Later on, the stronghold seems to be in the hands of a Frankish family, the Montolieu, vassals of the Counts of Tripoli.

Thus, it was part of the network of castles defending the County, for example Crac des Chevaliers, Chastel Blanc and Areimeh.

The Crusaders could most probably retrieve it and keep it until they lost the County one century later, during the reign of Mamluk sultan Qalawun in 1289.

Upper floors can be reached through stairs running along the walls inside and outside the donjon.

Excavations in the stronghold also found ruins date back to the Phoenician era, in addition to inscriptions from the Greco-Roman period.