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Description

This is the main tower of the crusader castle of Amauda in Cilicia (modern Turkey). It was built by the military order of the Teutonic knights at the incentive of the Armenian king of Cilicia, Leon II, who donated land to the Teutons in 1212. Although he was not a Catholic himself, Leon maintained close relations with the Papacy and was hoping that the presence of Western, in this case, German, knights can help protect the eastern frontier of his realm against attacks by neighbouring Muslim powers – particularly the Mamluks from their power-base in Egypt.

The building of Amauda, however, had a more complex background than simply rivalry between Christians and Muslims. The Armenians also had another rival in the East – the Latin principality of Antioch. Though weakened by repeated Islamic attacks, the Norman rulers of Antioch still commanded considerable wealth and had ambitions of incorporating Cilicia into their realm. Furthermore, they also obtained the support of one o the two most powerful military orders of the Latin world – the Templar knights, who built the powerful fortress of Gaston (Baghras) close to the border of Cilicia. The Armenian rulers, therefore sought to counter this threat by forging alliances with other, Latin competitors of the Templars. The Teutonic knights seemed ideal because in 1212 they were a new military order that would never be able to threaten the power of the Armenian monarchy. At the same time however, their property guarded the eastern gateway to Cilicia and if the Templars were to cross it, they would somehow have to justify why they pillaged the lands belonging to fellow Latin military order (such situations happened but still, it was bad press...)

For the Teutonic knights, the support of the Armenian monarchs was crucial for building their influence in the, rapidly shrinking, Christian states of the Levant. Amauda became the centre of the second largest Teutonic estate in the East (the largest was in the kingdom of Jerusalem, around the Teutonic castle of Montfort which I currently excavate). For years, it was a prosperous frontier march that served its purpose well. Thus, when Muslim forces approached Amauda in 1266 it is said that no less 2200 refugees from the surrounding lands sought shelter in the castle. Sadly, the walls were eventually breached, the castle fell and all those hiding inside were either killed or sent as slaves to Egypt. Five years later the same fate befell the castle of Montfort, thus bringing an end to Teutonic estates in the Levant. The Latin East survived for few decades more but the Teutonic Order was already shifting its attention towards the north – the golden age of crusader Baltic was about to begin...

Description

This is the main tower of the crusader castle of Amauda in Cilicia (modern Turkey). It was built by the military order of the Teutonic knights at the incentive of the Armenian king of Cilicia, Leon II, who donated land to the Teutons in 1212. Although he was not a Catholic himself, Leon maintained close relations with the Papacy and was hoping that the presence of Western, in this case, German, knights can help protect the eastern frontier of his realm against attacks by neighbouring Muslim powers – particularly the Mamluks from their power-base in Egypt.

The building of Amauda, however, had a more complex background than simply rivalry between Christians and Muslims. The Armenians also had another rival in the East – the Latin principality of Antioch. Though weakened by repeated Islamic attacks, the Norman rulers of Antioch still commanded considerable wealth and had ambitions of incorporating Cilicia into their realm. Furthermore, they also obtained the support of one o the two most powerful military orders of the Latin world – the Templar knights, who built the powerful fortress of Gaston (Baghras) close to the border of Cilicia. The Armenian rulers, therefore sought to counter this threat by forging alliances with other, Latin competitors of the Templars. The Teutonic knights seemed ideal because in 1212 they were a new military order that would never be able to threaten the power of the Armenian monarchy. At the same time however, their property guarded the eastern gateway to Cilicia and if the Templars were to cross it, they would somehow have to justify why they pillaged the lands belonging to fellow Latin military order (such situations happened but still, it was bad press...)

For the Teutonic knights, the support of the Armenian monarchs was crucial for building their influence in the, rapidly shrinking, Christian states of the Levant. Amauda became the centre of the second largest Teutonic estate in the East (the largest was in the kingdom of Jerusalem, around the Teutonic castle of Montfort which I currently excavate). For years, it was a prosperous frontier march that served its purpose well. Thus, when Muslim forces approached Amauda in 1266 it is said that no less 2200 refugees from the surrounding lands sought shelter in the castle. Sadly, the walls were eventually breached, the castle fell and all those hiding inside were either killed or sent as slaves to Egypt. Five years later the same fate befell the castle of Montfort, thus bringing an end to Teutonic estates in the Levant. The Latin East survived for few decades more but the Teutonic Order was already shifting its attention towards the north – the golden age of crusader Baltic was about to begin...