Shibl al-Dawla Nasr
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Abu Kamil Nasr ibn Salih ibn Mirdas, also known by his laqab of Shibl al-Dawla, was the second Mirdasid emir of Aleppo, ruling between May 1029 until his death. He was the eldest son of Salih ibn Mird
A silver dirham of Nasr ibn Salih, minted in Aleppo in 1033/34
The Battle of Azaz, miniature from the Madrid Skylitzes
Nasr seized the Aleppo Citadel from his brother Thimal in 1030, and became sole ruler of Aleppo and made it his seat of power. The present citadel (pictured) dates to the 13th century
Krak des Chevaliers
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Krak des Chevaliers is a medieval castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by Kurdish troops garrisoned t
Shibl al-Dawla Nasr
…rulers of the city. To make up for the loss of Hisn Ibn Akkar to the Fatimid governor of Tripoli in 1033, Nasr strengthened Hisn al-Safh (the future Krak des Chevaliers) on the northern end of the Homs Gap, opposite Hisn Ibn Akkar. He garrisoned the fortress with Kurdish tribal auxiliaries, hence its more common Arabic…
Krak des Chevaliers from the southwest
Krak des Chevaliers overlooking the surrounding area
Artist's rendering of Krak des Chevaliers as seen from the northeast. From Guillaume-Rey, Étude sur les monuments de l'architecture militaire des croisés en Syrie et dans l'île de Chypre (1871).
The area between the inner and outer walls is narrow and was not used for accommodation.