| Publication |
2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
In October 1831 Muhammad Ali Pasha's army under the command of his son, Ibrahim Pasha, attacked Greater Syria, where he faced little resistance. By May 1832 Muhammad Ali and the Sultan signed the K¨tahya peace treaty, and the region of Greater Syria became formally part of Muhammad Ali's domains, in which he decided to implement several reforms. One of these reforms was disarmament and conscription. As a result several revolts erupted in the region of Greater Syria; the two most important revolts were those of the Nusayris and the Druze, two heterodox religious minorities. The Nusayri revolt erupted in September 1834 and lasted for nine months until the rebels were fiercely subdued, disarmed and conscripted. After subduing the Nusayris in October 1835, the Egyptians conscripted the Druze of Mount Lebanon. Although the Druze resisted the orders, they lacked leadership and thus were easily disarmed and conscripted. The main revolt of the Druze was in November 1837 in the Hawran region, where the Druze put up a fierce fight against the Egyptians. Even though the Druze were subdued after almost nine months, they obtained a lenient agreement in which they were released from conscription and only partly disarmed.
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