, while the Ayyubid rulers of the early 13th century also undertook an extensive
program of fortification. Not surprisingly, there are many similarities between the styles of
the Muslim and Crusader construction. For example, the defensive openings, or
machicolations, that project from the tower overlooking the approach to the gate of the
Aleppo citadel represent a device constructed by the Muslims that is identical to Crusader
workmanship at Krak des Chevaliers.

Military architecture in Western Europe underwent a revision in the years following the
Crusades. Although many subsequent Western European castles incorporated design
features that were conceived in the Holy Land, these fortifications never rivaled the size and
splendor of the Crusader fortresses. Never improved upon, the great Crusader castles, of
which Syria boasts the finest examples, represent the ultimate triumph of the art of defensive
fortification construction.

15

Background Information

The castle Qala’at Salah ad-Din or
Saone (as it was known to the
Crusaders) was unlike the other
major Crusade strongholds. It was
never given to one of the major
orders of the Crusades; the Knights
Templar or the Hospitallers; and its
construction dates from the early
phase of the Crusader presence
1100 – 1188.

The fortifications were begun by
the Byzantines in the late 10th
century. The site was chosen for its proximity to, and control of, the main route between
Lattakia and Aleppo. The Crusaders took over in the early 12th century and the construction
of the castle as you see it today was carried out some time before 1188. Incredibly, the
canyon is man-made; the Crusaders laboriously hacked a volume of stone 28 m deep and 156
m long creating a “ditch” separating the castle from the rest of the hill. In the middle of the
canyon, they left a solitary freestanding needle of stone to provide support for a drawbridge.

On July 27, 1188 Saladin arrived at
Saone (as it was called by the
Crusaders) and began to lay siege. His
forces pounded the castle from the
plateau to the east while his son (from
Aleppo) took up position across the
north ravine. The Crusaders resisted
fiercely but two days later the walls
were breached by bombardment from
Saladin’s son. The weak point was the relatively thin walls of the lower court. The Muslim
soldiers stormed the breach, gained the lower court and from there swarmed over the narrow
and incomplete ditch into the upper fortress. The garrison was overwhelmed by how quick
the breach happened and surrendered after barely a fight. The vast area of the fortress had
proved too much for them to defend. The castle was never regained by the Crusaders.

16


Aliases: __________________________________________________

History of Construction: (who built it, why, when, etc…)

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Discuss why you think it was built in this location:

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Significant Defensive Features:

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Unique Features of this Castle:

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Evaluate the Overall Castle Construction:
(How does it compare to other castles?)

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

17

Building A Topographic Model

Background Information:
Topographic maps show the shapes and features of the Earth’s surface. A contour line
connects places on the map which have the same elevation. To demonstrate the different
elevations shown on a two dimensional topographic map, you can build a 3-dimensional
model.

Relief -- The features shown on topographic maps may be divided into three groups: (1)
relief, which includes hills, valleys, mountains, etc.; (2) water features, including lakes,
ponds, and streams; and (3) cultural features, man-made features like bridges, canal,
buildings, and roads.

Relief is the difference in elevation between any two points. Where relief is low, the area
appears to be relatively flat as in river valleys or broad, flat uplands. When relief is high, the
area is steep, as in rugged mountainous terrain. Relief determines the contour interval, which
is the difference in elevation between adjacent contour lines. A contour line is an imaginary
line on the Earth's surface connecting points of the same elevation. Contours can be large for
rugged terrain (80 or 100 feet) or they may be small in areas of low relief (10-20 feet).

Rules of Contour Lines. -- Some basic rules or facts about contour lines are listed below.
1. Where a contour line crosses a stream or valley, the contour bends to form a "V" that
points-upstream or-valley. 2.
Contours near the upper parts of hills form closures. The top of a hill is higher than the
highest closed contour.
3. Contours are widely spaced on gentle slopes.
4. Contours are closely spaced on steep slopes.
5. Evenly spaced contours indicate a uniform slope.
6. Contours do not cross or intersect each other.
7. All contours eventually close, either on a map or beyond its margins.
Scale
-- Scale expresses the relationship between distance on the map and the true distance on the
Earth's surface. This is generally expressed as a ratio or a fraction, such as 1: 24,000 or
1/24,000. The numerator, usually 1, represents map distance, and the denominator, a large
number, represents ground distance. Thus, 1: 24,000 means that a distance of 1 unit on the
map represents 24,000 such units on the ground. The unit here is not important - it could be
meters, feet, or inches. What is important is the relationship between the map distance and
the true ground distance.

Colors and Symbols-- Each color on a topographic map has significance as follows:
Blue = water features;
Green = woodlands, orchards, etc.;
Red = urban areas, important roads, public-land boundary lines, civil boundaries;
Black = man-made works;
Brown = contour lines.
Purple = new additions in revised versions; usually man-made features

18

Purpose:
Use the map below to make a 3-Dimensional model of the features of Qalaat Saladin and the
surrounding area.

Procedure:
1. Determine how many layers your model will need to represent different elevations.
2. Draw each layer onto separate pieces of cardboard – BE CAREFUL to be as precise as
possible as you will have limited cardboard.
3. Cut out each layer of cardboard.
4. Assemble entire 3-D model to represent the topography of the Qalaat Saladin area.
5. Provide an estimated scale of contour lines.
6. Add color to your model to indicate water features, woodlands, roads and man-made
works (this includes the main parts of the castle)

19

Ugarit

Ugarit was once the most important city on the
Mediterranean coast. Many consider it to be
the world’s first international port, and
evidence suggests that a settlement on this site
was trading with Cyprus and Mesopotamia as
afar back as the4 3rd millennium BC. Ugarit
was at its peak around 2000 to 1800 BC, when it
enjoyed a healthy trade providing the Egyptian
pharaohs with timber and exporting the city’s
trademark bronze work. With the immense
wealth accrued from trade, the city’s royal
palace was developed into one of the most imposing and famous buildings in western Asia.
Ugarit’s wealth was matched by its learning and innovation. For instance, the palace had a
piped water system and drainage, as did the houses of the well-to-do.

The most significant achievement of all, however, was the
development of the Ugaritic alphabet. Tablets discovered
at this site are inscribed with what is thought to be one of
the world’s earliest alphabets. Prior to the one developed
at Ugarit the two known systems of writing were
hieroglyphics (developed by the Egyptians) and cuneiform
(from Mesopotamia) both of which involved hundreds of
pictograms that represented complete words or syllables.
Ugaritic is a greatly simplified system of 30 symbols, each
of which represents one sound. It is also thought the
Ugaritic alphabet may have been adopted and adapted by
the Greeks and Romans, thus making it the ancestor of
modern European alphabets.

20

Ugarit Activity
Discovery Walk

1. Find the Reception Hall and explain what you think
the inhabitants used this space for.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

2. Find the Stone Vessel and predict what you think it
was used for.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

3. In the House of Rapanu there is an underground
chamber. Find it and explain what you think it was
used for.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

4. On the way to the Acropolis find this object:
and predict what you think it was used for.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

21

5. Find the stratigraphic sounding and describe what
you think archaeologists did here.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

6. Find the Temple of Baal and look at the sketch of what the archaeologists
predicted it looked like. How do you think they were able to do this?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

7. Find the Northern Residence and locate the underground chamber there.
Go inside and examine the far wall. Describe what you think this chamber
could have been used for and the shapes in the wall.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

8. Find the main entrance to the Palace.
Sketch what you think it could have looked like during the height of the
civilization here.

22

Qala’at Marqab

The original castle was originally
built by the Muslims in 1062 out of
black basalt rock. The castle sits on
an extinct volcano, of which the
stone was most likely cut to build
the castle. During the early 12th
century it passed into Crusader
hands and was part of the
principality of Antioch before
being sold in 1168 to the Knights
Hospitaller. It was the Hospitallers
who gave the castle its present shape, concentrating their fortifications on the southern flank
where the gentler slopes made the site most vulnerable. Their work was well done, as it
stood up to two major assaults in the 13thycentury. Saladin (Salah ad-Din) who in 1188
successfully captured the nearby castle that now bears his name, did not even bother with
Marqab but just marched right by, preferring to concentrate on easier targets.

Historians suspect that the main reason for its
eventual fall in 1285 to the Mamelukes was the lack
of manpower for the extensive defenses. With
increasingly fewer volunteers from Europe the
castle could not be properly protected because of its
vast size. The Mameluke Sultan brought down
Marqab by
‘mining’; his
soldiers dug
under the
foundations
of the castle
walls and
towers,
propping up
the tunnels
with wooden beams. By lighting a fire and burning
the beams, the tunnels collapsed and brought down
the defenses above them. Following the surrender of
the Crusaders, the Mamelukes repaired the castle –
you can identify their handiwork in the telltale white
bands of the south tower – and continued to use it
until they lost power to the Ottomans, who had little
use for castles and kept it as a prison.

23

Qala’at Marqab

Aliases: __________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

24

Qala’at Marqab Activity
Architectural Features of the Castle

The castle as a stronghold:

Castles were built to protect people and their property. If opponents wanted to destroy the
owner’s power and authority, and take the land, the castle had to be captured. Attackers
used a number of different methods.

The attack:

There were two main methods of attacking castles: batter down the defences, or besiege the
site until the defenders gave in. Castles could be attacked in other ways as well. Mining
involved tunneling under a wall so that it would collapse. Diseased animal carcasses were
hurled into castles to spread diseases; heads from prisoners were sometimes hurled in to
demoralize defenders. Occasionally attackers successfully climbed up the lavatory chutes.

Which side was successful?

Sometimes the defenders were successful and sometimes the attackers. Defenders had the
advantage of strong walls and towers from which they could fire down on their attackers.
Defensive features included such as the barbican, which crowded attackers into a small space
under concentrated fire, and machicolations made the assault on the castle even more
hazardous for the attackers. Sieges sometimes failed because the attackers could not afford to
pay for the wages, food and supplies of their army but in the end any castle would fall if the
siege were long enough.

Your Task:
You will analyze and evaluate different features of the castle that either helped to
defend the castle or allow the crusaders to attack their enemies. Be observant
and be sure to look at all parts of the castle!

Step One:

Complete the chart on the next page with architectural features from this
particular castle. The first two entries have been done for you as an
example.

Step Two:

Pick two or three features of the castle and draw them on the page
provided. Try to put as much detail as possible into the picture.

25

Step One:
Complete the chart with architectural features from this particular castle. The
first two entries have been done for you as an example.

Features that helped protect or Features that allowed the
defend the crusaders from attack. crusaders to attack their enemies.

Feature: Drawbridge Feature: Weapons storage room

Explanation: Explanation:
When the drawbridge is lifted up the Crusaders kept the weapons they used
attackers cannot cross the moat to get to attack their enemies here.
into the castle.

Feature: Feature:


Feature: Feature:


Feature: Feature:


Feature: Feature:


Feature: Feature:


What do you notice about the offensive and defensive features of a castle?

26

Step Two:
Pick two or three features of the castle and draw them on this paper. Try to put
as much detail as possible into the picture.

27

Musyaf

Musyaf, also known as the Castle of the Assassins, is the
best preserved of the Ismaeli (Assassins) castles in Syria.
It’s not known when the first fortifications were erected on
this site, but there was definitely a castle of some sort here
in 1103 because it was seized by the Crusaders. They
didn’t have enough manpower to garrison it and by 1140 it
had passed into the hands of the mysterious Ismaeli sect,
more dramatically known as the Assassins.

The Ismaelis were an extreme sect that
originated in Persia. A sect is a small
religious or political group that has
broken off from a larger group. The
Ismaelis broke off from the Shia
Muslims, however they were
considered non-Muslims and leaned
more towards the mystical. The
Assassins were committed to murder to further their cause, and targeted Muslim rulers who
had been persecuting their sect. They were meticulous in killing the targeted individual;
seeking to do so without any additional casualties and innocent loss of life. The Assassins
developed a terrifying reputation by slaying their victims in public, often in mosques,
typically approaching them in disguise and using a dagger.

Throughout the Crusades both the
Muslims and Crusaders came to fear
and respect the Ismaelis. It is believed
that at their peak, the Isamelis
controlled a total of 10 castles, and
most were hidden deep in the Jebel
Ansariyya mountain range.

28

Musyaf

Aliases: __________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

29

Safita and Hosn Suleiman

Safita

This small mountain town is dominated by a
striking Crusader-era keep, all that remains of the
once powerful Castel Blanc. The keep, essentially a
fortified watch-tower with a surrounding wall, was
originally built in the early 12th century as part of the
outlying defences of Tartus. The castle was rebuilt
and strengthened after damage sustained in an
attack. It was garrisoned by the Knights Templar
until 1271 when they were driven out by the
Beybars, who shortly after went on to take Krak des
Chevaliers.

Hosn Suleiman

Along some of the highest mountain ridges of the
Jebel Ansariyya lies a temple that gives testament to
thousands of years of religious use. Evidence
suggests that the site has been home to temples of
one religion or another since the Persian occupation.
The present remains are Roman but the first temple was probably constructed under Persian
domination. What makes the site extraordinary is the construction of huge stone blocks,
some of them as large as 5m by 3m, in such a remote area at a time when travel was by foot
or on horse.

Activity – How high is the castle?
We will use 3 different methods for trying
to measure the height of the castle.

30

Method 1 The falling balloon

As objects fall towards the earth they get faster, i.e. their velocity increases. We
can use this phenomenon to calculate the height of the castle by recording the
time taken for an object to fall from the top.

Procedure
1. ½ fill balloon with water and tie a knot in it.
2. 1 student (S1) to go to the top of the castle and find a safe place to stand where they can drop
the balloon.
3. Another student (S2) goes to the bottom with a stopwatch where they can see S1.
4. S1 blows a whistle to indicate that he is about to drop the balloon.
5. S1 releases balloon 5 seconds after blowing whistle.
6. S2 records the time taken from when the balloon is released until it hits the ground.
7. Repeat procedure 3 times to get a more accurate result and calculate the average time.

t1= _______seconds t2= _______seconds t3= _______seconds

Average time(tavg) = (t1 + t2 + t3)/3 = ____ seconds

The formula to calculate the height is given as

Castle Height = (5 x tavg x tavg) meters

Castle Height = ____ m

Method 2 Using a fishing line

Procedure
1. A student at the top of the castle drops a reel of fishing line while
holding onto the end of the line.

2. Student at the bottom cuts the line where it touches the ground and students
measure the line using a trundle wheel.

Method 3 using a protractor

31

Procedure

1. Using a trundle wheel walk 100m away from the castle.
2. 1 student(S1) lies on the ground facing the castle, place the 1m ruler in front of the student with 1
end near their face.
3. student laying on ground must look along the ruler at the castle.
4. Another student(S2) gradually raises the far end of the ruler until the student on the ground can
see the top of the castle along the ruler.
5. S2 and others need to use paper to trace the triangle made by the ground and the ruler as in the
diagram above
6. Measure the angle of the triangle as shown in the diagram.

The height, h = 100 x tan(angle)

Use the table below to work out the tan of the angle

Castle height = 100 x ____ = _____ m

Angle(degrees) Tan(angle) Angle(degrees
5 0.09 ) Tan(angle)
10 0.18 45 1.00
15 0.27 50 1.19
20 0.36 55 1.43
25 0.47 60 1.73
30 0.58 65 2.14
35 0.70 70 2.75
75 3.73
40 0.84 80 5.67

32

How Heavy is the Stone Block ?
We will estimate the mass of the largest block we can find. We will do this by measuring the rocks
volume and density, then from this we can determine its mass.

Density The density is a measure of an objects mass per volume.
We can calculate this as follows:

1. Take a piece of rock used to make the blocks around 1kg or so that will fit into the bottom ½ of
your 2L container.
2. Record the mass of the rock using an electronic balance.
3. Measure the volume of the rock as follows:
4. Place a 1cm horizontal mark ½ way up the inside of the plastic container with a permanent pen.
5. Fill the container with water up to your pen mark.
6. Now carefully place the rock into the container of water. Make sure the rock is completely
submerged.
7. Draw another mark to record the new water level.
8. Now remove the rock and add water if necessary to get the water level back up to the lower
mark.
9. Using a 200ml water bottle add water up to the upper level mark recording how much water
you have added…..this volume is the volume of the rock.

Mass of rock = ____ g

Volume of rock = ____ mls Equipment required

Electronic balance
2L plastic beaker
Density of an object is equal to the mass/volume Permanent pen
Calculator
Empty 200ml water bottle
Density of rock = mass(g) / volume(mls) = _________ g/ml

Now multiply your answer by 1000 to get it to units of kg/m3

Density of rock = _______ kg/m3

Volume Locate the largest block on the site
Calculate its volume by measuring the length, width and height in meters

Length = _______ m Width = _______ m Height = _______ m

Volume = length x width x height

= ______ x ______ x ______

= ________ m3

Mass of the largest block

The mass of the block = (density x volume) kg

= ______ x ______

The mass of the block = ______ kg

Assume a student has a mass of approximately 50kg.

How many students do we need to have the same mass as your block?

Show your working below

34

Krak des Chevaliers

The “Castle of the Knights”
(as it is also called) is situated
in the only significant break in
the Jebel Ansariyya. Anyone
who held this location, known
as the Homs Gap, was
virtually assured authority
over inland Syria by
controlling the flow of goods
and people from the ports
through to the interior. Even
today, this gap carries the
major road link from Homs to
Tartus, as well as the oil
pipeline from the fields in the far east of the country to the port at Tartus.

The first fortress that is known to have
existed on this site was built by the Emir of
Homs in 1031. He was first briefly displaced
in 1099 by the hordes of the First Crusade
passing through on its way to Jerusalem, and
was then completely pushed out 11 years
later when the Christian knights, now
established in the Holy City, began to extend
their lands throughout the region. Around
the middle of the 12th century the elite
Knights Hospitaller replaced the First
Crusaders and built and expanded the Krak
into its present form.

The knights built well and despite
repeated attacks and sieges, the fortress
was never truly breached. Instead, the
Crusaders simply gave it up. When the
Mameluke Sultan marched on the
castle in 1271, the knights at the Krak
were a last outpost. Jerusalem had
been lost and the Christians were
retreating. Numbers in the castle,
which was built to hold a garrison of
2000, were depleted to around 200.
Surrounded by the armies of Islam and
with no hope of reprieve, the fortress must have seemed more like a prison than a
stronghold. Even though they had supplies to last for five years, after a month under siege
the Crusaders agreed to depart the castle under terms of safe conduct.

35

Krak des Chevaliers

Aliases: __________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

36

Krak des Chevaliers Activity
Crusader Quest

37

Krak des Chevaliers Activity

Creating A Dramatic Legend
Introduction:
A legend is a story that is probably about someone that did exist, but has been twisted to
seem more interesting and fascinating. This story was passed down generation to generation
over hundreds of years and eventually the story was written down. Legends give us an
insight into the lives, cultures and landscapes of a time long ago. Most legends contain a
hero or heroine, deal with good versus evil, and tend to involve the hero or heroine in some
problem.

Your Task:
Your team will create and write your own script of a legend based on your experiences and
knowledge gained over the week of studying castles. Your team will then act out the legend
and perform for the rest of the group!

1. Learn enough background knowledge of castles, the crusades, and the people of these
times to create your own legend based on some aspect of the crusades.

2. Create a legend by planning and outlining all the parts of the legend.

3. Write your own script of a legend to act out.

STEP 1: Planning

a) Create an outline of the beginning, middle, and end of your legend
a. Beginning – should set the scene, describe who, what, when, where and
introduce some of the characters,
b. Middle – develop the problem, use detail
c. Ending – resolution to the problem

STEP 2: Writing the Script

b) Use the outline to write the script of your legend
c) Provide dialogue between characters and action throughout the script
d) Be creative to make the legend exciting and interesting – REMEMBER you will be
acting out the legend!

STEP 3: Performing the Legend

e) Assign characters and gather any necessary props
38

f) Practice script and rehears the entire performance being sure to focus on drama

Creating A Dramatic Legend
The Script

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

39

A Knight’s Tale
Every evening for the first 10 – 15 minutes of dinner you are asked to reflect on
your experiences throughout the day. You can write about what you saw, things
you learned, and how you felt during your different activities during the day. This
journal will help document your experiences throughout the trip, and will be a great
resource for your final project when we return to school.

Sunday

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

40

A Knight’s Tale

Monday

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

41

A Knight’s Tale

Tuesday

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

42

A Knight’s Tale

Wednesday

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

43

A Knight’s Tale

Thursday – Overall Reflection
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

44

A Week Without Walls Self Evaluation

Read the expectation and rate yourself on the 1 – 7 scale.

Expectation Evaluation 1
– 7
Team Work & Relationships

I worked very well with all group members and I did my share of the
workload. I had positive relationships with every member of the group
including the chaperones. I went out of my way to treat the guides,
locals, chaperones, and other students with respect.
Responsibility

I was good about being on time and taking care of myself. I had the
proper materials needed for the trip and for each daily activity, and
never had to be reminded to pick up my things. I made good, safe
choices.
Attitude

I showed enthusiasm and a positive attitude towards all of the
activities. I appreciated different ideas and experiences. I did not
complain because something went wrong, but tried to be flexible, helpful
and positive.
Focus

When it was time to work on my student booklet I got right to work. I
used my time effectively and did my best work on all of the activities.
Behavior

I was well behaved, always used my best manners and polite language,
and was able to make this trip a positive experience.
Listening

I listened well to my chaperones, guides, and other students. I listened
carefully to directions given by chaperones and followed directions the
first time they were given.

45

IISA Medieval Castles Student Workbook

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Plus de jeremysandor

Plus de jeremysandor (12)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

IISA Medieval Castles Student Workbook