The history and architectural design of Castellum Regis and some other finds in the village of Mi'ilya

This article deals with several issues that shed light on the history, archaeology, architecture and importance of Castellum Regis and the village below it during the Frankish period. The sites are located in western Upper Galilee, almost 22 kilometers north-east of Acre. Among the questions to be discussed are: Was the castle built in a single phase? How many groups took part in its construction? Did they use typical Frankish styles of building and tooling? The article examines Professor Ronnie Ellenblum’s view that Mi'ilya was a planned Frankish village laid out in a circle around the castle, and contends that the Frankish documents and the archaeological finds indicate that many of the buildings on his plan are post-Frankish. An alternative, detailed plan of the castle, the village and the surrounding area, supports the argument that the village of Mi'ilya was located at a short distance from the castle.