 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 . 
