Muslim Fortresses in the Levant: Between Crusaders and Mongols (19 page)

Figure 1.2
Mount Tabor, plan and aerial photograph (1945)

in another he says that the Sultan himself was present until the construction of the fortress was completed.
¹⁰²
This is rather unusual, however, due to the sheer size of this project and its proximity to the Frankish frontier it is quite likely that the Sultan himself was present, if only to see the first stages of this grand project started. The inscriptions found on the site carry the name of
.
name appears only on the main foundation inscription dating to 609/1212–13.

A
Mount Tabor, the foundation inscription

¹⁰³

(1) Those who spend their substance in the cause of Allāh and follow not up their gifts (2) with reminders of their generosity or with injury, (3) for them their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.
¹⁰⁴
Ordered the construction of this (4) blessed [fortress] our lord, the great Sultan al-Malik al-‘Ādil (5) the fighter of the holy war, the victorious, Sayf al-Dunyā wal-Dīn, the sultan of Islam and the Muslims (6) Abū Bakr b. Ayyūb, friend of the Commander of the Faithful, upon his return from the East with the (7) victorious army, arriving outside
after the truce had ended (8) The work began on Sunday, 5 (9)
in the year 609/24 April 1212–13 (10) under the command of the amir
al-Dīn Lu’lu’ (11) ibn
Allāh
.

The following four inscriptions, commemorating the building of
al-makān
(a particular but unspecified site) dated to 609/1212–13; the
bāshūra
(outer fortifications) built in 610/1213–14;
al-manzil
(house, accommodation, probably referring here to the living quarters), 611/1214–15;
al-makhzan
(the warehouse?) constructed in 611/1214–15, and
al-badanah
(the curtain wall) dated to 612/1215–16, reveal the order of building and provide further information on the men that supervised the construction.

B
Mount Tabor, al-makān

¹⁰⁵

(1) In the name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate. Ordered the construction of this blessed site (2) our lord the sultan al-Malik
Sharaf al-Dunyā wal-Dīn (3)
b. al-Malik
, may Allah perpetuate his rule. [its construction was] under the command of (4) the most noble al-amir al-kabīr
al-Dīn Lu’lu’ (5), the needy of Allah’s mercy. [This was] in the months of the year 610 (1213–14).