Bourzey castle
Bourzey castle, west side
Bourzey (Arabic قلعة برزويا, DMG Qala ʿ at Barzūyā, also قلعة مرزة / Qala ʿ at Marza or قلعة ميرزا / Qala ʿ at Mīrzā; French and Rochefort; Latin: Lysias ) is a Crusader fortress in Syria Latakia Governorate. The ruin was built mainly by the Crusaders. She was the last advanced defense posts of the Crusaders in the east at the edge of Ghab valley on the Orontes.
Location
Bourzey is located about 25 kilometers south of Jisr ash- Schugur in the plane of Ghab on a foothill on the eastern slope of Jebel Aansariye which drops here from its highest point (near Slinfah ) 1000 meters steep.
At the foot of the castle hill standing, visitors are not immediate, as the castle is accessible. The climb is about a donkey path on the northern side of the mountain possible. There are overcome 320 meters. From the high plateau to the abandoned village, keep to the south in the last 50 meters of altitude.
In Augst 2010, a road was built leading up to the medieval village up. From there you have to walk 50 meters to overcome to get to the ruins.
History
The castle hill was already playing from the Seleucid period under its ancient name of Lysias a role to protect the connection between the cities of Laodicea ( Latakia ) and Apamea. The Roman general Pompey sales by 65 BC Jewish partisans from the attachment.
Later, the Byzantines built a fort on the mountain. 948/949 took the commander Abu al - Hagar on behalf of the Emir of Aleppo, Sayf al - Dawla, the castle one. 975 conquered the Byzantine commander Tzimiskis the castle of the Hamdanids from Aleppo back. After the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 the Muslims again won the upper hand in North Syria. Al- Dawla Aqsunqur, Seljuk governor of Aleppo could bring the castle in May 1090 his possession. Approximately 1103 took the Crusaders from the Principality of Antioch an attachment. On the basis of comparisons in structural engineering and style can be said that the still existing facilities were built in the first phase of castle building (1100-1140) by the Crusaders.
On August 23, 1188 Saladin took the castle in his campaign to the Battle of Hattin in. Since August 20, 1188 he had besieged the castle. She had the reputation of being invincible, because it was impossible to bring siege units in the vicinity of their walls. It really succeeded Saladin not to bring the machine in efficient removal. Then he had to split his forces into three units, the anrannten in successive waves over and over again against the west wall. He exhausted the weak forces of the defenders. Finally, the garrison capitulated under pressure from the military strength of Saladin. The garrison was demoralized allegedly also by the fact that the sister in law of the castle commander continuously betrayed the secrets of the Franks to Saladin.
Permanently Saladin could not keep the castle under his control. Soon the castle was re-occupied by the Crusaders and played an important role in the defense system of the Principality of Antioch.
Plant
The Castle is freely accessible.