Location of Beaufort Castle, Lebanon

Beaufort or Belfort (Arabic: قلعة الشقيف‎, Qala'at ash-Shqif, Hebrew: מבצר הבופור‎, Mivtsār hāBōfōr) is a Crusader fortress in Nabatiye Governorate, southern Lebanon, about 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) to the south-south-west of the village of Arnoun. Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... “Hebrew” redirects here. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... Nabatiye Governorate is one of the six governorates of Lebanon. ... Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon composed of two Governates: the South Lebanon Governate and the Nabatiyeh Governate. ... A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ...

The castle was named "bel fort" or "beau fort" (French for "beautiful fortress") by the Crusaders who occupied the castle in the 12th century. Its Arabic name Qala'at ash-Shqif means Castle of the High Rock in the Syrian Arabic dialect (shqif is the Syriac Aramaic word for "high rock"). The castle's full name in Arabic is قلعة الشقيف ارنون (Qala'at ash-Shqif Arnoun), a combination of the Arabic word Qala'at (castle) and the Syriac Aramaic Shqif Arnoun. This article is about the medieval crusades. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... Levantine Arabic (sometimes called Eastern Arabic) is a group of Arabic dialects spoken in the 100 km-wide eastern-Mediterranean coastal strip known as the Levant, i. ... A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος, dialektos) is a variety of a language characteristic of a particular group of the languages speakers. ... Syriac ( Suryāyā) is an Eastern Aramaic language that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. ... Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... Syriac ( Suryāyā) is an Eastern Aramaic language that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. ...

The castle is also sometimes referred to as Beaufort Castle in Arabic (قصر البوفورت, Qasr al-Bofort). Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ...

Ancient History

Little is known of the site prior to its capture by Crusader forces in 1139 AD, although historians assume that the castle's commanding position atop a 700 metre (2,100 feet) hill made it a strategic position even in Biblical and Roman times^[1], and that there was already an existing structure at the time. This article is about historical Crusades . ... July 26, Independence of Portugal from the Kingdom of León and Castile declared after the Battle of Ourique against the Almoravids lead by Ali ibn Yusuf: Prince Afonso Henriques becomes Afonso I, King of Portugal, after assembling the first assembly of the estates-general of Portugal at Lamego, where... Dionysius Exiguus invented Anno Domini years to date Easter. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Area under Roman control  Roman Republic  Roman Empire  Western Empire  Eastern Empire Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a city-state founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ...

The castle, a stronghold of Reginald of Sidon, was taken by Saladin in 1190 AD after a year-long siege. The Mamlukes took the castle in 1240, before it was retaken by Reginald's grandson, Julian of Sidon, in 1260. In 1268, the Mamluke Sultan Baibars captured the castle, and there was relative calm through the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. Reginald Grenier (died 1202; also Reynald or Renaud) was Lord of Sidon and an important noble in the late-12th century crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. ... Artistic representation of Saladin. ... Events March 16 - Massacre and mass-suicide of the Jews of York, England prompted by Crusaders and Richard Malebys kill 150-500 Jews in Cliffords Tower June 10 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowned in the Saleph River while leading an army to Jerusalem. ... Dionysius Exiguus invented Anno Domini years to date Easter. ... A Mamluk cavalryman, drawn in 1810 A mamluk (Arabic: مملوك (singular), مماليك (plural), owned; also transliterated mameluk, mameluke, or mamluke) was a slave soldier who converted to Islam and served the Muslim caliphs and the Ayyubid sultans during the Middle Ages. ... Events Batu Khan and the Golden Horde sack the Ruthenian city of Kyiv Births Pope Benedict XI Deaths April 11 - Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, also known as Llywelyn The Great Prince of Gwynedd Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon and count of Barcelona (reigned from 1213 to 1276) Castile... The magnificent Cathedral of Chartres was dedicated in 1260. ... Conradin (right) is executed by Charles I of Sicily, thus extinguishing the Hohenstaufen dynasty, in 1268. ... A Mamluk cavalryman, drawn in 1810 A mamluk (Arabic: مملوك (singular), مماليك (plural), owned; also transliterated mameluk, mameluke, or mamluke) was a slave soldier who converted to Islam and served the Muslim caliphs and the Ayyubid sultans during the Middle Ages. ... al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baibars al-Bunduqdari (also spelled Baybars) (Arabic: ) was a Mamluk Sultan of Egypt and Syria. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

In the 17th century Fakhr-al-Din II took the castle as a part of his network of fortifications. Fakhr-al-Din II was defeated by the Ottomans, who destroyed the upper portions of the castle. The area was ruled by feudal families until 1769. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Fakhr-al-Din II also the Great (1572–April 13, 1635) (Arabic: فخر الدين الثاني بن قرقماز) was a Lebanese prince, son of Prince Qurqumaz from the Maan Druze dynasty and Princess Nassab. ... Fakhr-al-Din II also the Great (1572–April 13, 1635) (Arabic: فخر الدين الثاني بن قرقماز) was a Lebanese prince, son of Prince Qurqumaz from the Maan Druze dynasty and Princess Nassab. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Modern History

In 1782 the Governor of Acre besieged the castle, captured it and destroyed many of its remaining fortifications. An earthquake in 1837 destroyed many parts of the castle, and it was used as a quarry and a shelter for sheep. 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The city of Acre [1] is in the Western Galilee district in northern Israel. ... An earthquake is a natural phenomenon that results from the sudden release of stored energy in the Earths crust that creates seismic waves. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Restoration of the castle began with the French Mandate over Lebanon in 1920, and continued with Lebanese independence in 1943. The French Mandate of Syria was a League of Nations Mandate created after the First World War when the Ottoman Empire was split by the Treaty of Versailles. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

The castle's strategic location, which affords a view of much of southern Lebanon and northern Israel, has caused it to be a focus for recent conflicts.

From 1976 onwards, (during the Lebanese Civil War), the castle was held by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which used the castle to fire rockets into northern Israel^[2]. Between 1976 and 1980 PLO positions on the castle were attacked dozens of times by Israeli forces. 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Combatants Lebanese Front Syria LNM PLO Commanders Bachir Gemayel Dany Chamoun Kamal Jumblatt Yasser Arafat The multi-sided Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) had its origin in the conflicts and political compromises after the end of Lebanons administration by the Ottoman Empire and was exacerbated by the nations... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic: ‎;   or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary organization regarded by the Arab League since October 1974 as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic: ‎;   or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary organization regarded by the Arab League since October 1974 as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. ...

On June 6, 1982, at the start of Operation Peace for Galilee (the 1982 Lebanon War), the PLO position on the Beaufort Castle was heavily shelled before being captured by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on June 8, 1982. June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 1 day remaining // 1508 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year truce and cede several territories to Venice 1513... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Israel Phalange South Lebanon Army Amal PLO Syria Commanders Menachem Begin (Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon, (Ministry of Defence) Rafael Eitan, (CoS) Yasser Arafat Strength 76,000 37,000 Casualties 670 9,800 The 1982 Lebanon War (Hebrew: , Milkhemet Levanon, Milkhemet Levanon, Arabic: ‎), called by Israel the Operation Peace of... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic: ‎;   or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary organization regarded by the Arab League since October 1974 as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. ... The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Between 1982 and 2000, the Beaufort Castle and surrounding areas were used as a base and observation post by the IDF. The IDF fortified the area with bunkers and concrete blocks. The Israeli position at the castle was attacked a number of times by Hezbollah. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ...

In May 2000, the IDF evacuated their Security Zone in Southern Lebanon, leaving the castle and destroying IDF infrastructure, so that it could not be used by Hezbollah. 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces... Israeli Security Zone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon composed of two Governates: the South Lebanon Governate and the Nabatiyeh Governate. ... The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ...

Myths

According to local Muslim folklore, the Beaufort Castle dates to the Islamic conquest of the Holy Land^[2]. Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... The expression The Holy Land (Hebrew ארץ הקודש: Standard Hebrew Éreẓ haQodeÅ¡, Tiberian Hebrew ʾÉreá¹£ haqQāḏēš; Latin Terra Sancta; Arabic الأرض المقدسة, al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah) generally refers to the Land of Israel. ...

Sources

• "The Restoration of Beaufort Castle (South Lebanon) A 3D Restitution According to Historical Documentation", Pierre Grussenmeyer, Jean Yasmine, Lebanese Directorate General of Antiquities (accessed September 5, 2006)
• Hugh Kennedy, Crusader Castles, Cambridge 1994.
• David Nicolle, Crusader Castles in the Holy Land 1097-1192, Oxford 2004.
• R. C. Smail, Crusading Warfare 1097-1193, Cambridge 1956.

References

1. ^ Tourism @ Lebanon, Nabatieh
2. ^ ^{a b} "In the Party of God", Jeffrey Goldberg, The New Yorker Magazine, October 14, 2002