Everything about Arwad totally explained
Arwad – formerly known as
Arado,
Arados (Greek:
Άραδος),
Arvad,
Arpad,
Arphad, and
Antiochia in Pieria (Greek:
Αντιόχεια της Πιερίας), also called
Ruad Island – located in the
Mediterranean Sea, is the only island in
Syria. The town of Arwad takes up the entire island. It is located 3 km from
Tartus, Syria's second-largest port. Today, it's mainly a fishing town. It is also believed that Arados was an old name for
Bahrain.
History
The island was settled in the early 2nd millennium BC by the
Phoenicians. Under Phoenician control, it became an independent kingdom called
Arvad or
Jazirat (the latter term meaning "island"). The city has been cited as one of the first known examples of a
republic in the world, in which the people, rather than a monarch, are described as sovereign. In Greek it was known as
Arado or
Arados. The city also appears in ancient sources as
Arpad and
Arphad. The city was renamed
Antiochia in Pieria by
Antiochus I Soter. The island was important as a base for commercial ventures into the
Orontes valley.
The Island was mentioned twice in
The Holy Bible, The Prophet Ezekiel on the Phoenician City of
Tyre, ch. 27:
Crusades history
During the time of the
Crusades, the island of Ruad was used as
bridgehead or staging area by the Crusaders, as they attempted to retake
Tortosa after they lost the city in 1291.
In the end of 1300, a message came from the Mongol leader
Ghazan asking to coordinate operations, inviting the Cypriots to meet him in Armenia. The Cypriots then prepared a land-based force of approximately 600 men: 300 under
Amalric of Lusigan, son of
Hugh III of Cyprus, and similar contingents from the Templars and Hospitallers. When the Mongols still didn't appear, the majority of the Christian forces returned to Cyprus, though they left a garrison on Ruad which was manned by rotating groups of different Cypriot forces. Pope
Clement V formally awarded the island to the Knights Templar, and it was the last piece of land that the Crusaders maintained in the Holy Land, as they were fighting a losing battle against the Muslims.
A few months later, in February 1301, the Mongols did arrive with a force of 60,000, but could do little else than engage in some raids around Syria. Kutluka (Qutlugh-Shah for the Mongols, Cotelesse in Frank sources) stationed 20,000 horsemen in the
Jordan valley to protect Damas, where a Mongol governor was stationed. Soon however, they'd to withdraw.
The garrison on Ruad Island was being manned by Templars at the time: 120 knights, 500 bowmen and 400 Syrian helpers, under the Templar
Maréchal (Commander-in-Chief)
Barthélemy de Quincy. In September 1302 a Mamluk fleet landed a force, starting the
Siege of Ruad. The Crusaders finally had to surrender on September 26, 1302, following a promise of safe conduct. The promise wasn't honoured, and all the bowmen and Syrian helpers were killed, and the Templar knights sent to Cairo prisons.
Further Information
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