Akhuzat Shoshana, Israel occupied Palestine
Coordinates: 32.595556, 35.521389
Belvoir Castle was a Crusader castle in northern Israel occupied Palestine, on a hill 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of the Sea of Galilee.
The Knights Hospitaller purchased the site from Velos, a French nobleman, in 1168.
As soon as the Knights Hospitaller purchased the land they began construction of Belvoir Castle. While Gilbert of Assailly was Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller the order gained around thirteen new castles, among which Belvoir was the most important.
The castle of Belvoir served as a major obstacle to the Muslim goal of invading the Jerusalem from the east.
It withstood an attack by Muslim forces in 1180. During the campaign of 1182, the Battle of Belvoir Castle was fought nearby between King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Hz. Salahuddin Ayyubi رحمة الله عليه.
Following Hz. Salahuddin Ayyubi رحمة الله عليه’s victory over the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, Belvoir was besieged.
The siege lasted a year and a half, until the defenders surrendered on 5 January 1189.
