Ironically, Caesarea later became a center of Jewish and Christian learning. During the Crusades, Caesarea changed hands four times before its capture in 1251 by King Louis LX of France. Louis strengthened and expanded the city’s fortifications, adding most of the massive ramparts and battlements and the impressive moat, all of which are still in excellent condition. Despite these efforts, Caesarea was captured in 1265 by the Mamluk Sultan Baybars, who destroyed it. The city remained uninhabited until 1878 when the Muslim Boslinaqs resettled it. The 1948 war drove out the Arab population, emptying Caesarea once again. Today it is a chic, affluent resort town.