Transcript Lebanese Civil War - 1860

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Tensions are fueled by Muslim perspective
that non-Muslims are providing wedge
allowing the infiltration of European powers
into Muslim lands
(Farah 731)
Reports regarding death toll: Figures vary
7000 – 20,000 +
5000 widowed
16,000 orphaned
Destruction:
- 326 villages
- 560 churches
- 28 colleges
- 42 convents
- 100,000 refugees
- 3,000 homes burnt to the ground
- 4,000 die in aftermath
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International Commission of GB, FR, Austria,
Prussia, & the Ottoman Empire
 Conclude that the improper partitioning of
Lebanon was cause (non-pragmatic/impractical
given inter-mixture)
 Under European pressure, mainly from France,
an Ottoman edict is issued in 1861 (effective in
1864)
 Essentially, foreign nations, in part, redesign
Ottoman political structure
 The “Eastern Question” begins to be answered
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Mount Lebanon Mutesarrifiyyet is born
What is a Mutesarrifiyyet?
- semi autonomous nation within a nation
- A “domestic independent nation”
(not unlike a the US reservation system, or
better, what was Indian Territory in
modern
day Oklahoma)
- governed by the Mutesarrif (intermediary/
governor between multi-ethnic/multi
religious Mt. Lebanon communities)
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4 Maronite
3 Druze
2 Greek Orthodox
1 Greek Catholic
Strangely, Druze were only 10% of the
population
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Representatives undertake taxation
Advise Mutasarriff
Mutasarriff
Sultan
Mutasarriff
NON-LEBANESE & CHRISTIAN
Sectarian Administrative Councils
Not all of present day Lebanon is part of
Mutesariffiyya
- Areas excluded:
Beirut, Biqa, Tripoli, Sidon
- Ottomans adopt this structure
throughout the empire
- Foreign influence/control strengthened
- GB and France become protectors of
Druze and Maronites, respectively
•
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The economy dominated by silk
production (French-owned and local
factories)
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The Maronite Church was on path to
become the owner of one third of the
agricultural land in Mount Lebanon.
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Unrest created widespread emigration
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Demography change:
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Increasing emigration to North and South America,
Egypt and Sudan (100,000 between 1860-1908).
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Maronite middle class started to say they wanted to
incorporate Beirut and other areas into Mount
Lebanon, so as to improve the economy, thus
absorbing labour surplus that was being lost by
emigration.
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By 1914, Mutasarrifiyya was abolished and the
Ottomans appointed their own Muslim
Governor.
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1918: Anglo-French and Arab forces created
Greater Lebanon out of Syria and Lebanon.
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1920 French mandate over Greater Lebanon
declared. Muslims were now half of the
population.
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1926: New constitution for the Republic of
Lebanon, but the French High Commissioner
retained the main authority until 1943
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Lebanon Independence declared- 1943
Lebanese Independence Day – November 22nd