Crusader Castles of Jordan: Kerak and the Lordship of Oultrejordain

Crusader Castles of Jordan: Kerak and the Lordship of Oultrejordain

In this episode of The History of Jordan, we explore the Crusader period in Jordan, focusing on the mighty fortress of Kerak (Crac des Moabites) and the Lordship of Oultrejordain. Learn about the castle's construction by Baldwin I in 1142, its role as a base for Raynald of Châtillon's raids against Muslim caravans, and how his provocations led to the Battle of Hattin in 1187. We discuss the castle's sophisticated water system, its capture by Saladin after a year-long siege, and later Mamluk and Ottoman additions. We also touch on Montreal (Shobak), another Crusader stronghold. The episode highlights Jordan's role as a frontier between civilizations and the layered history visible in its architecture. Perfect for history enthusiasts interested in the Crusades, medieval fortifications, and Jordan's strategic significance. #HistoryOfJordan #CrusaderCastles #KerakCastle #Oultrejordain #RaynaldDeChatillon #Saladin #BattleOfHattin #Crusades #MedievalFortresses #MontrealCastle #Shobak #Ayyubid #Mamluk #KingBaldwinI #Decapolis #MiddleEastHistory #FexingoHistory #JordanHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Jordan's 1957 Anglo-American Schism: The End of the Special Relationship

In this episode of The History of Jordan, we dive into the 1957 crisis that shattered Jordan's long-standing alliance with Britain. After King Hussein dismissed General Sir John Glubb, the legendary British commander of the Arab Legion, a power struggle erupted between the young king, Prime Minister Sulayman al-Nabulsi, and Arab nationalists backed by Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser. The United States stepped in with the Eisenhower Doctrine, offering aid and military support to counter Soviet influence. We trace the events at al-Hummar Palace, the rise of the Jordan Arab Army, and how Hussein survived coup plots from Ba'athist officers and Nasserite agents. This episode explores the pivot from British patronage to American dependency, the end of the Arab Legion era, and Jordan's precarious balancing act during the Cold War. #Jordan #KingHussein #SirJohnGlubb #ArabLegion #1957 #EisenhowerDoctrine #SulaymanalNabulsi #alHummarPalace #Zarqa #JordanArabArmy #alJaysh alArabi #AngloJordanian #ColdWar #ArabNationalism #GamalAbdelNasser #MiddleEastHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Jordan's 1963 Ba'athist Coup Plot and the King's Survival

In 1963, Jordan came close to falling to a wave of Ba'athist military coups sweeping the Middle East. This episode dives into the plot led by officers in the Jordan Arab Army, the role of Wasfi al-Tall, and how King Hussein survived through a combination of Bedouin loyalty, swift arrests, and the collapse of the United Arab Republic. We discuss the origins of Jordan's Ba'athist movement, the 'Arsh al-Mamlaka conspiracy, and how these events shaped Jordan's Cold War alignment. A lesser-known but critical moment in Jordan's modern history that reveals the fragility of the Hashemite throne. #Jordan #History #BaathParty #KingHussein #WasfiAlTall #1963Coup #JordanArabArmy #ArshAlMamlaka #ColdWar #MiddleEast #UnitedArabRepublic #Nasser #MilitaryCoup #Hashemite #FexingoHistory #1960s #ArabNationalism #BedouinLoyalty Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Jordan's 1955 Baghdad Pact: The Alliance That Split the Arab World

In 1955, Jordan was pulled into the Baghdad Pact, a Western-backed alliance that pitted it against Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser and sparked riots, a government crisis, and a deadly confrontation with Israel. This episode tells the story of how a defense treaty became the lightning rod for Arab nationalism, royal survival, and the first cracks in Jordan's fragile post-independence stability. We follow the tense negotiations in Amman, the riots that forced Prime Minister Hazza' al-Majali to resign, and the secret British-Saudi duel for Jordan's loyalty. Along the way, we meet the shadowy figure of Sir John Glubb, the British general who commanded Jordan's Arab Legion, and the young King Hussein, who had to choose between his Western patrons and his Arab brothers. The Baghdad Pact may have been a Cold War footnote, but in Jordan it was a revolution in miniature—one that set the stage for the tumultuous decades ahead. #BaghdadPact #Jordan #KingHussein #HazzaAlMajali #SirJohnGlubb #GamalAbdelNasser #ArabNationalism #ColdWar #ArabLegion #Amman #1955 #SaidAlMutti #SaebSalam #Lebanon #Iraq #Turkey #Britain #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The 1918 Battle of Ma'an: Arab Revolt in Jordan's Desert

In this episode of The History of Jordan, Lucas and Luna explore the 1918 Battle of Ma'an, a crucial but often-overlooked clash during the Arab Revolt. As Ottoman forces clung to the Hejaz Railway, Arab irregulars backed by British gold and T.E. Lawrence besieged the strategic town of Ma'an. We follow the tactics of Prince Faisal and his Bedouin fighters, the role of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, and the aftermath that set the stage for the Hashemite kingdom. Learn about the railway's fortifications, the leadership of Jaafar Pasha al-Askari, and how this desert battle shaped Jordan's future borders. A story of guerrilla warfare, imperial ambition, and the birth of a nation. #History #Jordan #ArabRevolt #BattleOfMaan #HejazRailway #TELawrence #PrinceFaisal #OttomanEmpire #WorldWarI #JaafarPasha #Bedouin #GuerrillaWarfare #MiddleEast #FexingoHistory #Maan #Aqaba #BritishEmpire #ArabNationalism Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]