Ottoman rule in Beirut (1839-1918)

The eastern Mediterranean port city of Beirut is important because of being the door to open the Middle East to the world. For this reason it is among the cities which are struggled to seize by many states in the history. Included into Ottoman territory with Yavuz Sultan Selim's Egyptian expedition in 1516, the city of Beirut remained under Ottoman rule until the British occupation in 1918.Being a small town and township status under the rule Ottoman in 1520, Beirut gained the status of sanjak associated with canton of Damascus in the beginning of the 17. century. It was included there after Sidon, Beirut, and Safed canton was formed in 1614 and it was configured as the center of Sayda canton in 1840. Its land was included to the Syria canton after Sidon canton was disestablished in the date of 1864-5 eliminate the state was on Sidon, lands were included Syrian territory. In 1887, the Ottoman government decided to establish Beirut canton with the pressure of western nations.With the declaration of Tanzimat in 1839 new applications were started in many areas in Ottoman state. This innovation movements as well as in other Ottoman cities showed an influence in Beirut.As a result of Western states activities in the region between 1840-1860 Jabal-i Lebanon events took place. As a result of these events Beirut was influenced politically, socially, demographically and economically in a negative way. City in this period became one of the centers of human trafficking in high levels.In the examined period, Muslim population in the city was continously in majority preceeded respectively by Rum, Maronite, Catholic and other groups. the Jews became the group which had the highest population rise rate.In the city which experienced an intensive training in the field of missionary activity, there were missionary schools of America, France, Russia, Italy and the Germans. Ottoman state made many changes and investments in the field of education.City's main source of livelihood is based on trade. Agriculture and animal husbandry did not develope because of the city's physical structure. In the field of animal husbandry, silk beetle was the most important revenue item by foreign investors in the silk weaving factories were opened. Nearly all of the firms such as harbor and dock, gas, water, and railroad companies established in the city was operated by western states. In the period under review, the French had a big impact in the economy of the city meanwhile the currency in trade as well as the French franc as the Ottoman penny was used predominantly.While the administrative, political, social and economic change and development in the city of Beirut under rule of Ottoman was at the same rate with other provinces of the Ottoman between the years of 1839-1918, those change and development differed because of the interests of Western nations in the region.Keywords: Beirut, Ottoman State, Declaration of Tanzimat, Syria, The Middle East