European intervention in Lebanon

European intervention in Lebanon

In the weakness of the Ottoman Empire major European countries related to local forces in Lebanon it took, and began inciting against them to gain their vulnerability, and some local forces took relate to European countries to support the local position against other local powers rivals. The Ottomans felt that the development of the internal Mount Lebanon is not reassuring to work and saw the organization administratively commensurate with the circumstances of the present and divided Lebanon into two sections:

The northern section and appointed him Qaimqama a Maronite. And the southern section and it appointed Qaimqama Druze
However Alqaimqametin did not become a better position than they were in the past, and did not settle internal matters therein. It has occurred in the Mount Lebanon sectarian differences sharply, especially among the Druze and Maronites in 1841, as well as in 1845.

I tried the Ottoman Empire despite the weakness that is in control, creating a bicameral elected participating in Alqaimqametin management along with Alqaimqamin on the north and south of Mount Lebanon. However, the domestic unrest in the mountain did not stop, the situation became tense again between Druze and Maronites in 1860. European countries and intervened in the internal conflict in the mountain, so that France sent a 1860 military campaign, French author of six thousand soldiers, but the Ottoman Empire and was rushed dispute to the satisfaction of all communities.


When they reached the French expedition to Lebanon and found that it has a solution, it was forced to withdraw. This is the campaign, although she did not do something, as a warning to the Ottoman state, and serves as a support and advocacy groups, Maronite, which also serves as a military maneuver wanted by France to draw the attention of the British that Lebanon and the Syrian areas are within the map of French colonial rule in the east.

European countries have intervened in the Druze conflict Maronite outright, sending European Commission to Istanbul to study the whole situation with the Ottoman sultan and higher door, it was agreed to grant the Mount Lebanon special administratively by the system, and knew this Agreement in 1861 regime, has been modified occurred after three years ie 1864. He knew this Agreement amending the agreement the former Basic Law. It was signed by France, Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia and the Ottoman Empire. The text of the Basic Law on the following:

1. Organization of Lebanon administratively again, and the abolition of the previous work of the administrative division that divided Mount Lebanon to Qaimqametin.
2. to become Mount Lebanon independent Ottoman province in its internal affairs.
3. that governs the independent state of Lebanon, a Christian governor appointed by Ottoman Porte, having to agree to the appointment of all countries that have signed the Charter of the Basic Law.
4. The duration of the mandate be disposed of five years, during which heads the executive authority, and is accountable to the Sublime Porte.
5. constitute the Board of Directors of the twelve representatives from communities in the mountain helps the administrator of the Department of Mount Lebanon.
6. Provincial Lebanon that includes Mount Lebanon, does not enter, including the Bekaa Valley, and the Valley of Tim, and coastal cities such as Beirut, Tripoli and Tyre and Sidon, which will remain subject directly to the governors of the Ottoman Empire, and the administrative organization remains unchanged.
7. be divided Mount Lebanon into seven districts, each headed by the mayor of the community to spend, which represents the majority in the judiciary.
8. that divides each district to local districts acting in the management of local elders elected by the population.
9. The Basic Law gives all citizens of Montenegro, or what is known Bmtsrvih Mount Lebanon the right to equality before the law. 10
- That clerics consider lawsuits against the religious courts.
11. that all feudal privileges revoked.
12. The business suits brought before the commercial courts in particular.
13. appoint the administrator of all judges, and constitutes a disciplinary council for judges in the event of irregularities. 14
- Be prosecuted in criminal or the place where the offense committed.
15. form in the mountain, a Lebanese military band, and the band disposed police help in stabilizing security and the collection of taxes from the population.
16. that is being disposed census, make up technical committees to clear land in Almtsrvip and mapping them.


Based upon the sedition in 1861 have had dangerous consequences for the whole of Lebanon, it has resulted in the presence of an existing rule of the Provincial Lebanese system was working hard on independence from the Ottoman government. The new administrative status of Mount Lebanon has opened a wide window on Europe, which is dragged to the intervention of these countries are widely used in the affairs of Lebanon and sects. The concept of European intervention in Lebanon has evolved to exploit foreign franchises which later became the kind of foreign protection, which increased missionary activity associations in the country. The successive strife between the sects in Mount Lebanon has caused a rift in the good relationship that has been prevailing Lebanese confessional society.


Through these simultaneous conditions with the weakness of the Ottoman Empire emerged the idea of ​​Arab nationalism, Arab nationalism against Ottoman rule in the Levant and the movement, it was demonstrated this concept of intellectual aimed at reviving Arabism by reviving the Arabic language movement, and Arabic literature, Arab history and try to revive the Arab heritage as a whole . The ATF has expanded and deepened in the Levant in the wake of the emergence of the Turkish Turanian nationalism that carried the banner followers of Union and Progress, the growth of the Arab Thought was deepening and the reaction of the Turkish fanatic trend which focused on the promotion of Turkishness and harming Arabs policy. ATF has been active in the Levant through the writings of al-Yazji, gardener, two pioneers of the vanguard of the Arab idea.


Of course, the people in Lebanon were not in isolation from those events, especially since education had already been deployed, and happened to him open in the awareness of the Arab people in the Levant, due to the recognition of Western currents.
Turkish withdrawal. Aggravation of the internal situation in Lebanon in the wake of the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, and the worsening financial situation due to the war, and the disruption of the flow of funds by the nationals in the Diaspora. The relationship worsened the Ottoman Empire the inhabitants of Lebanon, especially after the growth of the idea of ​​Arabism, and the establishment of associations and organizations of Arab anti-Ottoman rule.

Turks withdrew from the Levant: Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine after the triumph of reconciliation in the countries of the First World War on the middle states. And entered the Prince Faisal Bin Al Hussein, Damascus, and established in the Levant Arab government, ending the Ottoman presence, sent the commander Shukri Pasha Ayyubid Governor-General on Lebanon, based in Beirut, which has become a center of gravity for the whole of Lebanon. Omar Daouk and was appointed governor of Beirut, Habib al-Saad Pasha governor of Mount Lebanon. Thus, the flag of the Arab government in Beirut, in the October 6, 1918 m.