- Type
- Ruin
- Origins
- 1115 · 12th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Ma'an, Jordan
- Commissioned by
- Baldwin I of Jerusalem
- Coordinates
- 30.5314°, 35.5608°
History
The castle was built in 1115 by Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem, who named it Mons Regalis, the Royal Mount. It controlled the caravan route between Syria, Egypt and Arabia, and together with Kerak it anchored Crusader rule in Transjordan. After the Christian defeat at Hattin in 1187 the defenders of Montréal held out through a siege lasting many months and surrendered to Saladin's forces only in 1189, worn down by hunger. Around the turn of the 14th century the Mamluks rebuilt the defences, leaving grand inscriptions on the walls. Later the castle lost its military importance and gradually fell into ruin.
What to see
The castle crowns an isolated hill some 30 km north of Petra, and its walls and towers can be seen from far away. Inside the walls are the remains of Crusader churches, Mamluk towers with Arabic inscriptions and the shells of old halls. The highlight is a rock-cut tunnel with steps descending deep into the hill to a spring that supplied water during sieges; you will need a torch to go down.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q1362749
Popularity: articles about this site in 27 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).