Mustafa Agha Barbar El Korek (1767 – 28 April 1835) was an Ottoman

Syrian Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...

statesman and military officer who was governor of the Ottoman province of

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

, ruling between 1800–08, 1810–20 and 1821-35.

Name

The middle word in his name, Agha, is actually a title derived from the Turkish word for "chief, master, or lord." It was a title for a civil or military officer in the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

, and was placed after the name of such military functionaries.

Biography

Barbar was originally a peasant from

al-Qalamoun Al-Qalamoun (Arabic: القلمون) is a Mediterranean seaside town of the North Governorate of Lebanon in the Tripoli District. The town is 5 km south of Tripoli and is also the first town south of Tripoli. Name During Greco-Roman times ...

, in the

Koura District Koura District ( ar, ٱلْكُورَة, from gr, χώρα, lit=country) is a district in the North Governorate, Lebanon. Koura is one of the 26 districts of Lebanon, particularly known for its olive tree cultivation and olive oil production ...

. At the beginning of his career he was in the service of Emir Hasan Shihab (the brother of Emir

Bashir Shihab II Emir Bashir Shihab II () (also spelled "Bachir Chehab II"; 2 January 1767–1850) was a Lebanese emir who ruled Ottoman Lebanon in the first half of the 19th century. Born to a branch of the Shihab family which had converted from Sunni Islam, t ...

). By virtue of his acumen, bravery, skill and energy, according to historian

Mikhail Mishaqa Mikhail Mishaqa or Michael Mishaka (March 20, 1800 – July 19, 1888; ar, ميخائيل مشاقة, gr, Μιχαήλ Μισάκα), also known as Doctor Mishaqa, was born in Rashmayyā, Lebanon, and is reputed to be "the first historian of mo ...

, Barbar attained high office and acquired standing among the viziers and subjects. It is said that he was the chief antagonist of Emir Bashir Shihab II around Abdullah Pasha al-Azm (Wali of

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 = , ...

). Barbar was appointed governor of Tripoli by the Ottomans in 1798. In the early 19th century, he had extensive restoration work done on the

Citadel of Tripoli Qala'at Tarablus in Arabic, is an ancient citadel and fort on a hilltop in Tripoli, Lebanon. Once known as The Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles or Qala'at Sanjil and also as Mons Peregrinus ("Pilgrim's Mountain"), it takes its name from Raymond ...

(castle of Saint Gilles), resulting in its present state. Later on, he endowed large portions of his property in Tripoli to his wives, relatives and slaves (

mamluk Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...

s), shortly after his grip on power was challenged. He also endowed property in Tripoli for the building of a canal and two water fountains, in order to enhance his local image. His rule in Tripoli was challenged by Kunj Yusuf Pasha, Wali of Damascus, in 1808, but Barbar withstood the siege with support from Albanian mercenaries. Between 1809 and 1813, Barbar, who hated the

Alawites The Alawis, Alawites ( ar, علوية ''Alawīyah''), or pejoratively Nusayris ( ar, نصيرية ''Nuṣayrīyah'') are an ethnoreligious group that lives primarily in Levant and follows Alawism, a sect of Islam that originated from Shia Isla ...

, attacked the

Kalbiyya The Kalbiyya, ( ar, القلبية) Qalbiyya are one of four tribes, or tribal confederations, of the Alawite community in Syria. Syrian Presidents Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al-Assad are from the Kalbiyya. Alawite background The Kalbi ...

tribe from among them with "marked savagery." His principal enemy was the semi-autonomous Alawite sheikh of

Safita Safita ( ar, صَافِيتَا '; phn, 𐤎‬𐤐𐤕‬𐤄, ''Sōpūte'') is a city in the Tartous Governorate, northwestern Syria, located to the southeast of Tartous and to the northwest of Krak des Chevaliers. It is situated on the tops ...

, Saqr al-Mahfuz. In 1816, Barbar built the fortress of Iaal. That same year, soldiers serving him ravaged a number of

Ismaili Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (imām) to Ja'far al-Sa ...

Shia villages in the Nusayriyya Mountains, which proved disastrous for the Ismailis. This included the final destruction of the

Al-Kahf Castle Al-Kahf Castle or Castle of the Cave ( ar, قلعة الكهف) is a medieval Nizari Isma'ili castle located around southeast of Margat, in the al-Ansariyah mountains in northwest Syria. History The castle was built around 1120 by Saif al-Mulk ...

.Mannheim, 2001, p.275-276. Between 1820 and 1825, an Ottoman

imperial decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used for ...

went forth, ordering for Barbar's execution. He came to the

Mount Lebanon Emirate The Emirate of Mount Lebanon () was a part of Mount Lebanon that enjoyed variable degrees of partial autonomy under the stable suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire between the mid-16th and the early-19th century. The town of Baakleen was the seat o ...

, seeking asylum with Emir Bashir, who appointed a residence for him and his people in the village of Shwayfat (

Aley District Aley ( ar, عاليه) is a district ('' qadaa'') in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, to the south-east of the Lebanon's capital Beirut. The capital is Aley. Aley city was previously known as the "bride of the summers" during the 1960 and 1970s, when Al ...

), until he could obtain a pardon through the offices of the governor of Egypt,

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

(with whom Emir Bashir was allied). A friendship thus was formed between the former enemies. In October, 1833, Barbar was dismissed from office and arrested by the new Egyptian authorities. Muhammad Ali of Egypt was now in control, as opposed to the previous Ottomans. Barbar was arrested for his levying the ‘awayid, a tax levied to support the officeholders from his subjects, which was prohibited by the new Egyptian authorities. Barbar died April 28, 1835, possibly due to a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

or similar affliction. He was buried at the Iaal fortress on April 29. Some of his modern descendants now live in Tripoli and

Iaal, Lebanon Iaal ( ar, ايعال, also spelt as Ī`āl, Iäal, Izal or I’aal) is a village in northern Lebanon. Etymology The name ''Iaal'' is derived from the sound donkeys make when braying. This was chosen in honour of the preeminent role donkeys pla ...

Name

Biography

See also

References

Further reading