Gastria A potential Templar Treasure site?

Crow

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Jan 28, 2005
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In a tax haven some where
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Gidday Amigo

If one was inclined to search for Templar treasure for a site that might hold a small cache of Templar coins?

1.-Gastria-Castle.jpg

Gastria castle was located on the Northern shore of the Bay of Larnaca, 3 km 1.9 miles southwest of the village of Gastria. In 1191 Cyprus was seized by Richard the Lionheart during his campaign against the ruler of the island Isaac Comnenus of Cyprus.

r1codex12thc-56a48f0f5f9b58b7d0d789ba.jpg

Then Richard sold the island to the knights Templar, whose reign ended abruptly after a major riot in Nicosia. Then Cyprus was given to guy de Lusignan. the house of Lusignan. Gastria castle is first mentioned in 1210, when king Regent Walter of Montbeliard took refuge in the fortress with his allies the Templars. Previously, he has refused to report on his administration of the Royal Treasury to the newly born Hugh I of Cyprus, then flee to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The period of peace ended with the death of Hugh in 1218. Here is Hugh I Cyprus picture below.

GoldBezantHughIOfCyprus1205-1218.jpg


The struggle over who should act as Regent of the Kingdom followed, pitting the house of Ibelin with local supporters of Frederick II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Fredericks arrival in Paphos in 1228 escalated the conflict into open war. In 1229, John of Ibelin, the old Lord of Beirut, returned to Cyprus via Gastrias port.

Ruins of ancient port might be worth searching also for coins?

In 1232 after the defeat at the battle of Agridi, Fredericks few remaining supporters, asking for permission to hide in Gastria. Having fought Frederick in acre in 1229, the knights Templar refused, and those who tried to hide in a ditch and was arrested.

Then Lusignan, the continuation of their rule, interrupted only rare of Palace coups. In 1279, Hugh III of Cyprus dismantled the castle and expelled the Templars, after the latter announced his support of Charles I in Naples.

In 1308 the castle was granted to the knights Hospitaller. In 1310, Henry II of Jerusalem passed through the Gastria on the way into exile in Armenia. He was no longer mentioned as a castle from this point.

2.-Gastria-Castle-300x225.jpg

Gastria was a small rectangular Fort located at the end of a long narrow ridge. He was separated from the ridge into a rocky ditch 7.9–4.5 meters 26-15 feet wide and 2-2.6 meters 6.6–8.5 ft deep. The ditch passed the bridge or wooden bridge.

However, with the characteristics of small fortresses of the knights Templar, Gastria had no towers. In the center of the Fort were placed round the tank. In the East a natural shelter in the form of a cliff overlooking the sea and the Fort bears the signs that it was once busy. To the North of the Fort, and the exposure of the isthmus, is a watercourse that served as a harbour.

2.-Gastria-Castle-300x225 2.jpg

Gastria is unkempt and uncared for. There are only a few remains of the walls and what looks like a dry moat that separates the motte from the bailey.

Such an interesting abandoned and forgotten place in history that once was a Templar fortress may yield small caches of coins?

Crow
 

The Templar’s on Cyprus were a quite different cohort from those found anywhere else. They were younger, a much greater number of them were of high rank, more had taken part in fighting than Templar’s to be found anywhere else. They came from almost every part of Christendom where the Order was established.

As far as the Templar’s on Cyprus, there is no definitive evidence as to their actual demise on Cyprus.. No contemporary document makes clear what was done to them after their hearings ended. The much later chronicle known as the Chronicle of Amadi stated that in 1316 Many Templar’s in Cyprus died in prison or had been drowned as a punishment for their alleged crimes.

The history of the Templar’s and their connection with the island of Cyprus ends in the year 1571, long after the Order had vanished as a formal institution. It was in this year that the island was overrun and the Templar archives were destroyed.

We can only imagine what treasures those documents might of held?

Crow
 

Some more information amigos In 1291, after the Siege of Acre, the Templar’s relocated their headquarters to the island of Cyprus, primarily in their fortresses in Nicosia, Limassol, and Gastria but also in Templos (ZEYTINLIK) a village in the Kyrenia district in Cyprus, thought to be named by the Knights Templar.

As there were few battles left to be fought, the Templar’s largely used Cyprus as a base for their financial and commercial endeavours and travelled extensively across the island to support their trade routes coastal and inland. These routes included daily pilgrimages between the castles at St Hilarion and Kantara.

Here is remains of the 13th century port that Templar ships landed after fleeing the Siege of Acre.

panoramio-130280567.jpg

There area might de very fruitful to detect. The ruined port is virtual left abandoned and forgotten not even a tourist attraction. Ironic as much treasure at least 150000 gold florins and thousands of silver coin and personal effect from those who managed to flee the slaughter at Acre in 1291. Came ashore. No doubt some of the refugees where no where to go and distrusting of the islanders may of buried caches nearby?

Crow
 

Here is picture from above of the old port and castle.

gastria castle ad harbour site..JPG

This area is part of Turkish Cyprus. And alas it is easy to metal detect there. There is misleading information that some officials say no other say only certain beaches and not inland .In 2016 an 50 year old American was arrested just bringing in a metal detector into the territory.

There is the old Ironic argument that its stealing cultural heritage. Yet the very land is gradually being ripped up for tourist development. No archeological search of the site all and all buried items on the land will be lost in landfill. Yet that hypocrisy happens in many countries.

It seems developers can destroy cultural artifacts and lay waste to whole archeological areas but ordinary people cannot profit some such Activities.

Crow
 

No doubt I will get my usual visit by annoyed authorities wanting charge me with some thing?

:laughing7: Crow
 

Hola Crow amigo

How many times now? er...five?

Kanacki
 

Hola Crow amigo

How many times now? er...five?

Kanacki

Hmmm I have used my fingers ....both hands 6 attempts 1 prosecution that collapsed on appeal.

Just because old Crow is a sticky beak does not mean he has sticky fingers....Amigo

Crow
 

Crow does that count that alleged windfall of silver coins?

Kanacki
 

Gidday Kanacki

That didn't happen although they was suspicious. It seems the "consultancy fee" fixed that problem.:laughing7:

Crow
 

Hola Crow

"The consultancy fee" Makes many things never happen.:laughing7:

Kanacki
 

Hola Amigo

Your CEO and Politician material....Whenever in trouble use the " I Cannot recall card"

Looks like Hardluck has you well trained?

Kanacki
 

Gidday Kanacki

We would all be good CEO's and politician's if we existed? However since we ofically do not exist this conversation never happened?

Nor all those shipments to auction houses around the world by 3rd party sources.

Since we do not exist..... we?

Crow
 

Gidday Kanacki

We would all be good CEO's and politician's if we existed? However since we ofically do not exist this conversation never happened?

Nor all those shipments to auction houses around the world by 3rd party sources.

Since we do not exist..... we?

Crow

"Cannot recall?"

Kanacki
 

If one is really interested in searching for Templar treasure caches that place is just one of a few worth checking out.

Crow
 

Hey Crow!

I'm new to treasure hunting and found your post. Really interesting, especially as a fellow island-dwelling tax haven somewhere ;) Do you think that this site is still worth a visit? I see it's been 4 years.
 

Gidday Amigo

One thing I can guarantee in this world there is no Guarantees only possibilities.

Crow
 

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