Battle of Anjar
The Battle of Anjar was fought on 1 November 1623 between the army of Fakhr ad-Din II al-Ma'ni and an Ottoman army led by the governor of Damascus Mustafa Pasha.[1]
| Battle of Anjar | |||||||||
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10,000 Lebanese 2,000 Tuscans | 45,000 | ||||||||
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| 1,200 | 6,000 - 6,500 | ||||||||
Background
In 1608 Fakhr-al-Din forged an alliance with the Italian Grand Duchy of Tuscany. The alliance contained both a public economic section and a secret military one.
Fakhr-al-Din's popularity alarmed the Ottomans who authorized Hafiz Ahmed Pasha, Muhafiz of Damascus, to mount an attack on Lebanon in 1613 to reduce Fakhr-al-Din's growing power.
Faced with Hafiz's army of 50,000 men, Fakhr-al-Din chose exile in Tuscany, leaving affairs in the hands of his brother Emir Yunis and his son Emir Ali Beg. Fakhr-al-Din's exile did not prompt the Lebanese army to surrender to Hafiz Ahmed Pasha's army. They maintained their positions while the military operations raged until Prince Yunus managed through negotiations and persuasion to bring an end to the killings, securing the retreat of the Ottoman army.
In 1618, political changes in the Ottoman sultanate had resulted in the removal of many of Fakhr-al-Din's enemies from power, signaling the prince's triumphant return to Lebanon soon after, upon which he was able quickly to reunite all the lands of Lebanon beyond the boundaries of its mountains; and having revenge from Emir Yusuf Pasha ibn Siyfa, attacking his stronghold in Akkar, destroying his palaces and taking control of his lands, and regaining the territories he had to give up in 1613 in Sidon, Tripoli, Bekaa among others.
The Ottomans seemed uncomfortable with the prince's increasing powers and extended relations with Europe. The promise they had made to the Medici family, regarding the Prince of Lebanon, was ignored. In 1623, Mustafa Pasha was named Muhafiz of Damascus, being a rival of Fakhr-al-Din and a friend of Sultan Murad IV, who ordered him to attack Lebanon and depose Fakhr-al-Din.
The battle
The Lebanese major victory came on 1 November 1623 against the Ottoman army of the Pasha of Damascus in the Battle of Majdel Anjar. Although Turkish troops outnumbered the Lebanese forces by more than two to one, Fakher el-Din was nevertheless victorious and was able to capture the Pasha of Damascus himself.[2]
Aftermath
Fakhr ad-Din forced the Ottoman army to retreat back to Egypt and northern Syria. The Ottoman central power was only able to retake control over the Galilee in 1633, and over Syria and Transjordan in 1634.
Fakher el-Din treated Mustafa Pasha well during his captivity, which made the Pasha recognize Fakher el-Din's rule over the Beqaa Valley.[3]
See also
- Druze power struggle (1658–67)
- List of conflicts in the Near East
References
- Boutros Dib, Histoire du Liban, page 363
- ago, Hussein Yassine·History·2 days ago·Last updated:2 days (2 May 2020). "How Lebanon Won the 'Battle of Anjar' Against The Ottomans Despite Being Outnumbered". The961. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- المصور في التاريخ، الجزء السابع، معركة عنجر تعيد البقاع إلى الإمارة، page: 47 - 48. (in Arabic)