Hugh Kennedy, is Professor of Arabic at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He is the author of many books including The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphs (1986, 2004) and The Courts of the Caliphs (2004).

• List of ContributorsList of IllustrationsAbbreviationsIntroduction1. Umayyad castles: the Shift from late Antique Military Architecture to early Islamic Palatial Building, D. Genequand2. Qasr Hallabat (Jordan) Revisited: Reassessment of the Material Evidence, I. Arce3. Recent Excavations in Early Abbasid Kharab Sayyar, J-W. Meyer4. The Excavations at Madinat al-Far/ Hisn Maslama on the Balikh Road, C-P. Haase5. The Walls of early Islamic Ayla: Defence or Symbol?, D. Whitcomb6. The” Kastrom” of Qal’at Sem’an, J-L. Biscop7. The Militarization of Taste in Medieval Bilad al-Sham, N. Rabbat8. The Development of Islamic Military Architecture during the Ayyubid andMamluk Reconquests of Frankish Syria, B. Michaudel9. The Citadel of al-Raqqa and Fortifications in the Middle Euphrates Area, S. Heidemann10. La Citadelle de Damas: les apports d’une etude archéologique, S. Berthier11. The Citadel of Aleppo: recent studies, J. Gonnella12. Defending Ayyubid Aleppo: the fortifications of al-Zahir Ghazi (1186-1216), Y. Tabbaa13. The Citadel of \Harim, S. Gelichi14. The Castle of Shayzar; the fortification of the access system, C. Tonghini and N. Montevecchi15. The Tower of Aybak in Ajlun Castle: an example of the spread of an architectural concept in early 13th century Ayyubid fortification, C. Yovitchich16. Exploratory Mission to Shumaymis, J. Bylinski17. Mediaeval Cave Fortifications of the Upper Orontes Valley (a preliminary report), B. Major18. Qal’at al-Rum/Hromgla/Rumkale and the Mamluk Siege of 691AH/1292 CE, A. Stewart19. Fortifications East and West, J. France20. Defensive ditches in Ottoman Fortifications in Bilad al-Sham, K. Prag21. Ottoman Hajj Forts, A. Petersen

Hugh Kennedy, is Professor of Arabic at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He is the author of many books including The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphs (1986, 2004) and The Courts of the Caliphs (2004).

• List of ContributorsList of IllustrationsAbbreviationsIntroduction1. Umayyad castles: the Shift from late Antique Military Architecture to early Islamic Palatial Building, D. Genequand2. Qasr Hallabat (Jordan) Revisited: Reassessment of the Material Evidence, I. Arce3. Recent Excavations in Early Abbasid Kharab Sayyar, J-W. Meyer4. The Excavations at Madinat al-Far/ Hisn Maslama on the Balikh Road, C-P. Haase5. The Walls of early Islamic Ayla: Defence or Symbol?, D. Whitcomb6. The” Kastrom” of Qal’at Sem’an, J-L. Biscop7. The Militarization of Taste in Medieval Bilad al-Sham, N. Rabbat8. The Development of Islamic Military Architecture during the Ayyubid andMamluk Reconquests of Frankish Syria, B. Michaudel9. The Citadel of al-Raqqa and Fortifications in the Middle Euphrates Area, S. Heidemann10. La Citadelle de Damas: les apports d’une etude archéologique, S. Berthier11. The Citadel of Aleppo: recent studies, J. Gonnella12. Defending Ayyubid Aleppo: the fortifications of al-Zahir Ghazi (1186-1216), Y. Tabbaa13. The Citadel of \Harim, S. Gelichi14. The Castle of Shayzar; the fortification of the access system, C. Tonghini and N. Montevecchi15. The Tower of Aybak in Ajlun Castle: an example of the spread of an architectural concept in early 13th century Ayyubid fortification, C. Yovitchich16. Exploratory Mission to Shumaymis, J. Bylinski17. Mediaeval Cave Fortifications of the Upper Orontes Valley (a preliminary report), B. Major18. Qal’at al-Rum/Hromgla/Rumkale and the Mamluk Siege of 691AH/1292 CE, A. Stewart19. Fortifications East and West, J. France20. Defensive ditches in Ottoman Fortifications in Bilad al-Sham, K. Prag21. Ottoman Hajj Forts, A. Petersen