Belvoir Fortress

The Belvoir Fortress was built by French Crusaders. It is not a biblical site, but it is an interesting one found in northern Israel in an area known as the Heights of Issachar. The Gilead Mountains are east of the fortress and across the Rift Valley. 

It looks rather like a European fortress that has been transplanted in Israel. It had an inner and outer fortress, and was surrounded by a moat. 

Saladin attacked the fortress in 1180, but was not successful in defeating it for nearly 8 years. The 50 knights and 450 soldiers finally surrendered in 1187 and were given free passage to the coast, where the returned to Europe.