Earthquake Devastates Syria: Crusader Fortresses Shattered
A devastating earthquake struck Syria, destroying large sections of Hama and Shaizar and severely damaging the Crusader fortress Krak des Chevaliers and the cathedral of St. Peter in Antioch. The disaster weakened both Crusader and Muslim strongholds along the contested frontier, temporarily disrupting the military balance of power in the Levant during the era between the Second and Third Crusades.
June 29, 1170
856 years ago
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