Cause of pre-civil war tension – Political

Tensions are fueled by Muslim perspective that non-Muslims are providing wedge allowing the infiltration of European powers into Muslim lands (Farah 731)

Cause of pre-civil war tension – Political (metaphor)

European Powers/ Interests in the Levant/Ottoman

Empire

Non-Muslims, particularly

Maronite Christians:

Levant/Ottoman Empire The

Levant/Ottoman Empire

Lebanese Civil War

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

Conflict Resolution

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

Conflict Resolution: How is Mt. Lebanon to be governed? What is the extent of Lebanese autonomy?

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)

Lebanon extent of autonomy: Administrative councils

4 Maronite 3 Druze 2 Greek Orthodox 1 Greek Catholic

Strangely, Druze were only 10% of the population

Administrative Councils

Representatives undertake taxation Advise Mutasarriff Mutasarriff Sultan

Mutasarriff

Sectarian Administrative Councils

NON-LEBANESE & CHRISTIAN

Lebanese autonomy and effect on the Ottoman Empire

• 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

Lebanese Civil War socio-economic effects

The economy dominated by silk production (French-owned and local factories)

The Maronite Church was on path to become the owner of one third of the agricultural land in Mount Lebanon.

 Unrest created widespread emigration

Lebanese Civil War socioeconomic effects

Demography change:

Increasing emigration to North and South America, Egypt and Sudan (100,000 between 1860-1908).

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.

Lebanon (1900-1950)

By 1914, Mutasarrifiyya was abolished and the Ottomans appointed their own Muslim Governor.

1918: Anglo-French and Arab forces created Greater Lebanon out of Syria and Lebanon.

1920 French mandate over Greater Lebanon declared. Muslims were now half of the population.

 

Lebanon (1900-1950)

1926: New constitution for the Republic of Lebanon, but the French High Commissioner retained the main authority until 1943

Lebanon (1943)

Lebanon Independence declared- 1943 Lebanese Independence Day – November

22nd

Resolution: I see, I know, I wonder?