 According to 13th @-@ century Arab historian Ibn Shaddad , the Mirdasid emir of Aleppo , Shibl ad @-@ Dawla , established a settlement of Kurdish tribesmen at the site of the future castle in 1031 CE , hence the castle 's Arabic name " Hisn al @-@ Akrad " ( Castle of the Kurds ) . The site was strategically located at the southern edge of the Jibal al @-@ Alawiyin mountain range and dominated the road between Homs and Tripoli . When building castles , Muslims often chose elevated sites such as hills and mountains that provided natural obstacles . 
 According to 13th @-@ century Arab historian Ibn Shaddad , the Mirdasid emir of Aleppo , Shibl ad @-@ Dawla , established a settlement of Kurdish tribesmen at the site of the future castle in 1031 CE , hence the castle <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>Arabic name " Hisn al @-@ Akrad " ( Castle of the Kurds ) . The site was strategically located at the southern edge of the Jibal al @-@ Alawiyin mountain range and dominated the road between Homs and Tripoli . When building castles , Muslims often chose elevated sites such as hills and mountains <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>provided natural obstacles . 
According to 13th @-@ century Arab historian Ibn Shaddad , da Mirdasid emir of Aleppo , Shibl ad @-@ Dawla , established a settlement of Kurdish tribesmen at the site of the future castle in 1031 CE , hence tdacastle  Arabic name " Hisn al @-@ Akrad " ( Castle of the Kurds ) . The site was strategically located at thdaouthern edge of the Jibal al @-@ Alawiyin mountain range and dominated the road between Homs and Tripoli . When building castles , Muslims often chose elevated sites such as hills and mountains provided natural obstacles .