Although the Ottoman Empire conquered the Levant in 1516, Jabal Amel (modern-day South Lebanon) remained mostly untouched until the end of the 16th century.
In the 1596 tax-records it was named as a village,  Sam'a, in the Ottoman nahiya (subdistrict) of  Tibnin  under Liwa of Safad, with a population of  21  households, all Muslim.
The villagers paid a  fixed tax rate of 25% on  agricultural products, such as wheat, barley,  fruit trees,  goats and beehives, in addition to occasional revenues; a total of 1,920 akçe.

When the Ottoman leadership at the Sublime Porte appointed the Druze leader Fakhreddine II of the Maan family to administer the area at the beginning of the 17th century, the Emir encouraged many Metwali - the discriminated Shia Muslims of what is now Lebanon - to settle to the East of Tyre to secure the road to Damascus.
He thus also laid the foundation of modern Chamaa demographics as a predominantly Shiite place.

While the French historian Ernest Renan assumed that major construction of the castle took place in the 16th century, modern historiography assumes that it was not until the mid-18th century that Chamaa experienced a major revival.
At that time, Sheikh Nasif al-Nassar of the Shiite Ali al-Saghir dynasty, which dominated Jabal Amel for altogether almost three centuries, established de-facto autonomy over the area and the castle became the property of his family.
During this early period, the citadel underwent extensive renovation and was used for military and residential purposes.
It also included an olive press, whose foundations are still visible today.


This boom period ended, however, already after three decades in 1781, when Al-Nassar was killed in a power-struggle with the Ottoman governor of Sidon, Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar, who had the Shiite population decimated in brutal purges.
Thus, the Shiite autonomy in Jabal Amel ended for a quarter century.
According to Arab sources, Jazzar Pasha also had the Chamaa castle demolished, like many other fortifications of Al-Nassar as well.
Barely a century later, in 1875, French explorer Victor Guérin noted:
"This castle, which is said to date only from Dhaher el-A'mer, is currently in ruins.
Built on a high plateau, from where we enjoy a very wide view, it is surrounded by an enclosure that flank from distance to distance semicircular towers, built, like the enclosure itself, with regular parts, but of dimensions mediocre, except for the lower course, which, arranged in an embankment, generally consist of larger blocks of ancient appearance.
The interior was divided into two parts: one to the north, where the pasha resided, and the other to the south, which contained about sixty private dwellings.
These are, for the most part, half overturned.
The same is true of the serais or chateau proper, some rooms of which are currently used as cattle stables.
The divan room was adorned with several monolithic columns of gray granite, raised to some ancient monument.
Near there, an oualy still standing with its white dome and its minaret is dedicated to Neby Chema'oun es-Safa.
A beautiful cistern adjoins it.
Some Métualis families have taken up residence in the midst of these ruins.

In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described Kulat Shema as "A modern-built castle, situated on a very high conical and conspicuous hill seen from a distance, and is occupied by about forty Moslems.
The ground around is covered with brushwood, and is uncultivated.
There are ten cisterns for water.
They further noted: "A Saracenic castle, also said to have been built by Dhahr el 'Amr.
The walls and flanking towers are now falling to ruin.
The place is occupied by about thirty Mohammedans ; it is situated on a very high conical and conspicuous hill, and was no doubt at one time a strong place."

When the French physician, botanist, zoologist and Egyptologist Louis Lortet visited Chamaa around the same time, he could not find any information about the history of the fortress, and likewise it remained obscure until the violent end of the 20th century:
Although the Ottoman Empire conquered the Levant in 1516, Jabal Amel (modern-day South Lebanon) remained mostly untouched until the end of the 16th century. In the 1596 tax-records it was named as a village,  Sam'a, in the Ottoman nahiya (subdistrict) of  Tibnin  under Liwa of Safad, with a population of  21  households, all Muslim. The villagers paid a  fixed tax rate of 25% on  agricultural products, such as wheat, barley,  fruit trees,  goats and beehives, in addition to occasional revenues; a total of 1,920 akçe.
When the Ottoman leadership at the Sublime Porte appointed the Druze leader Fakhreddine II of the Maan family to administer the area at the beginning of the 17th century, the Emir encouraged many Metwali - the discriminated Shia Muslims of what is now Lebanon - to settle to the East of Tyre to secure the road to Damascus. He thus also laid the foundation of modern Chamaa demographics as a predominantly Shiite place.
While the French historian Ernest Renan assumed that major construction of the castle took place in the 16th century, modern historiography assumes that it was not until the mid-18th century that Chamaa experienced a major revival. At that time, Sheikh Nasif al-Nassar of the Shiite Ali al-Saghir dynasty, which dominated Jabal Amel for altogether almost three centuries, established de-facto autonomy over the area and the castle became the property of his family. During this early period, the citadel underwent extensive renovation and was used for military and residential purposes. It also included an olive press, whose foundations are still visible today.

This boom period ended, however, already after three decades in 1781, when Al-Nassar was killed in a power-struggle with the Ottoman governor of Sidon, Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar, who had the Shiite population decimated in brutal purges. Thus, the Shiite autonomy in Jabal Amel ended for a quarter century. According to Arab sources, Jazzar Pasha also had the Chamaa castle demolished, like many other fortifications of Al-Nassar as well. Barely a century later, in 1875, French explorer Victor Guérin noted:
"This castle, which is said to date only from Dhaher el-A'mer, is currently in ruins. Built on a high plateau, from where we enjoy a very wide view, it is surrounded by an enclosure that flank from distance to distance semicircular towers, built, like the enclosure itself, with regular parts, but of dimensions mediocre, except for the lower course, which, arranged in an embankment, generally consist of larger blocks of ancient appearance. The interior was divided into two parts: one to the north, where the pasha resided, and the other to the south, which contained about sixty private dwellings. These are, for the most part, half overturned. The same is true of the serais or chateau proper, some rooms of which are currently used as cattle stables. The divan room was adorned with several monolithic columns of gray granite, raised to some ancient monument. Near there, an oualy still standing with its white dome and its minaret is dedicated to Neby Chema'oun es-Safa. A beautiful cistern adjoins it. Some Métualis families have taken up residence in the midst of these ruins.
In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described Kulat Shema as "A modern-built castle, situated on a very high conical and conspicuous hill seen from a distance, and is occupied by about forty Moslems. The ground around is covered with brushwood, and is uncultivated. There are ten cisterns for water. They further noted: "A Saracenic castle, also said to have been built by Dhahr el 'Amr. The walls and flanking towers are now falling to ruin. The place is occupied by about thirty Mohammedans ; it is situated on a very high conical and conspicuous hill, and was no doubt at one time a strong place." 
When the French physician, botanist, zoologist and Egyptologist Louis Lortet visited Chamaa around the same time, he could not find any information about the history of the fortress, and likewise it remained obscure until the violent end of the 20th century:
Chamaa