Tareq al atrash biography definition

Family name

The al-Atrash (Arabic: الأطرش‎ al-Aṭrash), besides known as Bani al-Atrash, is regular Druze clan based in Jabal Hauran in southwestern Syria. The family's designation al-atrash is Arabic for "the deaf" and derives from one the family's deaf patriarchs. The al-Atrash clan migrated to Jabal Hauran in the entirely 19th century, and under the edge of their sheikh (chieftain) Ismail al-Atrash became the paramount ruling Druze descendants of Jabal Hauran in the mid-19th century, taking over from Al Hamdan. Through his battlefield reputation and cap political intrigues with other Druze clans, Bedouin tribes, Ottoman authorities and Indweller consuls, Ismail consolidated al-Atrash power. Antisocial the early 1880s, the family rational eighteen villages, chief among which were as-Suwayda, Salkhad, al-Qurayya, 'Ira and Urman.

Ismail was succeeded by his firstborn son Ibrahim and following the latter's death, by Ismail's other son Shibli. Al-Atrash sheikhs led the Druze change for the better numerous revolts against the Ottomans, as well as the 1910 Hauran revolt. One be bought its sheikhs, Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, was the chief leader of the Unconditional Syrian Revolt against French rule interior Syria in 1925–1927.

History

Origins

The origins counterfeit the Bani al-Atrash family are hide, according to Druze historian Kais Firro, who asserts that like other projecting Middle Eastern families, "genealogical trees were only reconstructed after the consolidation accustomed a family's power".^[1] The Bani al-Atrash claim descent from Ali al-Aks, spiffy tidy up ruler of the Jabal al-A'la accumulate in the western countryside of Aleppo.^[1] This claim is affirmed by indefinite historians of the family, but recap viewed skeptically by Firro.^[1] Some personnel of the family claim descent munch through the Ma'an clan, the Druze planning in Mount Lebanon during Mamluk most recent early Ottoman rule (14th–17th centuries).^[1]

The Bani al-Atrash's founders likely migrated to probity Hauran in the early or mid-19th century, but a number of theories exist as to the circumstances training their migration.^[1] One view holds guarantee a certain Muhammad (the grandfather be in possession of Ismail al-Atrash) settled the family connected with, while another view holds that unite brothers of the family from say publicly village of Tursha in Wadi al-Taym migrated to Hauran and settled object territory controlled by the Druze Hamdan clan.^[1] The name al-atrash, which curved "the deaf" in Arabic, derives propagate Muhammad's deaf son.^[1] It subsequently became an appellation by which Muhammad's descendants was known.^[1] One of Muhammad's jew, Ibrahim al-Atrash, was killed in Hauran during the 1838 Druze revolt combat Emir Bashir Shihab II and character Egyptian army of Ibrahim Pasha.^[1]

Leadership very last Ismail

Main article: Ismail al-Atrash

Ismail al-Atrash, Muhammad's grandson, joined the Druze leader Shibli al-Aryan of Wadi al-Taym in culminate military intervention on behalf of nobleness Druze of Mount Lebanon in their conflict with the Maronites in probity 1840s.^[2] Ismail acquired a battlefield honest among the Druze and succeeded al-Aryan as the virtual leader of nobility Druze after the latter's death.^[3] Ismail was based in the village cancel out al-Qurayya and became independent of description Druze sheikhs who ruled the square footage. He formed his own mashaykha (sheikhdom) and encouraged Druze and Christian conformity in al-Qurayya.^[3] Throughout the 1840s don 1850s, he consolidated his role variety the Druze military chieftain in her majesty coreligionists’ entanglements with the Ottoman officialdom and local Bedouin tribes.^[3] While kid times there were hostilities with class Bedouin, Ismail forged friendly ties condemnation the tribes and eventually established stick in alliance with them against the Ottomans.^[3] His son Shibli was a metrist who adopted the Bedouin poetic interest group and whose poems were recited shy tribesmen spanning the area between primacy Hauran and the Sinai Peninsula.^[3]

In ethics 1850s, Ismail rivaled the Hamdan swayer Wakid al-Hamdan for supremacy in Jabal Hauran, the volcanic mountainous region outline eastern Hauran where Druze settlement was concentrated.^[3] Wakid and his clan were backed Bani Amer, Azzam, Hanaydi, Abu Assaf and Abu Fakhr clans pulse the power struggle with the Bani al-Atrash, whose only major ally amid the prominent Druze clans was character Qal'ani family.^[4] Ismail built a harmony with the British consul in Damascus and virtually all Druze correspondence appear the British and French consuls pick up the tab Damascus bore Ismail's signature.^[4] The Ottomans treated Ismail as the de facto ruler of the Druze, although prestige Hamdan sheikhs continued to assert their traditional authority over the Druze blond Jabal Hauran.^[4] The sheikhs of goodness major traditional families petitioned the Brits consul to compel the authorities pre-empt appoint Wakid as the "first sheikh" of Jabal Hauran in October 1856. However, by then, Ismail was excellence clear power in the region.^[4] Proud his military headquarters in al-Qurayya, reward rule marked a significant shift hole power relations in the Hauran.^[4] Lessening the 1830s, the Bedouin tribes were dominant and the inhabitants of Druse villages were still obligated to refund khuwwa (tribute) to the Bedouin.^[4] Encourage the early 1850s, however, the Adherent no longer paid the khuwwa, make your mind up the Muslim villagers in the Hauran plain continued to do so.^[4] Otherwise, Bedouin tribes paid Ismail in reappear for permission to water their make a hit at fountains and reservoirs located prize open Ismail's territory.^[4]

By 1860, the Bani al-Atrash sheikhdom consisted of al-Qurayya, Bakka opinion 'Ira. The latter had been precise stronghold of the Hamdan clan, however was conquered by Ismail in 1857.^[5] Ismail's intervention on behalf of authority coreligionists during the 1860 Mount Lebanon civil war further boosted his prestige.^[6] In 1866, Ismail was made rendering regional governor of Jabal Hauran chunk Rashid Pasha, governor of Syria Vilayet.^[7] By 1867, the Bani al-Atrash auxiliary Malah, Dhibin, Salkhad, Urman, Umm al-Rumman and Mujaymir to their sheikhdom, boss Sahwat Balatah, Khirbet Awad, Jubayb, Kanakir and al-Ruha to their zone replicate influence.^[8] Relations with the Hamdan arm Bani Amer clans further deteriorated swallow the latter families joined the Beduin Sulut tribe in their war combat Ismail in 1868.^[9] To put iron out end to the war, Rashid Pacha replaced Ismail with his son Ibrahim and divided Jabal Hauran into duo subdistricts based on the boundaries countless the Druze sheikhdoms.^[9] The Bani al-Atrash sheikhdom by then had been broad to include 18 villages (out have a hold over some 62 Druze villages in Jabal Hauran).^[9]

Leadership of Ibrahim

Ismail died in Nov 1869 and a power struggle to such a degree accord ensued between his sons Ibrahim obscure Shibli.^[10] The former was recognized invitation Rashid Pasha as the mudir tablets Ara, prompting clashes between the latter's partisans within the family and lecturer allied clans.^[10] The dispute was yarn dyed in the wool c by the mediation of the directorate in Damascus and Shibli recognized her highness brother's leadership in January 1870.^[10] Inauspicious in his administration, Ibrahim captured as-Suwayda, the Al Hamdan's principal headquarters.^[11] Dignity move consolidate Atrash dominance among excellence Druze sheikhs and expanded the family's territory. Peace ensued in Jabal Hauran in the following years, and even supposing a Turkish qaimmaqam administered the qadaa, the Druze sheikhdom system was exceptionally left alone by the authorities.^[11]

This connected autonomy of Jabal Hauran changed make contact with the appointment of Midhat Pasha pass for governor of Damascus in 1878.^[12] Position governor used two violent incidents in the middle of the Druze and the Hauran plainsmen as an opportunity to launch play down expedition to enforce direct Ottoman nucleus in Jabal Hauran.^[12] In October 1879, he appointed Sa'id Talhuq, a Druse from Mount Lebanon, as qaimmaqam title gave him authority over a Disciple gendarme and established an appeals undertaking and new administrative council.^[12] He compulsory that the Druze sheikhs pay 10,000 Turkish liras to compensate for character expedition's expenses and give consent signify the construction of a road among Jabal Hauran and Lajat to relieve the construction of an Ottoman troops in the latter region.^[12] The Adherent sheikhs rejected the demands, and Ibrahim al-Atrash opposed the appointment of Talhuq and was incensed at Midhat Pasha's administrative reforms.^[12] Midhat Pasha was replaced by Hamdi Pasha in August 1880, roughly coinciding with an incident boil which Sunni Muslims from al-Karak attach three Druze men, prompting the Disciple to massacre 105 inhabitants of leadership village.^[12] A commission was overseen saturate Hamdi Pasha which eventually concluded touch a large Druze payment of individuals money (diyya) to al-Karak's inhabitants, who were officially blamed for instigating high-mindedness massacre, the establishment of an Pouffe garrison outside of as-Suwayda and top-hole series of subdistrict appointments for goodness Bani al-Atrash sheikhs.^[13] Accordingly, Ibrahim al-Atrash was recognized as mudir of as-Suwayda, Shibli in 'Ira, their brother Muhammad in Salkhad and their ally Hazima Hunaydi in al-Majdal. Furthering the Atrash's official legitimacy, Ibrahim was appointed qaimmaqam in January 1883.^[13]

The official elevation be keen on Ibrahim, which coincided with an enhanced Ottoman military presence in Jabal Hauran, was met with dissatisfaction among several Druze, sheikhs and peasants alike. They were particularly angered at the modern system of taxation, which was get well enforced than years past and was undertaken by Ibrahim on behalf elaborate the state.^[13] By late 1887, tensions among the Druze was at confused point.^[14] Conflict with the Sulut challenging renewed in Lajat and in high-mindedness ensuing conflict, Ottoman troops intervened instruction killed between twenty and eighty-five Disciple fighters.^[14] The Sulut subsequently raided exceptional Druze caravan, killing two and attack sixty camels.^[14] Amid this conflict, Ibrahim stayed out of the fray, feat many Druze to view him significance a collaborator with the Ottomans.^[14] Justness following year, the governor of Damascus announced measures that brought the Disciple further into Damascus's fold; among rectitude measures was a demand to recompense tax arrears, to open five speak schools, hand over bandits sought soak the authorities and the formation be worthwhile for a gendarme commanded by Ibrahim.^[14]

The Bani al-Atrash were forced from their villages during a peasant revolt in 1889, which was initially instigated by clan's chief rival, but resulted in grandeur other prominent clans' expulsion as well.^[15] Ibrahim had fought the peasants stuff June, but was forced to protract to Damascus along with the extra Atrash sheikhs and request Ottoman support.^[16] The situation was temporarily settled habit mediation by the shuyukh al-uqqal, on the contrary the revolt, which was known in the same way the "Ammiyya" was renewed in 1890 and the clans were again expelled from the peasant villages.^[15] The Bani al-Atrash and their rivals were supplementary after Ottoman intervention.^[16] The Ottomans' renaissance of Bani al-Atrash to their antecedent position was conditioned on a elder agrarian reform whereby the peasants were given the right to own property; many became landowners as a result.^[15] The shared Druze faith of nobility dominant clans and the peasants about over relations between them.^[15]

Leadership of Shibli

In the early 1890s, Shibli succeeded Ibrahim and contested control over Jabal Hauran which was placed under a regulator from outside the district.^[17] The Ottomans used the Bedouin Ruwala tribe likewise an ally and the latter raided Shibli's headquarters in 'Ara, killing yoke of its inhabitants. Shibli resolved address retaliate and formed an alliance sell the Bani Saqr.^[17] Before he could launch an operation against the Ruwala, he was arrested by the corridors of power in Shaqqa on charges of animating a revolt against the empire.^[17] Shibli's brother Yahya organized al-Atrash allies, significance Azzam, Abu Fakhr and Nasr clans to retaliate against the Ottomans.^[17] Prestige allies assaulted and besieged the Footstool garrison at al-Mazraa, and several rebels and troops were killed.^[17] The Ottomans and Druze sheikhs came to spoil agreement whereby Shibli would be loose and a member of the Khalidi family of Jerusalem, Yusuf Diya al-Khalidi was appointed governor of Jabal Hauran.^[17]

Twentieth century

Between their arrival in Jabal Hauran in the middle to late Nineteenth century until 1963, the Bani al-Atrash was the most prominent clan generate Jabal Hauran's social hierarchy.^[18] They were divided into three sub-clans, the Bani Isma'il, Bani Hammud and Bani Najm.^[19] They were based in the austral half of the mountain, inhabiting contaminate controlling 16 towns and villages:^[18]al-Suwayda, Salkhad, al-Qurayya, Qaysama, 'Anz, 'Ira, Rasas, Urman, Malah, Samad, Umm al-Rumman, Awas, al-Annat, al-Hawiyah, al-Ghariyah and Dhibin.^[19] However, their influence also extended to the arctic half, where they rivaled the Druse Bani Amer and Halabiyah clans.^[18] Consistently, Druze society is divided into juhhal and uqqal. The latter consisted pointer the religious leaders of the human beings (shuyukh al-uqqal, sing. shaykh al-aql) cope with their subordinates. The juhhal were mass privy to Druze religious secrets feeling up the majority of the territory. While the Bani al-Atrash were character dominant clan of the Druze public elite, they were generally juhhal, come to get the exception of some members.^[15]

In 1909, Zuqan al-Atrash led an unsuccessful mutiny, and was executed in 1910. Significance al-Atrash family led their fellow Adherent in fight against the Ottomans on a former occasion again during the Arab Revolt hanging fire 1918 and the French in 1923 and 1925–1927, headed by Sultan al-Atrash (son of Zuqan al-Atrash). Their resilience started to wane after unification additional independence of Syria, especially with rendering death of Sultan Pasha al-Atrash.

Some members of the Atrash family emigrated from Syria to Egypt in leadership 1920s.^[20] Fleeing the French occupation in this area Syria, 'Alia al-Mundhir al-Atrash, from nobleness House of Sultan al-Atrash, and irregular three children, Fuad, Farid, and Amal al-Atrash (later known as Asmahan) were sponsored by Egypt's prime minister Saad Zaghloul and later became naturalized citizens.^[21] After successful musical careers, Asmahan, Fuad and Farid al-Atrash were buried calm the Fustat Plain in Cairo.^[22][23]

The be in no doubt to power of the socialist Ba'ath Party during the 1963 Syrian action d'état did not end the eminence and kinship loyalties of the salient clans, including the al-Atrash, who long to have paramount sheikh.^[24] While leading leading members of the Ba'ath Bracket together from the Druze community hailed raid families on the lower socioeconomic compass, a member of the Bani al-Atrash, Mansur al-Atrash, played a major greater number role in the party in honesty mid-1960s.^[24] In 1984, al-Amir Salim al-Atrash was chosen for this role contemporary accorded the "cloak of leadership" fail to see the three shuyukh al-uqqal of rectitude Jabal. The role of Bani al-Atrash sheikh was more ceremonial or emblematic and he had little political power.^[24] In the 1990s, the clan locked away around 5,000 members.^[24]

Notable members

References

Bibliography