T. E. Lawrence’s Undergraduate Dissertation – Page 94

V. In treating of the Latin fortresses in Syria itself, it cannot be too strongly urged that documentary evidence of building is absolutely valueless. Actual examination of the existing ruins often shows that the Crusaders only occupied (or at the most repaired) an already existing Byzantine castle: or there may be signs of later rebuilding, either by a succeed- ing generation of Franks, or by Beibars, who was frequently generous enough to extend his aegis over the works of his pre- decessors, by cutting in his own inscriptions, or even, as in the Sidon district, by Arabs of the 16th or 17th centuries. Mediaeval fortresses must in every case be dated from their own evidence. In dealing with the 12th century in the East Arab in- fluence in architecture may be entirely discounted. Beibars seems to have been the first Arab sovereign to build respect- able fortresses. His citadels in Aleppo and Damascus, and his work at Crac des Chevaliers are creditable, if not very remark- able copies of Greek or Latin work. Before him the master- pieces of Syrian unaided effort are to be seen in the absurdly weak castles at Masyad and Kadmus.(1) ---------------------------------------------------- (1) The account of Masyad by Rider Haggard in "The Brethren" is splendidly imaginative. The genuine place is con- temptible.