Baniyas

Baniyas lies on the Syrian coast beneath the dark basalt fortress of Margat. Known in antiquity as Balanea, the port was called Valenia by the Crusaders, whose bishops sought the safety of the castle above the town. Margat became a major stronghold of the Knights Hospitaller, guarding the coastal road. In 1285 the Mamluk sultan Qalawun captured it after a lengthy siege.

Under Ottoman rule the district remained centred on the coast and its inland mountains. Baniyas developed as a centre of silk production, drawing cocoons from surrounding districts, while Margat continued to serve as an administrative and military point. The town's harbour, river and fortress gave it a place in the movement of goods and people along the shore between Latakia and Tartus.