Lampron

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Lampron or Lambron (Armenian Լամբրուն Պերդ ) was an Armenian city in the Taurus. The Frankish name is " Les Embruns " the Arab Namrun.

Location

The castle is located at Çamlıyayla, approximately 60 km north of Tarsus in the province of Mersin, on a boulder at the end of a small rocky hill of the Bulgar Dag, and was the key to the Cilician Gate, as it was considered impregnable.

History

The oldest known plant is Byzantine. Without excavation it is not possible to determine whether there were older predecessors, given the location, this is very likely.

The castle was the Hethumiden Oschin awarded in 1072 by Abul Gharib, the Byzantine governor of Tarsus. Samuel of Ani should claim later that he had taken the fortress of the " Saracens " ( Seljuks ), these were, however, not yet arrived at that time up to the Taurus ( Cheynet 1996). Oschin led, as well as his rival Ruben in the eastern Cilicia the title of sebastos.

1171 to 1172 the castle was besieged by the Rubeniden Mleh after Hethum had his wife, niece Mlehs chased. 1183 besieged Ruben III. the fortress again. Hethum called Bohemond of Antioch for assistance. This took Ruben during a feast at Antioch treacherously captured, but Rubens brother Levon continued the siege, but could not take Lambron despite all efforts.

When he became king, he pretended his niece Philippa, daughter of Reuben to marry Oschin, the oldest son Hetums. During the wedding festivities in Tarsus Levon could then take the denuded of its defenders castle. He forced Hethum to enter the monastery of Drazark. Lampron, he handed his mother Rita of Barberon, allegedly because he was afraid that any vassal, he enfeoffed with the fortress, would rebel against him, because it was impregnable. Philippa would later marry Theodor Laskaris.

Due to the forced marriage of Zabel, daughter Lewons, with Hethum I got Lambron then the constable Constantine from a younger branch of the Hethumiden. 1291 constable gave the castle to Constantine Constantine, the son Hethums, the Levon had forced the convent. But Lewons statement should prove to be true. 1235 Constantine of Lambron allied with Kai Khusrau III. Hethum against King, who had allied himself with the Mongols and took Tarsus. He had to retire again. But only in 1250 the king succeeded in capturing him and, despite papal protests to kill.

When and how the castle fell to the Mamelukes, is unknown.

Plant

The castle has an irregular lens shape and occupies an area of ​​330 x 150 m a. It is located about 50 m above the valley floor. Against the Spurs in the north it is protected by a hewn in the rock trench width between 16-25 m. The terraced western side provides the easiest access, here the walls are the strongest. The system consists of a castle and a bailey. The only access is to the west, in addition, there is a sally port.

The vaults of the residential buildings are still partially preserved. The rooms were partially equipped with a hypocaust.

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