This is the Crusader castle in which resided
Reynald-de-Chatillon (also known as Arnat), one
of the worst enemies of the Muslims during the
Crusades. It was taken by Salahuddin Ayyubi on
the second attempt in 1189 CE.
In 1183 Salahuddin besieged the castle, the
siege taking place during the marriage of
Humphrey IV of Toron and Isabella of
Jerusalem. Lady Stephanie (the wife of
Reynald) sent plates of food to the Muslim
army beyond the walls. In response, while his
men were trying to bridge the moat and
catapulting rocks against the walls, Salahuddin
enquired which tower the newly weds were
occupying. As an act of chivalry, Salahuddin
ordered his army not to bombard the tower
and direct their fire elsewhere. The siege was
eventually relieved by King Baldwin IV.
Despite a truce between the Crusaders and
Muslims, in 1186 Reynald attacked a caravan
travelling between Cairo and Damascus. In the
ensuing hostilities, Reynald launched ships on
the Red Sea, partly for piracy, but partly as a
threat against Makkah and Madinah,
challenging Islam in its own holy places. His
pirates ravaged villages up and down the Red
Sea, before being captured by the army of Al-
Adil only a few miles from Madinah and
subsequently beheaded.
Reynald’s rein in Kerak was characterised by
wanton cruelty. Not only did he throw
prisoners from the castle walls, he encased
their heads in boxes first, in the hope that this
would stop them losing consciousness before
they hit the rocks below.
Salahuddin swore that if Reynald was ever
captured he would be executed by his own
hands. In 1187, the Muslims defeated the
Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin during which
Reynald was taken prisoner along with King
Guy, both of whom Salahuddin ordered brought
to his tent. The chronicler Imad ad-Din al-
Isfahani, who was present at the scene,
relates: “Salahuddin invited the king [Guy] to
sit beside him, and when Arnat [Raynald]
entered in his turn, he seated him next to his
king and reminded him of his misdeeds. “How
many times have you sworn an oath and
violated it? How many times have you signed
agreements you have never respected?”
Raynald answered through a translator: “Kings
have always acted thus. I did nothing more.”
During this time King Guy was gasping with
thirst, his head dangling as though drunk, his
face betraying great fright. Salahuddin spoke
reassuring words to him, had cold water
brought, and offered it to him. The king drank,
then handed what remained to Reynald, who
slaked his thirst in turn. The sultan then said
to Guy: “You did not ask permission before
giving him water. I am therefore not obliged to
grant him mercy.” After pronouncing these
words, the sultan smiled, mounted his horse,
and rode off, leaving the captives in terror. He
supervised the return of the troops, and then
came back to his tent. He ordered Reynald
brought there, then advanced before him,
sword in hand, and struck him between the
neck and the shoulder-blade. When Reynald
fell, he cut off his head and dragged the body
by its feet to the king, who began to tremble.
Seeing him thus upset, Salahuddin said to him
in a reassuring tone: “This man was killed only
because of his maleficence and perfidy” .
Salahuddin besieged Kerak castle again and
finally captured it in 1189.
Kerak is the unofficial capital of southern
Jordan and lies around 125 km south of
Amman.
References: Wikipedia, The Rough Guide to
Jordan – Matthew Teller
Source : Wikipedia
This building, known as The Treasury is one of a
Interiors of Al Khazneh, Source : www.eveandersson.com
Detail from the façade of Al Khazneh, a.k.a. The
