The remnants of the Crusaders in the Near East allow us to remember the well-known Crusades (nine in total), in the central centuries of the Middle Ages (1096-1291). It was a period of fierce struggles between Christians and Muslims, in which the former tried to reclaim the Holy Land for Christianity (and more specifically, for Catholicism, as they were promoted by Western monarchs and the Latin Church). For a time they succeeded, but they also experienced tragic defeats. In this post, we show you some examples of places directly or indirectly related to the Crusades, which Mandala Tours can take you to discover.
Holy Land: Israel and Jordan
Undoubtedly, to fully discover what the Crusades meant, your journey must inevitably take you to Israel, as it is known as the Holy Land for Christians (and the Promised Land for Jews). In 1099, during the First Crusade, the Crusader troops took the city and established the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which lasted for approximately two centuries.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus was crucified and his empty tomb is preserved, is the holiest site in Christianity, and is indirectly related to the Crusades: although the origins of the temple are paleochristian and it was later rebuilt by the Byzantines, the First Crusade had, among other objectives, the control and protection of this sanctuary. Therefore, it was expanded again, and numerous traces of the Crusaders can be found in the temple.
However, the most spectacular place from the time of the Crusaders is Acre, which they called Saint-Jean-d’Acre. This city on the Israeli coast was during that period a great port city and de facto capital at different times. Its old city is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO thanks to the good preservation of its Citadel and its spectacular system of galleries and underground spaces, including a dungeon.
In neighboring Jordan, there are also castles from the time of the Crusaders. This is because the border of the Kingdom of Jerusalem extended to here and, therefore, some fortresses were built (or reused) in strategic positions. This is the case of the castles of Karak, Ajloun, or Shawbak.
Traces of the Crusaders outside the Holy Land
If you are passionate about this period, you can also discover other vestiges of the Crusaders outside of what is now known as the Holy Land. And Mandala Tours agencies can take you to many of them, as they are spread across countries like Egypt or Turkey.
An example of this is the so-called Pharaoh’s Island, under Egyptian sovereignty but in a strategic position, very close to the Jordanian coast. In fact, it is believed that the Crusaders may have built the castle that can be visited today on this small island, as a watchpost for the route that connected Cairo and Damascus, passing through Aqaba. Other historians dispute this, but it does seem clear that during the 12th century this enclosure was used as a military outpost in the context of offensives and counteroffensives with the Ayyubids, who were trying to push back or expel the Crusaders.
Finally, your journey through Istanbul will also reference the warriors of the Fourth Crusade, but not precisely as promoters of constructions but quite the opposite: in 1204 they sacked the city, which resulted in the loss or transfer of important elements to other places. One of the most affected places was the Hippodrome, which was stripped of great sculptures, such as that of the horses (now in St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice).
