iisa medieval castles student workbook

IISAA Week

Without Walls~Crusader Castles ~

2008Student Booklet

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Table of Contents

3 Trip Information

4 – 5 Itinerary

6 Student Work Groups and Hotel Roommates

7 – 9 Coat of Arms Activity

10 Essential Questions

11 Mapping Our Journey Activity

12 – 15 The Crusades – Historical Information

16 – 17 Qala’at Salah ad-Din Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

18 – 19 Qala’at Salah ad-Din Topographic Map Activity

20 Ugarit Background Information

21 – 22 Ugarit Discovery Walk Activity

23 – 24 Qala’at Marqab Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

25 – 27 Qala’at Marqab Architectural Features Activity

28 – 29 Musyaf Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

30 Musyaf Feudalism Activity

31 Safita and Hosn Suleiman Background Information

32 – 33 How High is the Castle Activity

34 – 35 How Heavy is the Stone Block Activity

36 – 37 Krak des Chevaliers Background Information and Castle Tour Activity

38 – 39 Krak des Chevaliers Crusader Quest Activity

40 – 41 Krak des Chevaliers Creating a Legend Activity

42 – 46 A Knight’s Tale – Journal Activity

47 Self Evaluation

All Information taken from:Burn, Ross. Monuments of Syria. An Historical Guide. 1999The Lonely Planet- Syria and Lebanon. 2004

Contact Details

School: 00 000 00 0000000

Trip Chaperones:Mr. White Mr. RedMs. BlueMs. GreenMr. YellowMs. OrangeMr. Black

Hotels:Lattakia – Palace HotelTartus – Grand HotelKrak des Chevalier – Bebers Hotel

What To Take:

In a SMALL suitcase: Jacket Boots/shoes (flat heels) to hike in Pajamas, Underwear, and socks for 5 days Clothing for 5 days you can layer if it is cold, but can be comfortable in if it is hot

(t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweaters) Pants, shorts and a swimsuit Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, hair brush/comb, and other toiletries

In a Backpack:1. Lunch for the first day2. Spending money3. Your work booklet 4. Any medication you take (tell your supervisor you are carrying it)5. Snacks for on the bus and hotel room6. Flashlight7. Sunglasses and a hat to shade from the sun8. Pencil case with blue pen, red pen, ruler, pencil, eraser, highlighter9. Clipboard to rest your booklet on (optional)10.Camera (optional)11.Mobile Phone and MP3 player (optional, and NOT to be used when we are at sites – if

used it will be confiscated – you are taking this at your own risk)

What NOT to take: ANY Electronic Games Laptops ANYTHING that would NOT be allowed at school

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Week Without WallsGrades 6 & 7 – Crusader Castles

Tentative Itinerary

Day 1 – Sunday 30 th : 8:00 Depart for Saladin Castle11:00 Arrive Saladin Castle11:30 – 12:30 Guided tour of Saladin Castle (3-4 guides)1:00 – 2:00 Lunch – packed from home2:00 – 3:30 Topography Activity3:30 Depart for Ugarit4:00 – 5:00 Ugarit discovery walk5:30 Check in at hotel – Palace Hotel6:30 – 7:30 Dinner and reflection7:30 - ???

Day 2 – Monday 31 st : 8:00 Breakfast9:00 Depart for Marqab10:30 – 12:00 Guided tour of Marqab (3-4 guides)12:00 – 1:00 Activity1:00 – 1:30 Lunch at Marqab (shawarmas and fallafal)1:30 Depart for Musyaf2:00 Arrive Musyaf2:00 – 3:00 Guided tour of Musyaf3:00 – 4:00 Activity4:30 Depart for Tartous5:30 Arrive in Tartous – Grand Hotel6:30 – 7:30 Dinner and reflection7:30 – 9:30 Movie (Robin Hood?)

Day 3 – Tuesday 1 st : (Castles Closed)8:00 Breakfast9:00 Depart for Safita and Hosn Suleiman10:30 Arrive Safita and tour Qala Yahmur (30 min?)11:30 – 12:00 Drive to Hosn Suleiman12:00 – 1:00 Activity at Hosn Suleiman (something with math and size of blocks?)

Lunch??? Pick up Shawarmas in Safita? And eat on bus1:00 Depart for Tartous2:00 Arrive Tartous ferry dock and depart for Arwad Island3:00 – 4:30 Tour Castle on Arwad and Corniche with Phoenician blocks4:30 Return to docks5:30 Return to hotel – Grand Hotel6:00 – 7:00 Dinner and reflection7:00 – 9:00 Movie at hotel (First Knight?)

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Day 4 – Wednesday 2 nd: 8:00 Breakfast9:00 Depart for Krak des Chevaliers 10:00 - 11:30 Guided tour of Krak (3-4 guides)11:30 – 12:30 Lunch at Krak restaurant and free time to explore12:30 – 1:30 Introduction to Writing a Legend Script Activity1:30 – 3:00 Crusader Quest grade 7 / Legend activity grade 63:00 – 4:30 Crusader Quest grade 6 / Legend activity grade 75:00 Depart for hotel6:00 – 7:00 Dinner and reflection7:00 – 8:00 Legend Work Time8:00 – 10:00 Bonfire

Day 5 – Thursday 3 rd: 8:00 Breakfast9:00 Depart for Krak9:30 – 11:00 Legend Work Time – Rehearse and practice scripts11:00 – 12:00 Presentation of Legends12:00 – 1:00 Lunch at Krak1:00 Depart for Aleppo

Lunch – shawarmas and fallafal to go

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Teams of Knights

Grade 6: (students)

Hotel Roommates

Grade 7: (students)

Hotel Roommates

Team Coat of Arms Activity

Why did a knight need to have a coat of arms?

In the 12th century, knights began wearing helmets that completely concealed their faces except for two narrow slits for the eyes. It

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made a knight unrecognizable to both his friends and his enemies. Symbols such as lions or other beasts were painted on the knights’ shields and banners to aid in recognition during a battle. As time went on these decorations were repeated on the surcoat (a sleeveless garment that was worn over armor) – therefore the name, coat of arms. By the 15th century, as the designs became more complex, it developed into a complicated science called heraldry – a system of personal symbols by which a knight could be recognized.

Parts of a Coat of Arms:

Ribbon & Motto- A ribbon could be placed above the entire coat of arms or at the bottom of the shield. A motto (short goal or idea) is placed on the ribbon.

Crest- On some coats of arms a crest is included that almost always sets on top of a Torse.

Torse- Twisted fabrics make up a Torse that contains the same colors as the shield and one color of metal (gold or silver). The Torse sits on the helm or helmet, and some say it is there to hold the Mantling in place.

Mantling- (this is usually on a coat of arms only if there is also a helm or helmet shown)- The Mantling may represent the tattered hooded capes or cloaks worn by a warrior after battle and is usually all one color on a coat of arms.

Helm- Helm and helmet are the same thing and different helmets symbolize specific classes such as Bards, Earls, and Peers.

Supporter- Typically the supporters are humans or animals that hold the shield on either side.

Compartment- The compartment is the area on the coat of arms at the bottom of the shield. The compartment is there to hold the shield up and in many cases it is made to look like the ground.

Shield and Arms- The shield and arms make up the design on the shield itself. Traditionally, a woman’s shield would have been in the shape of a diamond, instead of the shape seen below. Since a coat of arms was an honor given to a specific person, each one was unique. Pieces of a coat of arms might be used in a family emblem, however, individuals who were given this award could have an emblem different from their family’s coat of arms.

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Create Your Own Coat of Arms

There are very specific rules for designing a coat of arms.

1. Partition the background with lines. You may use any of the designs pictured below or create a design of your own.

2. Choose a combination of the following colors: black, green, red, purple, gold or silver to color in your background.

3. Draw a fanciful animal as part of your design.

4. Complete your coat of arms with any personal or family symbols.

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Essential Questions

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Mapping our Journey

Use the following map to identify all of the locations we visit. Mark the map to identify each location and create a key. Use the latitude and longitude to estimate the correct coordinates of each location.

What were the Crusades?

The medieval "Crusade" was a holy war. For a conflict to be officially considered a Crusade, it had to be approved by the pope and conducted against groups seen as enemies of Christendom. Initially, only expeditions to the Holy Land (Jerusalem

Locations

Aleppo

36.2˚N 37.2˚E

Qala’at Salah ad-Din

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Qala’at Marqab

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Musyaf

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Safita

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Krak des Chevaliers

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and associated territory) were considered Crusades. More recently, historians have also recognized campaigns against heretics, pagans and Muslims in Europe as Crusades.

Nowadays, countries have people from all kinds of religions, but in the Middle Ages almost everyone in Europe was Christian. Western Christians were all members of the Catholic Church, and the Pope was the head of the Church. All the Christian countries together were called Christendom. Sometimes the countries of Christendom could work together and most famously did so during the Crusades – the Wars of the Cross. The Christians wanted to win back their Holy City, Jerusalem, from the Muslim armies; however, Jerusalem was also a Holy City for the Muslims, so the Muslim leaders were just as determined to win. The Crusades eventually failed, in part because of the disagreements arising between different Christian kings.

How the Crusades Began

For centuries, Jerusalem had been governed by Muslims, but Christian pilgrims were tolerated because these visitors helped the economy. In the 1070s though, Turks (who were also Muslim) conquered the Holy Land and mistreated Christians before realizing how useful their good will (and money) could be. The Turks also threatened the Byzantine Empire. Emperor Alexius asked the pope for assistance, and Pope Urban II, seeing a way to harness the violent energy of Christian knights, made a speech calling for Christians to take back Jerusalem. Thousands responded, resulting in the First Crusade.

There is no doubt that the Crusades contributed greatly to changes in Europe. The effort of raising armies and providing supplies for Crusaders stimulated the economy. Trade benefited as well, especially once the Crusader States were established. Interaction between the East and West affected European culture in areas of art and architecture, literature and education. Finally, Pope Urban's vision of directing the energies of warring knights outward succeeded in reducing conflict within Europe. The creation of a common foe and objective renewed feelings of unity within Christendom, even for those who didn't participate in the Crusade. On the other hand, the Crusades had a much smaller impact on the societies living in and around the Holy Land.

Crusader Castles

The Crusader castles that rise from the Syrian hilltops and mountain crags remain the clearest legacy of the 200-year struggle for the Holy Land between the Christians of Europe and the Muslims of the east. The massive size and intricate craftsmanship of these structures are characteristic of fortresses that were intended to house and protect inhabitants from any enemy.

The Europeans who embarked on the First Crusade at the end of the 11th century were predominantly Frankish, and the basic traditions of Crusader castle

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construction can be traced to the country we now call France. Throughout Western Europe, fortification technology had developed from the days of Roman camps and forts and throughout the Middle Ages. Despite these developments, there was not standard blueprint for Frankish castle construction. The nature of castle construction was dictated more by the topography of a chosen site than by strict adherence to a specific building pattern. The greatest skill of Frankish engineers was their ability to adapt designs that suited the demands of specific terrain, whether it was a precipitous mountain peak or a harbour-side

promontory. This was equally true in Syria, where the fortifications in coastal towns like Tartus and the impregnable hilltop castle of Krak des Chevaliers used similar forms of castle technology but were fundamentally different in design, appearance, and function.

It is likely that the Crusaders greatly extended their knowledge military architecture during the lengthy march to the Holy Land. They must have been amazed by the walls of Constantinople, and they discovered first-hand the effectiveness of ancient Byzantine fortifications during their long sieges of Nicaea (1097) and Antioch (1098). It is also interesting to speculate upon possible Armenian influences on the Crusades. The path of the Crusaders brought them into contact with Armenian populations in the principality of Antioch and also in Edessa. The Armenians had a tradition of constructing true castles, rather than city defenses, on elevated or mountainous locations. Armenian castles were frequently built with an outer wall that closely followed the line of the cliff face, with round towers spaced regularly along it. These features can be seen in some Syrian Crusader castles, and it is likely that inspiration came, at least in part, from the Armenians.

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Why Build Castles?

Following the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, the Crusaders faced a crisis of human resources. It is estimated that of the 150,000 Crusaders who embarked on the journey, only 40,000 reached Jerusalem. Many of those who had survived the First Crusade returned home after the city was captured because they believed they had fulfilled their religious duty of liberating the Holy Land. Crusader nobles remaining in the Holy Land began constructing a network of castles along the coast and through the mountains. These castles allowed a smaller number of knights and soldiers to maintain control over the newly-conquered territory. The virtue of these great strongholds was demonstrated clearly during the rampaging campaign of Salah ad-Din in 1180 when the

hopelessly outnumbered Crusader forces retreated to Krak des Chevaliers and the Muslims, who did not have the resources or the time to conduct a siege, had no option but to reluctantly pass on by. Of course, once the army had moved away from the castle walls, the Crusaders sallied forth again

to recapture the local area and extract tax money.

Krak des Chevaliers sometimes boasted a garrison of more than two thousand, but it was so well-designed that it could be defended by as few as two hundred soldiers. Even when the Muslims managed to control the surrounding lands, the castle itself remained impregnable.

The pattern of castle ownership, like the style of castle construction, changed markedly during the 200-year period of the Crusades. Initially, individual nobles attempted to create small, self-ruled estates in the Holy Land similar to those of Western Europe. As the tide turned in favor of the Muslims, the survival of independent foreign states and eventually of the whole Crusading movement became increasingly precarious. The defensive capacities of the great castles became even more important as the plight of the Crusaders became ever more desperate.

The Master Castle Builders

Increasingly, castle ownership and renovation became the responsibility of the two great elite military orders, the Knights of St John (or Hospitallers), and the Order of the Knights Templar. Most of the castles that can still be seen in Syria today were controlled by the Templars or the Hospitallers in the 13th century, and it was these knights who redesigned and expanded the fortifications, sometimes to a truly remarkable extent.

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The architecture of the great Hospitaller castles, particularly Krak des Chevaliers and Qala’at Marqab, was distinctly different to that of the Templars. The dominating, rectangular donjons favored by the Templars (the best example of which is at Safita) were not used as extensively by the Hospitallers. The Hospitallers favored great, round towers that often projected boldly from the castle walls to allow the defenders a wide field of vision and fire.

Both Krak and Marqab were effectively two castles in one, with the main castle being fully enclosed by a complete outer circuit of heavily fortified walls and towers. The upper windows of the towers were wide enough to allow large defensive weapons to be deployed from within.

Castles after the Crusades

In 1291, the last of the Crusaders abandoned the castle of Tortosa (present day Tartus) and sailed to the fortified offshore island of Arwad. Eleven years later, they left this final refuge and departed the Holy Land forever. In some ways the Crusading movement can be seen as a failure. The knights came to protect their shrines and pilgrim routes from the Muslims, but when the last Crusader sailed from the coast the whole region was in Muslim hands.

Equally, it can be argued that the Crusaders did remarkably well to maintain an active foreign presence for more than 200 years, despite their isolation, lack of resources and inability to harness the support of the Christian populations in the east. There is no doubt that the key to the Crusaders’ stubborn resistance was their construction and use of great fortifications.

Castle building did not, of course, end with the Crusaders. Hard-won experienced led to the adoption of the use of large-scale fortifications by the Muslims. Late in the 12th century, rulers like Nur ad-Din built castles of varying styles at Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Bosra, and elsewhere, while the Ayyubid rulers of the early 13th century also undertook an extensive program of fortification. Not surprisingly, there are many similarities between the styles of the Muslim and Crusader construction. For example, the defensive openings, or machicolations, that project from the tower overlooking the approach to the gate of the Aleppo citadel represent a device constructed by the Muslims that is identical to Crusader workmanship at Krak des Chevaliers.

Military architecture in Western Europe underwent a revision in the years following the Crusades. Although many subsequent Western European castles incorporated design features that were conceived in the Holy Land, these fortifications never rivaled the size and splendor of the Crusader fortresses. Never improved upon, the great Crusader castles, of which Syria boasts the finest

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examples, represent the ultimate triumph of the art of defensive fortification construction.

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Qala’at Salah ad-DinBackground Information

The castle Qala’at Salah ad-Din or Saone (as it was known to the Crusaders) was unlike the other major Crusade strongholds. It was never given to one of the major orders of the Crusades; the Knights Templar or the Hospitallers; and its construction dates from the early phase of the Crusader presence 1100 – 1188.

The fortifications were begun by the Byzantines in the late 10th century. The site was chosen for its proximity to, and control of, the main route between Lattakia and Aleppo. The Crusaders took over in the early 12th century and the construction of the castle as you see it today was carried out some time before 1188. Incredibly, the canyon is man-made; the Crusaders laboriously hacked a volume of stone 28 m deep and 156 m long creating a “ditch” separating the castle from the rest of the hill. In the middle of the canyon, they left a solitary freestanding needle of stone to provide support for a drawbridge.

On July 27, 1188 Saladin arrived at Saone (as it was called by the Crusaders) and began to lay siege. His forces pounded the castle from the plateau to the east while his son (from Aleppo) took up position across the north ravine. The Crusaders resisted fiercely but two days later the walls were breached by bombardment from Saladin’s son. The weak point was the relatively thin walls of the lower court. The Muslim soldiers stormed the breach, gained the lower court and from there swarmed over the narrow and incomplete ditch into the upper fortress. The garrison was overwhelmed by how quick the breach happened and surrendered after barely a fight. The vast area of the fortress had proved too much for them to defend. The castle was never regained by the Crusaders.

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Qala’at Salah ad-Din

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History of Construction: (who built it, why, when, etc…)

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Discuss why you think it was built in this location:

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Significant Defensive Features:

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Unique Features of this Castle:

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Evaluate the Overall Castle Construction: (How does it compare to other castles?)

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Building A Topographic Model

Background Information:Topographic maps show the shapes and features of the Earth’s surface. A contour line connects places on the map which have the same elevation. To demonstrate the different elevations shown on a two dimensional topographic map, you can build a 3-dimensional model.

Relief -- The features shown on topographic maps may be divided into three groups: (1) relief, which includes hills, valleys, mountains, etc.; (2) water features, including lakes, ponds, and streams; and (3) cultural features, man-made features like bridges, canal, buildings, and roads.

Relief is the difference in elevation between any two points. Where relief is low, the area appears to be relatively flat as in river valleys or broad, flat uplands. When relief is high, the area is steep, as in rugged mountainous terrain. Relief determines the contour interval, which is the difference in elevation between adjacent contour lines. A contour line is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface connecting points of the same elevation. Contours can be large for rugged terrain (80 or 100 feet) or they may be small in areas of low relief (10-20 feet).

Rules of Contour Lines. -- Some basic rules or facts about contour lines are listed below. 1. Where a contour line crosses a stream or valley, the contour bends to form a "V" that points-upstream or-valley. 2. Contours near the upper parts of hills form closures. The top of a hill is higher than the highest closed contour. 3. Contours are widely spaced on gentle slopes. 4. Contours are closely spaced on steep slopes. 5. Evenly spaced contours indicate a uniform slope. 6. Contours do not cross or intersect each other. 7. All contours eventually close, either on a map or beyond its margins. Scale -- Scale expresses the relationship between distance on the map and the true distance on the Earth's surface. This is generally expressed as a ratio or a fraction, such as 1: 24,000 or 1/24,000. The numerator, usually 1, represents map distance, and the denominator, a large number, represents ground distance. Thus, 1: 24,000 means that a distance of 1 unit on the map represents 24,000 such units on the ground. The unit here is not important - it could be meters, feet, or inches. What is important is the relationship between the map distance and the true ground distance.

Colors and Symbols-- Each color on a topographic map has significance as follows:Blue = water features;Green = woodlands, orchards, etc.;Red = urban areas, important roads, public-land boundary lines, civil boundaries;Black = man-made works;Brown = contour lines.Purple = new additions in revised versions; usually man-made features

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Purpose:Use the map below to make a 3-Dimensional model of the features of Qalaat Saladin and the surrounding area.

Procedure:1. Determine how many layers your model will need to represent different

elevations.2. Draw each layer onto separate pieces of cardboard – BE CAREFUL to be as

precise as possible as you will have limited cardboard. 3. Cut out each layer of cardboard.4. Assemble entire 3-D model to represent the topography of the Qalaat

Saladin area.5. Provide an estimated scale of contour lines.6. Add color to your model to indicate water features, woodlands, roads and

man-made works (this includes the main parts of the castle)

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UgaritBackground Information

Ugarit was once the most important city on the Mediterranean coast. Many consider it to be the world’s first international port, and evidence suggests that a settlement on this site was trading with Cyprus and Mesopotamia as afar back as the4 3rd millennium BC. Ugarit was at its peak around 2000 to 1800 BC, when it enjoyed a healthy trade providing the Egyptian pharaohs with timber and exporting the city’s trademark bronze

work. With the immense wealth accrued from trade, the city’s royal palace was developed into one of the most imposing and famous buildings in western Asia. Ugarit’s wealth was matched by its learning and innovation. For instance, the palace had a piped water system and drainage, as did the houses of the well-to-do.

The most significant achievement of all, however, was the development of the Ugaritic alphabet. Tablets discovered at this site are inscribed with what is thought to be one of the world’s earliest alphabets. Prior to the one developed at Ugarit the two known systems of writing were hieroglyphics (developed by the Egyptians) and cuneiform (from Mesopotamia) both of which involved hundreds of pictograms that represented complete words or syllables. Ugaritic is a greatly simplified system of 30 symbols, each of which represents one sound. It is also thought the Ugaritic alphabet may have been adopted and adapted by the Greeks and Romans, thus making it the ancestor of modern European alphabets.

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Ugarit ActivityDiscovery Walk

1. Find the Reception Hall and explain what you think the inhabitants used this space for.

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2. Find the Stone Vessel and predict what you think it was used for.

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3. In the House of Rapanu there is an underground chamber. Find it and explain what you think it was used for.

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4. On the way to the Acropolis find this object: and predict what you think it was used for.

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5. Find the stratigraphic sounding and describe what you think archaeologists did here.

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6. Find the Temple of Baal and look at the sketch of what the archaeologists predicted it looked like. How do you think they were able to do this?

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7. Find the Northern Residence and locate the underground chamber there. Go inside and examine the far wall. Describe what you think this chamber could have been used for and the shapes in the wall.

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8. Find the main entrance to the Palace. Sketch what you think it could have looked like during the height of the civilization here.

Qala’at MarqabBackground Information

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The original castle was originally built by the Muslims in 1062 out of black basalt rock. The castle sits on an extinct volcano, of which the stone was most likely cut to build the castle. During the early 12th century it passed into Crusader hands and was part of the principality of Antioch before being sold in 1168 to the Knights Hospitaller. It was the Hospitallers who gave the castle its present shape, concentrating their fortifications on the southern flank where the gentler slopes made the site most vulnerable. Their work was well done, as it stood up to two major assaults in the 13thycentury. Saladin (Salah ad-Din) who in 1188 successfully captured the nearby castle that now bears his name, did not even bother with Marqab but just marched right by, preferring to concentrate on easier targets.

Historians suspect that the main reason for its eventual fall in 1285 to the Mamelukes was the lack of manpower for the extensive defenses. With increasingly fewer volunteers from Europe the castle could not be properly protected because of its vast size. The Mameluke Sultan brought down Marqab by

‘mining’; his soldiers dug under the foundations of the castle walls and towers, propping up the tunnels with wooden beams. By lighting a fire and burning the beams, the tunnels collapsed and brought down the defenses above them. Following the surrender of the Crusaders, the Mamelukes repaired the castle – you can identify their handiwork in the telltale white bands of the south tower – and continued to use it until they lost power to the Ottomans, who had little use for castles and kept it as a prison.

Qala’at Marqab

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Qala’at Marqab ActivityArchitectural Features of the Castle

The castle as a stronghold:

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Castles were built to protect people and their property. If opponents wanted to destroy the owner’s power and authority, and take the land, the castle had to be captured. Attackers used a number of different methods.

The attack:

There were two main methods of attacking castles: batter down the defences, or besiege the site until the defenders gave in. Castles could be attacked in other ways as well. Mining involved tunneling under a wall so that it would collapse. Diseased animal carcasses were hurled into castles to spread diseases; heads from prisoners were sometimes hurled in to demoralize defenders. Occasionally attackers successfully climbed up the lavatory chutes.

Which side was successful?

Sometimes the defenders were successful and sometimes the attackers. Defenders had the advantage of strong walls and towers from which they could fire down on their attackers. Defensive features included such as the barbican, which crowded attackers into a small space under concentrated fire, and machicolations made the assault on the castle even more hazardous for the attackers. Sieges sometimes failed because the attackers could not afford to pay for the wages, food and supplies of their army but in the end any castle would fall if the siege were long enough.

Your Task:You will analyze and evaluate different features of the castle that either helped to defend the castle or allow the crusaders to attack their enemies. Be observant and be sure to look at all parts of the castle!

Step One: Complete the chart on the next page with architectural features from this particular castle. The first two entries have been done for you as an example.

Step Two:

Pick two or three features of the castle and draw them on the page provided. Try to put as much detail as possible into the picture.

Step One:Complete the chart with architectural features from this particular castle. The first two entries have been done for you as an example.

Features that helped protect or defend the crusaders from attack.

Features that allowed the crusaders to attack their enemies.

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Feature: Drawbridge

Explanation: When the drawbridge is lifted up the attackers cannot cross the moat to get into the castle.

Feature: Weapons storage room

Explanation:Crusaders kept the weapons they used to attack their enemies here.

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What do you notice about the offensive and defensive features of a castle?

Step Two:Pick two or three features of the castle and draw them on this paper. Try to put as much detail as possible into the picture.

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MusyafBackground Information

Musyaf, also known as the Castle of the Assassins, is the best preserved of the Ismaeli (Assassins) castles in Syria. It’s not known when the first fortifications were erected on this site, but there was definitely a castle of some sort here in 1103 because it was seized by the Crusaders. They didn’t have enough manpower to garrison it and by 1140 it had passed into the hands of the mysterious Ismaeli sect, more dramatically known as the Assassins.

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The Ismaelis were an extreme sect that originated in Persia. A sect is a small religious or political group that has broken off from a larger group. The Ismaelis broke off from the Shia Muslims, however they were considered non-Muslims and leaned more towards the mystical. The Assassins were committed to

murder to further their cause, and targeted Muslim rulers who had been persecuting their sect. They were meticulous in killing the targeted individual; seeking to do so without any additional casualties and innocent loss of life. The Assassins developed a terrifying reputation by slaying their victims in public, often in mosques, typically approaching them in disguise and using a dagger.

Throughout the Crusades both the Muslims and Crusaders came to fear and respect the Ismaelis. It is believed that at their peak, the Isamelis controlled a total of 10 castles, and most were hidden deep in the Jebel Ansariyya mountain range.

Musyaf

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Discuss why you think it was built in this location:28

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Safita and Hosn Suleiman

Background Information

Safita

This small mountain town is dominated by a striking Crusader-era keep, all that remains of the once powerful Castel Blanc. The keep, essentially a fortified watch-tower with a surrounding wall, was originally built in the early 12th century as part of the outlying defences of Tartus. The castle was rebuilt and strengthened after damage sustained in an attack. It was garrisoned by the Knights

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Templar until 1271 when they were driven out by the Beybars, who shortly after went on to take Krak des Chevaliers.

Hosn Suleiman

Along some of the highest mountain ridges of the Jebel Ansariyya lies a temple that gives testament to thousands of years of religious use. Evidence suggests that the site has been home to temples of one religion or another since the Persian occupation. The present remains are Roman but the first temple was probably constructed under Persian domination. What makes the site extraordinary is the construction of huge stone blocks, some of them as large as 5m by 3m, in such a remote area at a time when travel was by foot or on

horse.

Activity – How high is the castle?

We will use 3 different methods for trying to measure the height of the castle.

Method 1 The falling balloon

As objects fall towards the earth they get faster, i.e. their velocity increases. We can use this phenomenon to calculate the height of the castle by recording the time taken for an object to fall from the top.

Procedure1. ½ fill balloon with water and tie a knot in it.2. 1 student (S1) to go to the top of the castle and find a safe place to stand where they can drop

the balloon.3. Another student (S2) goes to the bottom with a stopwatch where they can see S1.

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4. S1 blows a whistle to indicate that he is about to drop the balloon.5. S1 releases balloon 5 seconds after blowing whistle.6. S2 records the time taken from when the balloon is released until it hits the ground.7. Repeat procedure 3 times to get a more accurate result and calculate the average time.

t1= _______seconds t2= _______seconds t3= _______seconds

Average time(tavg) = (t1 + t2 + t3)/3 = ____ seconds

The formula to calculate the height is given as

Castle Height = (5 x tavg x tavg) meters

Castle Height = ____ m

Method 2 Using a fishing line

Procedure1. A student at the top of the castle drops a reel of fishing line while

holding onto the end of the line.

2. Student at the bottom cuts the line where it touches the ground and students measure the line using a trundle wheel.

Method 3 using a protractor

Procedure

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1. Using a trundle wheel walk 100m away from the castle.2. 1 student(S1) lies on the ground facing the castle, place the 1m ruler in front of the student with

1 end near their face.3. student laying on ground must look along the ruler at the castle.4. Another student(S2) gradually raises the far end of the ruler until the student on the ground can

see the top of the castle along the ruler.5. S2 and others need to use paper to trace the triangle made by the ground and the ruler as in the

diagram above6. Measure the angle of the triangle as shown in the diagram.

The height, h = 100 x tan(angle)

Use the table below to work out the tan of the angle

Castle height = 100 x ____ = _____ m

Angle(degrees) Tan(angle)

Angle(degrees) Tan(angle)

5 0.09 45 1.0010 0.18 50 1.1915 0.27 55 1.4320 0.36 60 1.7325 0.47 65 2.1430 0.58 70 2.7535 0.70 75 3.7340 0.84 80 5.67

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How Heavy is the Stone Block ?

We will estimate the mass of the largest block we can find. We will do this by measuring the rocks volume and density, then from this we can determine its mass.

Density The density is a measure of an objects mass per volume.We can calculate this as follows:

1. Take a piece of rock used to make the blocks around 1kg or so that will fit into the bottom ½ of your 2L container.

2. Record the mass of the rock using an electronic balance.3. Measure the volume of the rock as follows:4. Place a 1cm horizontal mark ½ way up the inside of the plastic container with a permanent

pen.5. Fill the container with water up to your pen mark.6. Now carefully place the rock into the container of water. Make sure the rock is completely

submerged.7. Draw another mark to record the new water level.8. Now remove the rock and add water if necessary to get the water level back up to the lower

mark. 9. Using a 200ml water bottle add water up to the upper level mark recording how much water

you have added…..this volume is the volume of the rock.

Mass of rock = ____ g

Volume of rock = ____ mls

Density of an object is equal to the mass/volume

Density of rock = mass(g) / volume(mls) = _________ g/ml

Now multiply your answer by 1000 to get it to units of kg/m3

Density of rock = _______ kg/m3

Equipment required

Electronic balance2L plastic beakerPermanent penCalculatorEmpty 200ml water bottle

Volume Locate the largest block on the siteCalculate its volume by measuring the length, width and height in meters

Length = _______ m Width = _______ m Height = _______ m

Volume = length x width x height

= ______ x ______ x ______

= ________ m3

Mass of the largest block

The mass of the block = (density x volume) kg

= ______ x ______

The mass of the block = ______ kg

Assume a student has a mass of approximately 50kg.

How many students do we need to have the same mass as your block?

Show your working below

Krak des ChevaliersBackground Information

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The “Castle of the Knights” (as it is also called) is situated in the only significant break in the Jebel Ansariyya. Anyone who held this location, known as the Homs Gap, was virtually assured authority over inland Syria by controlling the flow of goods and people from the ports through to the interior. Even today, this gap carries the major road link from Homs to Tartus, as well as the oil pipeline from the fields in the far east of the country to the port at Tartus.

The first fortress that is known to have existed on this site was built by the Emir of Homs in 1031. He was first briefly displaced in 1099 by the hordes of the First Crusade passing through on its way to Jerusalem, and was then completely pushed out 11 years later when the Christian knights, now established in the Holy City, began to extend their lands throughout the region. Around the middle of the 12th

century the elite Knights Hospitaller replaced the First Crusaders and built and expanded the Krak into its present form.

The knights built well and despite repeated attacks and sieges, the fortress was never truly breached. Instead, the Crusaders simply gave it up. When the Mameluke Sultan marched on the castle in 1271, the knights at the Krak were a last outpost. Jerusalem had been lost and the Christians were retreating. Numbers in the castle, which was built to hold a garrison of 2000, were depleted to around 200. Surrounded by

the armies of Islam and with no hope of reprieve, the fortress must have seemed more like a prison than a stronghold. Even though they had supplies to last for five years, after a month under siege the Crusaders agreed to depart the castle under terms of safe conduct.

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Krak des Chevaliers

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Krak des Chevaliers Activity

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Crusader Quest

Krak des Chevaliers Activity

Creating A Dramatic LegendIntroduction:A legend is a story that is probably about someone that did exist, but has been twisted to seem more interesting and fascinating. This story was passed down

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generation to generation over hundreds of years and eventually the story was written down. Legends give us an insight into the lives, cultures and landscapes of a time long ago. Most legends contain a hero or heroine, deal with good versus evil, and tend to involve the hero or heroine in some problem.

Your Task:Your team will create and write your own script of a legend based on your experiences and knowledge gained over the week of studying castles. Your team will then act out the legend and perform for the rest of the group!

1. Learn enough background knowledge of castles, the crusades, and the people of these times to create your own legend based on some aspect of the crusades.

2. Create a legend by planning and outlining all the parts of the legend.

3. Write your own script of a legend to act out.

STEP 1: Planning

a) Create an outline of the beginning, middle, and end of your legenda. Beginning – should set the scene, describe who, what, when, where

and introduce some of the characters,b. Middle – develop the problem, use detailc. Ending – resolution to the problem

STEP 2: Writing the Script

b) Use the outline to write the script of your legend c) Provide dialogue between characters and action throughout the scriptd) Be creative to make the legend exciting and interesting – REMEMBER you

will be acting out the legend!

STEP 3: Performing the Legend

e) Assign characters and gather any necessary propsf) Practice script and rehears the entire performance being sure to focus on

drama

Creating A Dramatic LegendThe Script

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A Knight’s Tale

Every evening for the first 10 – 15 minutes of dinner you are asked to reflect on your experiences throughout the day. You can write about what you saw, things you learned, and how you felt during your different activities during the day. This journal will help document your experiences throughout the trip, and will be a great resource for your final project when we return to school.

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Sunday

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A Knight’s Tale


Monday

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A Knight’s Tale


Tuesday

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Wednesday

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Thursday – Overall Reflection

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A Week Without Walls Self Evaluation

Read the expectation and rate yourself on the 1 – 7 scale.

Expectation Evaluation 1 – 7

Team Work & Relationships

I worked very well with all group members and I did my share of the workload. I had positive relationships with every member of the group including the chaperones. I went out of my way to treat the guides, locals, chaperones, and other students with respect.Responsibility

I was good about being on time and taking care of myself. I had the proper materials needed for the trip and for each daily activity, and never had to be reminded to pick up my things. I made good, safe choices.Attitude

I showed enthusiasm and a positive attitude towards all of the activities. I appreciated different ideas and experiences. I did not complain because something went wrong, but tried to be flexible, helpful and positive.Focus

When it was time to work on my student booklet I got right to work. I used my time effectively and did my best work on all of the activities.Behavior

I was well behaved, always used my best manners and polite language, and was able to make this trip a positive experience. Listening

I listened well to my chaperones, guides, and other students. I listened carefully to directions given by chaperones and followed directions the first time they were given.

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iisa medieval castles student workbook

Education

tour castle

guided tour of krak

castle tour activity18

castle tour activity25

castle tour activity38

guided tour of saladin

guided tour of marqab

guided tour of musyaf3