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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [81v] (167/738)
The record is made up of 1 volume (365 folios). It was created in 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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156
MILITARY HISTORY
career was open precisely as before. The Pashaliks of
Aleppo, Tripoli, Saida, Damascus, and Palestine could be
won by force as well as by favour, and the pashas raised
their own troops, governed as they pleased, and were free to
wage war with one another. A special feature of the sixteenth
century is the growth of the power of the Druses, whose
principal strongholds were in Lebanon and who exercised
authority over the coast as far as Qaisariyeh. In the early
part of the seventeenth century the chief historical events
are connected with the career of the Druse chief Fakhr ed-Din
(1584-1635). He waged war with the pashas of Tripoli and
Damascus, and, being the most powerful ruler in Syria, con
ducted himself as an independent prince.
The petty wars of the eighteenth century need not be
described in detail, but their value as illustrating the military
resources of Syria, and the conditions under which Syrian
wars have always been carried on, may be emphasized.
The moderate numbers of the fighting men, the lack of
cohesion in the forces employed, the part played by surprise
in seeming victory, the numerous nationalities which divide
the country into factions and their changing combinations—
are all typical of Syrian history generally. Only the weak
fortifications of the towns and the lack of skill in siege warfare
seem to mark a real declension as compared with the days of
the Mamluks and the Tartars. The shifting character of the
population of Syria is also noticeable. The movements of
the Arab tribes continue. The influx of Berbers from North
Africa commences in the beginning of the century. They
became the mercenary infantry of the pashas. About the
middle of the century the Metawileh migrate from Ba‘albek
and anti-Lebanon into the Lebanon hills and strengthen the
resomces of the rulers of ‘Akka, which is now the chief town
on the Syrian coast.
‘Omar ez-Zdhir and Ahmed el-Jezzdr
The careers of two men are specially instructive and of
outstanding interest. ‘Omar ez-Zahir, in European books
About this item
- Content
Admiralty handbook regarding Syria (including Palestine) 'to as far north as the River Orontes and a line Antioch-Aleppo-Meskeneh. For details of the part of Syria beyond this line reference must be made to the Handbook of Asia Minor , Vol. iv, Part 2 (C.B. 847 C).'
'Contents. Chapters:
- I. Boundaries and Physical Survey, p 9 (folio 7)
- II. Climate, p 24 (folio 14v)
- III. Minerals, Flora and Fauna, p 93 (folio 50)
- IV. Military History, p 109 (folio 58)
- V. Inhabitants, p 175 (folio 91)
- VI. Turkish Administration, p 236 (folio 121v)
- VII. Agriculture, p 252 (folio 129v)
- VIII. Industry and Trade, p 276 (folio 141v)
- IX. Currency, Weights and Measures, p 318 (folio 162v)
- X. Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 325 (folio 166)
- XI. Country East of Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 344 (folio 175v)
- XII. Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, and Damascus Plain, p 357 (folio 182)
- XIII. River Systems of Northern Syria, p 395 (folio 201)
- XIV. Judea and the Southern Desert, p 427 (folio 217)
- XV. Samaria (including Carmel), p 472 (folio 239v)
- XVI. Galilee, p 515 (folio 261)
- XVII. Haurān and Jaulān, p 556 (folio 281v)
- XVIII. 'Ajlūn and Northern Belqa, p 580 (folio 293v)
- XIX. Southern Belqa and Ardh el-Kerak, p 612 (folio 309v)
- XX. El-Jibāl and Esh-Shera, p 636 (folio 321v)
- XXI. The Ghōr (Jordan and the Dead Sea); and Wādi 'Arabah, p 645 (folio 326)
- Appendix: Conventional Spellings, p 668 (folio 337v)
- Index, p 669 (folio 338)
- Plates, p 725' [missing]
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (365 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume contains a contents page (folio 6) and an index (folios 338-365).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 367; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume originally contained fourteen plates showing maps, bound into the back of the volume. These are now missing; details of the plates can be found at folio 5v.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15
- Title
- 'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:366v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence