• from Wikipedia

The site [of Crak des Chevaliers ] was first inhabited in the 11th century by Kurdish troops garrisoned there by the Mirdasids. In 1142 it was given by Raymond II, Count of Tripoli, to the order of the Knights Hospitaller. It remained in their possession until it fell in 1271.

• Crak des Chevaliers in Google Earth
  Crak des Chevaliers
  
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• Plan of Crak des Chevaliers
  Plan of Crak des Chevaliers
  
  Molin (2001)
  from Molin (2001)
• Fig. 6 - Artist's Reconstruction
  Figure 6
  
  Reconstruction of the Frankish-Crusader fortress of Crak des Chevaliers, known to the Arabic sources as Hisn al-Akrad. Situated at about 750 m above sea level the castle was in a strategic position overlooking the broad valley known as the ‘‘Gate of Homs’’. A change in the brickwork can be observed several meters from the ground (which we have highlighted with a dashed line), perhaps due to the reconstruction after the earthquake in 1170 (elaborated from Rey [1871])
  
  Guidoboni et al (2004)
  of Crak des Chevaliers from Guidoboni et. al. (2004)

Discussion

Plans

Discussion

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Collapsed walls	Outer Walls of Crack de Chevaliers	Figure 6 Reconstruction of the Frankish-Crusader fortress of Crak des Chevaliers, known to the Arabic sources as Hisn al-Akrad. Situated at about 750 m above sea level the castle was in a strategic position overlooking the broad valley known as the ‘‘Gate of Homs’’. A change in the brickwork can be observed several meters from the ground (which we have highlighted with a dashed line), perhaps due to the reconstruction after the earthquake in 1170 (elaborated from Rey [1871]) Guidoboni et al (2004)	Abu Shama recorded that no wall remained standing after the 1170 CE earthquake struck the Crusader fortress of Crak des Chevaliers (also known as Hisn al-Akrad), adding that “its repairs occupied the Franks [aka the Crusaders] entirely.” Sibt ibn al-Jawzi similarly wrote that “Hisn al-Akrad — Crak des Chevaliers — collapsed, and no trace of its walls remained.”

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Collapsed and, displaced, walls surmised from a change in brickwork several meters above the ground	Outer Walls of Crack de Chevaliers	Figure 6 Reconstruction of the Frankish-Crusader fortress of Crak des Chevaliers, known to the Arabic sources as Hisn al-Akrad. Situated at about 750 m above sea level the castle was in a strategic position overlooking the broad valley known as the ‘‘Gate of Homs’’. A change in the brickwork can be observed several meters from the ground (which we have highlighted with a dashed line), perhaps due to the reconstruction after the earthquake in 1170 (elaborated from Rey [1871]) Guidoboni et al (2004)	If the change in brickwork was, as speculated by Guidoboni et. al. (2004), due to reconstruction efforts after the 1170 CE earthquake(s), this would suggest displaced walls and collapsed walls.

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description	Intensity
Collapsed walls	Outer Walls of Crack de Chevaliers	Figure 6 Reconstruction of the Frankish-Crusader fortress of Crak des Chevaliers, known to the Arabic sources as Hisn al-Akrad. Situated at about 750 m above sea level the castle was in a strategic position overlooking the broad valley known as the ‘‘Gate of Homs’’. A change in the brickwork can be observed several meters from the ground (which we have highlighted with a dashed line), perhaps due to the reconstruction after the earthquake in 1170 (elaborated from Rey [1871]) Guidoboni et al (2004)	Abu Shama recorded that no wall remained standing after the 1170 CE earthquake struck the Crusader fortress of Crak des Chevaliers (also known as Hisn al-Akrad), adding that “its repairs occupied the Franks [aka the Crusaders] entirely.” Sibt ibn al-Jawzi similarly wrote that “Hisn al-Akrad — Crak des Chevaliers — collapsed, and no trace of its walls remained.”	VIII+

Although the archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224), complete destruction of all walls of such a formidible Castle suggests a local Intensity of IX (9) or X (10).

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description	Intensity
Collapsed and, displaced, walls surmised from a change in brickwork several meters above the ground	Outer Walls of Crack de Chevaliers	Figure 6 Reconstruction of the Frankish-Crusader fortress of Crak des Chevaliers, known to the Arabic sources as Hisn al-Akrad. Situated at about 750 m above sea level the castle was in a strategic position overlooking the broad valley known as the ‘‘Gate of Homs’’. A change in the brickwork can be observed several meters from the ground (which we have highlighted with a dashed line), perhaps due to the reconstruction after the earthquake in 1170 (elaborated from Rey [1871]) Guidoboni et al (2004)	If the change in brickwork was, as speculated by Guidoboni et. al. (2004), due to reconstruction efforts after the 1170 CE earthquake(s), this would suggest displaced walls and collapsed walls.	VII+ or VIII+

The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Guidoboni, E., et al. (2004). "The large earthquake on 29 June 1170 (Syria, Lebanon, and central southern Turkey)." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 109(B7).

MICHAUDEL, Benjamin (2004) Le Crac des Chevaliers, quintessence de l’architecture militaire mamelouke, in: Annales Islamologiques 38 (2004), pp. 45-77

Molin, K. (2001), Unknown Crusader Castles, 421 pp., Hambledon and London, New York.

Rey, E.G. (1871), Etude sur les Monuments de l’Architecture Militaire des Croise´s en Syrie et dans l’ıˆle de Chypre, Imprimerie Natl., Paris. - online open access at archive.org

Rey, E.G. (1871), Etude sur les Monuments de l’Architecture Militaire des Croise´s en Syrie et dans l’ıˆle de Chypre, Imprimerie Natl., Paris. - online open access at BnF Gallica