Mount Lebanon Under Mutasarrifs

Abstract

First to govern an internationally recognized and guaranteed autonomous Lebanon was a Catholic Armenian, exdirector of telegraph at Constantinople. His successors were likewise Catholics, a recognition of Maronite preponderance in the mountain. Daud Pasha took up his residence at the Shihabi palace in Bayt al-Din. The first major problem that faced his administration involved a Maronite nationalist uprising which objected to the non-nativity of the new governor. The movement was headed by a gallant, dashing, good-looking, French-schooled young man from Ihdin, Yusuf Karam. He, of course, aspired for the high position. The statute made no reference to the illegibility of a native Christian. Daud offered Yusuf the deputy governorship of Jazzin, which he spurned. The rebel chief addressed appeals to France and the Vatican, but received no encouragement. Nor did he receive support from the clergy. A few bloody battles crushed all opposition and the leader spent the rest of his life in exile.