The Maronites and the Druzes were self-ruling in the hard to navigate highlands of Lebanon. The Maronites had strong links to the Vatican while the Druze were originally Shiite Muslims fleeing persecution in Cairo. The mountain dwellers paid tribute and were left in peace until 1591 when Fakhr al-Din came in to power and sought to expand his influence across Lebanon.
The Ottomans attacked Lebanon but Fakhr escaped to Tuscany. Fakhr and his sons were finally abandoned by their army, captured and excuted in Istanbul in 1635. The Lebanese feudal order recommenced and survived into the nineteenth century.
The Mamluks became very powerful in seventeenth century Egypt but there were intense and bloody internal rivalries and blood-feuds. It ended with a Mamluk household called the Qazdughlis dominating eighteenth century Egypt. Egypt, Lebanon and Algeria never lost their autonomy under the Ottomans but were required to pay tribute. The multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian empire bore similarities to the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires. The latter half of the eighteenth century saw defiance against the Ottomans often aided by European support. The leaders of these revolts put the Ottoman state in jeopardy.
Ottoman rule was characterised by ruling in partnership with local elites. Once those local elites began to join forces with each other and Europe it signalled the beginning of the end.
The Ottomans attacked Lebanon but Fakhr escaped to Tuscany. Fakhr and his sons were finally abandoned by their army, captured and excuted in Istanbul in 1635. The Lebanese feudal order recommenced and survived into the nineteenth century.
The Mamluks became very powerful in seventeenth century Egypt but there were intense and bloody internal rivalries and blood-feuds. It ended with a Mamluk household called the Qazdughlis dominating eighteenth century Egypt. Egypt, Lebanon and Algeria never lost their autonomy under the Ottomans but were required to pay tribute. The multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian empire bore similarities to the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires. The latter half of the eighteenth century saw defiance against the Ottomans often aided by European support. The leaders of these revolts put the Ottoman state in jeopardy.
Ottoman rule was characterised by ruling in partnership with local elites. Once those local elites began to join forces with each other and Europe it signalled the beginning of the end.
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