Emir Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...

Majid Toufic Arslan ( ar, الأمير مجيد توفيق أرسلان) (February 1908 — September 18, 1983) was a Lebanese

Druze The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...

leader and head of the Arslan feudal Druze ruling family. Arslan was the leader of the Yazbaki (Arslan affiliations) faction. Majid Arslan was a national political figure with a role in Lebanon's independence, a long-running Member of the Lebanese Parliament and a government minister for many times with a number of important ministerial portfolios, most notably Defense, Health, Telecommunications, Agriculture and Justice.

Personal life

Arslan was the son of

Toufic Arslan Tawfik ( ar, توفيق), or Tewfik, is an Arabic masculine given name. The name is derived from the Arabic root: waaw-faa-qaaf (), which means to agree or to reconcile. Tawfik translates to, "the ability or opportunity to achieve success". A spe ...

who helped found

Greater Lebanon The State of Greater Lebanon ( ar, دولة لبنان الكبير, Dawlat Lubnān al-Kabīr; french: État du Grand Liban), informally known as French Lebanon, was a state declared on 1 September 1920, which became the Lebanese Republic ( ar, ...

in 1920. He had three brothers (Nouhad, Riad, Melhem) and a sister (Zahia).

Majid studied at the famous French school,

Mission Laïque Française Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity * Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...

. In 1932, he married his cousin, Emira Lamiss Shehab. She bore him two sons: Emir Toufic (1935–2003) and Emir Faysal (1941–2009). In 1956, after his first wife’s death, Emir Majid remarried Khawla Jumblatt. She bore him three daughters (Zeina, Rima, and Najwa) and a son, Talal, current Head of the House of Arslan and a

leader. He was known for his exceptional skills in horsemanship and would often exercise his hobby in a southern village El Mageedieh (3 km²), named after him.

Political career

Throughout his political career, he had an intense rivalry with

Kamal Jumblatt Kamal Fouad Jumblatt ( ar, كمال فؤاد جنبلاط; 6 December 1917 – 16 March 1977) was a Lebanese politician who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. He led the National Movement during the civil war against the Lebanese Front. H ...

over the leadership amongst the Druze. He has been the longest serving Lebanese politician in a ministerial office and was elected as the

Defense Minister A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...

for twenty two times.

Parliament

Emir Majid Arslan ran for parliamentary elections in 1931 and won the Druze seat of Aley Cazaa district. His allies also won the elections. From 1931 until his death in 1983, he and his allies would win all the parliamentary elections of 1934, 1937, 1943, 1947, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972.

Cabinet

Over a period of 35 years, Emir Majid Arslan held various ministerial posts. October 1937:

Minister of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

*September 1943:

Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...

Defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

*July 1944:

*May 1946:

*December 1946: Minister of Telecommunications &

*June 1947: Minister of Telecommunications &

*July 1948:

*October 1949:

Minister of Defense A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...

*February 1954:

*July 1955:

*March 1956:

*November 1956:

*August 1957: Minister of Telecommunications &

*March 1958:

*August 1960:

*October 1961:

*October 1968:

Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

*January 1969:

*November 1969:

*May 1969:

*July 1973:

Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...

*October 1974:

*July 1975:

Agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

& Housing

Lebanon's 1943 independence

Emir Majid Arslan was the leader of the independence of Lebanon in 1943 when the president Bechara El Khoury with fellow ministers were taken to prison to Rachaya by the French. After World War I, in 1918, the French established control over Lebanon by virtue of a League of Nations Mandate. In 1943, the leaders of the country together with the ministers held a national convention and drew up a National Pact stating that: #Lebanon is an independent country with an Arab aspect, #Lebanon is to be led by neither East nor West, #No to Colonialism, #Religious sects are to be represented in ministries and all governmental posts, #The Lebanese government should bring under its control customs, railways and the

Regie Regie or Régie (from the Latin ''regium'': regal, royal) refers to a public or government establishment, administration, commission or management. They are also common first names in the Francophone world. Transport organisations * '' Regia Aut ...

tobacco monopoly. #The Lebanese government should supervise and control its borders. On 10 November 1943, the French retaliated by arresting the Lebanese President

Bechara El Khoury Bechara El Khoury ( ar, بشارة خليل الخوري; 10 August 1890 – 11 January 1964) was a Lebanese politician who served as the 1st president of Lebanon, holding office from 21 September 1943 to 18 September 1952, apart from an 11-day ...

, Prime Minister

Riad Solh Riad Reda Al Solh ( ar, رياض الصلح; 17 August 1894 – 17 July 1951) was the first prime minister of Lebanon after the country's independence.

and ministers

Camille Chamoun Camille Nimr Chamoun OM, ONC ( ar, كميل نمر شمعون, ''Kamīl Sham'ūn''; 3 April 1900 – 7 August 1987) was a Lebanese politician who served as President of Lebanon from 1952 to 1958. He was one of the country's main Christi ...

Adel Osseiran Adel Osseiran ( ar, عادل عسيران; 5 June 1905 – 18 June 1998), also transliterated Adil 'Usayran or Adil Osseyran, was a prominent Lebanese statesman, a former Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, and one of the founding fathers of the L ...

and

Abdul Hamid Karami Abdul Hamid Karami (23 October 1890 – 23 November 1950) ( ar, عبد الحميد كرامي) was a Lebanese political and religious leader, who had nationalistic Arab inclinations. Biography Karami descended from one of the most prominen ...

. The French used Senegalese mercenaries to transport these political prisoners to

Rashaya Rashaya, Rachaya, Rashaiya, Rashayya or Rachaiya ( ar, راشيا), also known as Rashaya al-Wadi or Rachaya el-Wadi (and variations), is a town of the Rashaya District in the west of the Jnoub Government of Lebanon. It is situated at around ab ...

Fort in the

Beqaa Valley The Beqaa Valley ( ar, links=no, وادي البقاع, ', Lebanese ), also transliterated as Bekaa, Biqâ, and Becaa and known in classical antiquity as Coele-Syria, is a fertile valley in eastern Lebanon. It is Lebanon's most important ...

. Ministers Majid Arslan,

Sabri Hamadeh Sabri Hamadeh, also written as Sabri Hamadé or Hamada ( ar, صبري حماده) (1902–1976) was a Lebanese politician and long-time Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament. Sabri Hamadeh served as a pioneer in the Lebanese Independence. He worked ...

and Habib Abi Shahla escaped the arrest because they were not in their homes that night. One of Emir Majid's brothers also escaped to Majdel Baana to seek refuge there among members of the Abdel Khalek family as well as the Abi Jumaa's and Nasr's. Sabrihamadeh2

On 11 November 1943, Arslan, Hamadeh and Abi Shahla created the “Government of Free Lebanon” with Habib Abi Shahla as Prime Minister and Majid Arslan as Head of National Guard 57. Their headquarters were in Bechamoun, a village 30km from

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

at the residences of Hussein and Youssef El Halabi (see

Lebanese Independence Day Lebanese Independence Day ( ar, عيد الإستقلال اللبناني, translit=Eid Al-Istiqlal, lit=Festival of the Independence; french: Indépendance du Liban) is the national day of Lebanon, celebrated on 22 November in commemoration of ...

). Toufic Hamdan (born February 11, 1927– died August 3, 2009) and his brother Adel Hamdan (born 1924– ) spotted the French Columns marching from the mountains of Aitate, a city on the outskirts of Ain Anoub. Toufic and Adel Hamdan ran back and informed the men of Ain Anoub of the incoming military. The men of Ain Anoub took up arms and blocked the road at the historic landmark, Sindyaneh. When the French forces attempted to remove the road blocks, the battle began led by Adeeb Elbiny (?-?), Naef Soujah (1895–1944), along with his son Najib Soujah (1927 – September 24, 1981), and the only martyr of the battle, Saeed Fakhreddine (?-November 11, 1943), and many more men from Ain Anoub. Saeed Fakhreddine climbed on top of the tank and dropped grenades into the tank, sacrificing his life to achieve victory. The fight ensued and liberators prevailed over the French. At that time Majid Arslan declared a Free Lebanon from the home of the Halabi family in Bechamoun where he sought refuge from the arrests. Meanwhile, disturbances and riots raged all over Lebanon. The Deputies held a secret session during which they drew and signed on a new flag that they handed over to the cabinet of Bechamoun. On 21 November 1943, Due to riots, open strikes, the armed rebellion of Ain Anoub and the interference of Arab and Western states (mainly Britain), the political prisoners were released. 3 The freed prisoners passed by Bechamoun on their way back home, to thank the rebels. There, they sang the

Lebanese National Anthem The Lebanese National Anthem ( ar, النشيد الوطني اللبناني, ), officially known as "", was written by Rashid Nakhle and composed by Wadia Sabra. It was adopted on 12 July 1927, seven years after the proclamation of the state o ...

and Majid Arslan knelt in front of the Lebanese flag and kissed it. On 22 November 1943, Lebanon was proclaimed an independent state.

References

*Najib Soujah and Toufic Hamdan, Eye Witness Accounts *Jibran Jreij, Days in Rayshaya *Julia Makarem, http://www.americandruzeheritage.com/ *Pierre Helou, L'Homme du Dialogue Disparait. http://www.rdl.com.lb/ *Aux Origines du "Pacte National", Contribution a l'histoire de la crise Franco-Libanaise de Novembre 1943, by Maxime Rodinson 1988. *http://www.ingentaconnect.com/ *Lebanon – World War II and Independence. ''Source: U.S. Library of Congress'' *Lebanon's Quest: The Road to Statehood, 1926–1939. ''Meir Zamir''. I.B. Tauris *

Ministry of National Defense (Lebanon) The Ministry of National Defense ( ar, وزارة الدفاع الوطني ''Wizārat al-Difāʾ al-Waṭanī'') is Lebanon's service section for the Lebanese Armed Forces. The Ministry is located in Yarzeh, Baabda District, Mount Lebanon. T ...

*http://www.syrianhistory.com/People/key/Emir+Majid+Arslan
Emir Majid Arslan Pictures
at Katagogi.com

at Allposters *http://www.ldparty.org/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=40&Itemid=55 *http://www.fanoos.com/society/amir_majid_arslan.html *http://www.fanoos.com/society/talal_arslan.html *