Shaizar

Shaizar شيزر Larissa
Village
The fortress and town of Shaizar
Shaizar Location in Syria
Coordinates:35°16′04″N36°34′00″E
Country	Syria
Governorate	Hama
District	Mahardah
Subdistrict	Mahardah
Population (2004 census)
• Total	5,953
Time zone	UTC+2(EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3(EEST)

ShaizarorShayzar(Arabic:شيزر;in modern ArabicSaijar;Hellenisticname:Larissa in Syria,Λάρισσα εν Συρία inGreek) is a town in northernSyria,administratively part of theHama Governorate,located northwest ofHama.Nearby localities include,Mahardah,Tremseh,Kafr Hud,KhunayzirandHalfaya.According to theSyria Central Bureau of Statistics(CBS), Shaizar had a population of 5,953 in the 2004 census.

During theCrusades,the town was a fortress, ruled by theBanu Munqidhfamily. It played an important part in the Christian and Muslim politics of the crusades.

Location

Shaizar is located at a strategically vital crossing point on theOrontes River,28 km to the northwest ofHama.

Name evolution

The fortress of Shaizar

In theAmarna letters(14th century BC) it is mentioned as Senzar or Sezar.

To theGreeksit was known as Sidzara, but during theSeleucid empireit was renamed Larissa, after the townLarissainThessaly(Greece) from which many colonists came.

It reverted to its earlier name under theRoman Empireand was known as Sezer under theByzantine Empire.

The Crusaders rendered the city's name in Latin as Caesarea. This name had not been used in any earlier period, and was derived from the Crusaders mistakenly identifying this city as beingCaesarea Mazaca,a place renowned in Christian history as the home of SaintBasil of Caesarea.

Shaizar's ruins are known as Saijar in modern Arabic.

History

Bronze Age

Shaizar is mentioned as Senzar or Sezar in theAmarna letters(14th century BC).

Hellenistic period

Diodorus Siculus(first century BC) records local legends attributing the establishment of the town by one ofAlexander's cavalry regiments originating fromThessaly.The town was renamed Larissa Sizara,Larissabeing the town in Thessaly from which many Greek settlers came. According to Diodorus, these colonists received land as a reward for their bravery.

Both the Thessalian city and the Syrian town were known for their horse breeding. Diodorus also mentions that the Larisans provided the horsemen for the firstagemaof the Seleucid cavalry.

Roman period

The Roman armies led byPompeyconquered Syria in 64 BC.

Syria was briefly occupied by Republican-Parthian forces under theParthianprincePacorus I.

TheTabula Peutingerianaplaces Larisa 13 miles fromApameaand 14 miles from Epiphaneia.

Byzantine and Early Arab periods

The city remained part of the Christianised empire, known as theByzantine Empire,under the name of Sezer.

Shaizar fell to theArabsin 638 and frequently passed from Arab to Byzantine control. It was sacked in 968 by Byzantine emperorNicephorus II,and was captured byBasil IIin 999, after which it became the southern border of the Byzantine Empire and was administered by the Bishop of Shaizar.AFatimidcastle was standing at Shaizar by the time the Byzantines recaptured the town.

It was lost to theBanu Munqidhin 1081 when Ali ibn Munqidh bought it from the bishop. The Byzantines besieged it numerous times after this but failed to recover it.

Crusaders

The Franks arrived in Syria in 1098 during theFirst Crusade.The interaction between theCrusader statesand the Banu Munqidh rulers of Shaizar consisted of a series of wars and alliances.

Munqidhite Shaizar (1081–1157)

The fortress of Shaizar

See also:Banu Munqidh,Battle of Shaizar (1111),andSiege of Shaizar

The Munqidhites controlled territory east of Shaizar, across theal-Ansariyah mountainsto theMediterraneancoast, from the coastal cities ofLatakiain the north toTortosain the south.

During theFirst Crusade,the emir assisted the Crusaders passing through his land, giving them horses and food and other provisions. After the crusade it was bordered by the crusaderPrincipality of Antiochand was subject to raids from both Antioch and theCounty of Tripoli.

When the Crusaders briefly conqueredQalaat al-Madiq,a fortress to the northwest of Shaizar and overlooking ancientApamea,in 1106, the Banu Munqidh clan harassed them from their base in Shaizar.

In 1106, the Munqidhite emirs Murshid and Sultan defeatedWilliam-Jordanof Tripoli, and in 1108 and 1110 they had to bribeTancredto leave. Tancred,Baldwin I of Jerusalem,andBertrand of Tripolibesieged the city during thebattle of Shaizar of 1111for two weeks, but returned home when the army ofMawdud of Mosulcut off their access to food and water. Tancred nevertheless built a castle nearby on Tell ibn Ma'shar, in order to keep Shaizar under close watch.

WhenRidwan of Aleppodied in 1113, Shaizar was inundated by many of hisAssassinsupporters that were expelled from the city by his sonAlp Arslan al-Akras.Shaizar participated inIlghazi's campaign against Antioch in 1119. WhenBaldwin II of Jerusalemwas taken captive by theArtuqidBelek GhazioutsideEdessain 1123, he was held at Shaizar until his release the next year. As part of his ransom he was forced to give up his daughterIovetaas a hostage, who was also held at Shaizar until her own ransom in 1125. As Shaizar was a friendly state, Baldwin was allowed to visit his daughter there, but Shaizar was also friendly to its Muslim neighbours, and in 1125 was incorporated into the territory ofAqsunqur al-Bursuqi,atabeg of Mosul.WhenZengisucceeded-Bursuqi's son in Mosul in 1127 and claimed Aleppo as well, Shaizar recognized his suzerainty.

In 1137, Byzantine emperorJohn II Comnenusarrived to impose Byzantine authority on Antioch, and promisedRaymond of Antiocha principality consisting of Shaizar, Aleppo,Homs,andHamaif Antioch was returned to the Empire. In April 1138, the Byzantine army led thesiege of Shaizar,but Raymond andJoscelin II of Edessadid not assist the emperor. Zengi soon arrived to relieve the fortress in May. The emir preferred Byzantine control to Zengid, and offered to recognize John as his overlord. Neither John or Zengi ever really enforced their authority there and Shaizar remained independent.

The emirate lasted until the enormousearthquake of 1157,during which the citadel collapsed, killing almost the entire family, who had assembled there to celebrate a circumcision. The only survivors out of the whole family were the wife of emir, and the emir's nephewUsama ibn Munqidh,the famed poet-knight who was on a diplomatic mission toDamascus.

Description of the city

Referring to the crusader siege of Shaizar in 1157,William of Tyrewrites:

"The city of Shayzar lies upon the same Orontes river which flows byAntioch.It is called by some Caesarea, and by them is believed to be the famous metropolis ofCappadociaover which the distinguished teacherSt. Basilonce presided; but those who hold this view are in grave error. For that Caesarea is a fifteen days journey or more from Antioch. This city is inCoelesyria,a province which is separated from Cappadocia by many intervening provinces. Nor is the name Caesarea, but rather Caesara. It is one of the suffragan cities belonging to thepatriarchate of Antioch.It is very conveniently situated. The lower part extends along the plain, while upon the heights of the upper part is the citadel, fairly long in extent but rather narrow. It is well fortified, for in addition to its natural defenses, the river protects it on one side and the city on the other, so that it is entirely inaccessible. "

Fulcher of Chartres,an eyewitness to the siege in 1111, did not know the classical Roman or Greek name for the site, and noted that the Turks called it "Sisara", "but the inhabitants of the country commonly call it 'Chezar'."

Life in the city

Regarding the citizens, William of Tyre says they "had but little knowledge of arms; their attention was devoted almost entirely to trading." Many of them were Christians, whom William considered to be suffering as slaves under their Muslim rulers, but the Munqidhites seem to have been tolerant lords and both Christians and Muslims of various sects lived there peacefully.

A very lively account of life in Shaizar, and various other places in the Muslim world, was written by the prince Usama ibn Munqidh, titledKitab al-I'tibar,and gives great insight into Muslim life in the 12th century.

The Munqidhite emirs are shown as patrons of literature, who delight in hunting and other sports, as well as delighting in making war on, and negotiating peace with, their Christian and Muslim neighbours.

Munqidh emirs of Shaizar

Shaizar was ruler by theBanu Munquidfrom 1059–1157. The emirs were:

• Sultan ibn 'Ali ibn al-Muqallad ibn Munqidh al-Kinani(1059–1081)
• 'Izz ad-Dawla Sadid al-Mulk ibn Munqidh(1081–1082)
• 'Izz ad-Dawla abu-l-Murhaf Nasr ibn Munqidh(1082–1098)
• Majd ad-Din abu Salamah Murshid ibn 'Izz ad-Dawla ibn Munqidh(1098–1137; the LatinMachedolus,father ofUsama ibn Munqidh)
• 'Izz ad-Din abu-l-'Asakir Sultan ibn 'Izz ad-Dawla ibn Munqidh(1098–1154)
• Taj ad-Dawla Nasr ad-Din Muhammad ibn abu-l-Asakir ibn Munqidh(1154–1157).

Usama ibn Munqidh

Usama ibn Munqidhwas amedieval Muslimpoet, author,faris(knight), and diplomat from the Banu Munqidh dynasty of Shaizar in northernSyria.His life coincided with the rise of several medieval Muslim dynasties, the arrival of theFirst Crusade,and the establishment of theCrusader states. He was born in Shaizar, Şeyzer. He was the nephew and potential successor of the emir of Shaizar, but was exiled in 1131 and spent the rest of his life serving other leaders. He was a courtier to theBurids,Zengids,andAyyubidsinDamascus,serving theZengi,Nur ad-Din,andSaladinover a period of almost fifty years. He also served theFatimidcourt in Cairo, as well as theArtuqidsinHisn Kayfa.He traveled extensively in Arab lands, visiting Egypt, Syria, Palestine and along the Tigris River, and went on pilgrimage toMecca.He often meddled in the politics of the courts in which he served, and he was exiled from both Damascus and Cairo.

During and immediately after his life, he was most famous as a poet andadib(a "man of letters" ). He wrote many poetry anthologies, such as theKitab al-'Asa( "Book of the Staff" ),Lubab al-Adab( "Kernels of Refinement" ), andal-Manazil wa'l-Diyar( "Dwellings and Abodes" ), and collections of his own original poetry. In modern times, he is remembered more for hisKitab al-I'tibar( "Book of Learning by Example" or "Book of Contemplation" ), which contains lengthy descriptions of the Crusaders, whom he interacted with on many occasions, and some of whom he considered friends.

Most of his family was killed in anearthquake at Shaizarin 1157. He died in Damascus in 1188, at the age of 93.

Assassin, Zengid and Mamluk periods (1158–1260)

TheAssassinsthen took control of the ruins, and they were defeated by the Crusaders in 1158, but disputes forced the Crusaders to abandon the siege.Nur ad-Dinthen incorporated the remains into his territory and rebuilt the city. Shaizar was destroyed again by an earthquake in 1170 and the remnants were taken bySaladinin 1174. They were rebuilt again, but in 1241 the city was sacked by theKhwarezmians.TheMamluksultanBaibarscaptured and rebuilt the city in 1260.

Modern period

The citadel (castle) was declared a national monument in 1958 and the last inhabitants were evacuated to prevent archaeological damage. Today the site is known as Qal’at Shayzar (citadel or castle of Shayzar), while the name Shaizar (or Shayzar) is used for the modern town.

See also

• Battle of Shaizar (1111)
• Siege of Shaizar(1138)
• Qalaat al-Madiq

Sources

• Baldwin, Marsall W. (1969) [1955]. "The Latin States under Baldwin III and Amalric I, 1143–1174; The Decline and Fall of Jerusalem, 1174–1189". InSetton, Kenneth M.;Baldwin, Marshall W. (eds.).A History of the Crusades, Volume I: The First Hundred Years(Second ed.). Madison, Milwaukee, and London: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 528–561, 590–621.ISBN0-299-04834-9.
• Steven Runciman,A History of the Crusades, vol. II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem.Cambridge University Press,1952
• The Damascus Chronicle of the Crusades, Extracted and Translated from the Chronicle ofIbn al-Qalanisi.H.A.R. Gibb, 1932 (reprint, Dover Publications, 2002)
• William of Tyre,A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea,trans. E.A. Babcock and A.C. Krey.Columbia University Press,1943
• Philip K. Hitti,trans.,An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades; Memoirs of Usamah ibn-Munqidh(Kitab al i'tibar). New York, 1929
• Fulcher of Chartres,A History of the Expedition to Jerusalem,trans. Frances Rita Ryan. University of Tennessee Press, 1969
• Usama ibn Munqidh,and Philip K. Hitti. An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades: Memoirs of Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh (kitāb Al-Iʻtibār). New York:Columbia University Press,2000.
• Cobb, Paul M.(2005). Usama ibn Munqidh: Warrior-Poet in the Age of Crusades. Oxford: Oneworld.
• Kennedy, Hugh N.(2012). "Shayzar: An Historical Overview of its History and the Archaeological Investigation: 1.1. An Historical Overview". In Tonghini, Cristina (ed.). Shayzar I: The Fortification of the Citadel. Leiden: Brill. pp. 2–25.
• Maalouf, Amin,and Jon Rothschild. The Crusades Through Arab Eyes. London: Al Saqi Books, 2004.

External links

• Shaizaron www.cometosyria.com
• Apamea and the citadels of Mudiq and Shaizar,from Syriatourism.org
• Timeline and images
• Proghetto Shayzar: Study of a Fortified Settlement in Bilad al-Sham