Khalil Mardam Bey (1895–1959) ( ar, خليل مردم بك tr, Halil Mardam Bey) was a

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

n poet and critique who is most notable for composing the lyrics of the

Syrian National Anthem "" ( ar, حُمَاةَ الدِّيَارِ, lit=Guardians of the Homeland, syc, ܢܛܘܪ̈ܝ ܐܬ݂ܪܘ̈ܬ݂ܐ, label=Syriac) is the national anthem of the Syrian Arab Republic, with lyrics written by Khalil Mardam Bey and the music by Mo ...

Early life and career

Mardam Bey was born in Ottoman

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

to a well-known family of Turkish origin. His father was Ahmed Mukhtar Mardam Bey and his mother was Fatima Mahmoud Hamzaoui; they had six children - of which Mardam Bey was the only son. He was one of the descendants of the Ottoman

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

statesman A statesman or stateswoman typically is a politician who has had a long and respected political career at the national or international level. Statesman or Statesmen may also refer to: Newspapers United States * ''The Statesman'' (Oregon), a n ...

, and

Grand Vizier Grand vizier ( fa, وزيرِ اعظم, vazîr-i aʾzam; ota, صدر اعظم, sadr-ı aʾzam; tr, sadrazam) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. The office of Grand Vizier was first ...

Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha Lala Mustafa Pasha ( – 7 August 1580), also known by the additional epithet ''Kara'', was an Ottoman Bosnian general and Grand Vizier from the Sanjak of Bosnia. Life He was born around 1500, near the Glasinac in Sokolac Plateau in Bosnia ...

. He was chosen as the leader of the Syrian

Literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

Association, which was founded in 1926 and annulled by the French. He studied English literature in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and taught Arabic literature in the National Science College in Syria. Some of his notable works include ''Al-Diwan'' (الديوان) and ''A’imat al-Adab'' (أئمة الأدب). He was the chairman of the Arab Scientific Assemblage from 1953 until his death in 1959.

Personal life

Mardam Bey was married and had three daughters and two sons. His oldest son Adnan Mardam Bey was also a poet. He was cousins with the former Syrian Prime Minister

Jamil Mardam Bey Jamil Mardam Bey ( ota, جميل مردم بك; tr, Cemil Mardam Bey; 1895–1960), was a Syrian politician. He was born in Damascus to a prominent aristocratic family. He is a descendant of the Ottoman general, statesman and Grand Vizier Lala ...

References

Muslim poets Syrian poets Syrian people of Turkish descent National anthem writers People from Damascus Foreign ministers of Syria 1895 births 1959 deaths Mardam-Bey family {{Syria-poet-stub