- History
The building of the Ajloun castle, was initiated in the year 1184 by the Ayyubid ruler Saladin; a Kurdish military leader who ascended to power and was known for his shrewdness and fierceness in battle. To many, he is considered the force which drove the crusaders out of Jerusalem in 1188AD in the battle of Hittin in Galilee and with that victory, ended centuries of crusader occupation of the Holy Land.
Saladin commissioned one of his generals, Izzedin Ussama, who was also his nephew, to build the Ajloun castle few years before the end of the war.
The choice for the castle's location was primarily based on itsforproximity to the major trade and pilgrimage routes between, Jerusalem, Damascus, Cairo and Mecca. The grounds overlooked the near by crusaders' castles and hence was strategically of great value in monitoring the crusaders' movement as well. It is a day's trip on horse back to the castle of Kerak where Renault De Chatillion raked havoc all over Palestine and trans-Jordan with his recklessness and ruthlessness. It is also a day's trip to Jerusalem and the castle of Belvoir, also known as ( Qalat Al Hawa, in Arabic), in Bisan, Palestine and again , the same short distance from Damascus, the center for Saladin and the Ayyubid's administration.
Another major factor in choosing this spot was its proximity to the iron mines. Iron, a major component for making weapons for the army was a very valuable commodity at that time especially after the Catholic Church, imposed a ban on sale of iron to Moslems..
But life could not be sustained or flourish without food and water, and here, they were plentiful. Moderate climate and fertile lands surrounded the castle. Plenty of rain and a river supplied it with all the fresh water it needed.
The Castle sits on what was known as Oaf mountain or (Jabal Oaf in Arabic), in reference to the tribe which had settled there. Bani Ouf voiced their objections to building a castle in their midst but Izzidin Ussama used cunning and persuasion and the building process finally commenced in the year 1184 AD. He oversaw the building of the core section of the castle with its 4 original towers which sits in the North West Corner of the castle today.
After the death of Saladin in 1193AD, A new sultan took office in Damascus. Izzidin Ussama fell out of favor with, Al-malek Al-Adel saif El-Din Abi Bakr Bin Ayyoub.
Izzidin Ussama was accused of treason and imprisoned in the Castle of Kerak where he eventually died.
Although the original reason for building the Ajloun castle was purely military in its essence, the castle soon outlived its original purpose and didn't serve as a military post after the crusaders were driven out of the holy lands. It served as an administrative center for the Ayybid and Mamlouk dynasties
In 1258 AD, the Mongol army invaded Syrian Lands and defeated the Moslem armies then went on to occupy and destroy many Moslem strongholds in the area. The Ajloun Castle was among those structures that suffered at their hands for a brief time. However, the Mongol army was thrown out two years later in 1260 by the Mamluk sultan, Al-thahir Baybars.
Al-thahir Baybers, was in office in the years (1258 to 1277) and ordered the rebuilding of the Western part of the castle.
In the early 16th century, It was used as an administrative center by the ottoman government serving this part of the empire. But an earthquake in 1837 and another one in 1927 destroyed much of the mighty castle and it was abandoned except by few locals who called its labyrinth of hallways and passages, home.
- Castle of Ajloun
The castle is perched on a hill that rises 982 m above sea level with an added estimated overall height of 41 meters; The castle's roof top is 1023m above sea level. It offers a beautiful view of the hills and nearby towns as well as an overall perspective of the castle's layout. We can see the 7 towers, built of lime stone, all sharing a similar square floor plan except for the tower on the south East side that forms an L shape.
Look at the tower to the North East corner and you might be able to see traces of pigeon holes. The tower main function was defense and surveillance but it also housed the pigeons who were trained to carry messages to and from the castle and went as far as Baghdad, Cairo & Damascus. Marking Ajloun's Castle as an important link in the Military communicational chain during the Ayyubid and Mamluk Dynasties.
The east side of the roof top has tumbled down and a lot of damage was inflicted upon the castle, most probably caused by the two earthquakes and the neglect and abandonment of centuries. Earnest Work to restore it to its original glory is still under way.
Let us turn our attention to the view from the roof top which explains the reason for building the Ajloun Castle on this very spot.
- From here and to the north, lie mount Hermon and the mountains of Lebanon , lake Tiber and the Belvoir castle, or (Kawkab Alhawa) in Bisan, Palestine.
To the west, and within less than 15 miles away is the city of Nablus, Palestine, the Jordan valley and the shimmering night lights of Jerusalem.
And to the South and south west; the Jordanian city of Sult, the Ajloun mountains and valley and father away, the hills surrounding the dead sea, to name but a few.
Looking east, will give you a view of the city and hills of Ajloun.
also to the North east , is, Khirbet ( Mar Elias), believed to be the city of ( Tishbe, of the old testament) ) on the hills of Gilaad. Tishbe, or modern Listib, is thought by many scholars to be the ancient Tishbe, believed to have been the birth place of the prophet Elijah.
two Byzantine churches wer built on the hilltop sometime beforethe 7th century AD. they were unearthed in 1999 AD revealing fascinating mosaic floors..
The religious significance of Khirbet Mar Elias is credited for The Vatican's decision in 2000AD, to declare Khirbet Mar Elias as a designated Christian pilgrimage site.
The prophet Elijah, who is known as Elias to the Moslems, is known for warning the Israelites during the reign of king Ahab and queen Jezabel of the mid 9th century BC. to rebuke the worship of Baal, the Canaanite's ancient God of rain and fertility and guide them back to the true God.
The locals say that for a long time, people brought their sick sheep to the hill top and carried on a ritual of circling and praying in the hope of healing them.
A ritual that usually concluded in a sacrificial offering of an animal, its meat donated to the hungry and the needy.
The roof top of the Ajloun castle is where smoke signals were sent to neighboring strong holds and beacons were lit at night to indicate safety or send important messages.
It is no wonder then that the Ajloun castle was built on this hill top.
It was an ideal setting to watch the enemy's every move in the safety of its thick and impenetrable walls.
