State of Syria (1925–1930)
State of Syria État de Syrie دولة سوريا | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1925–1930 | |||||||||
Flag | |||||||||
Status | President | | |||||||
• 1925 (first) | Subhi Bey Barakat | ||||||||
• 1928–1930 (last) | Taj al-Din al-Hasani | ||||||||
Historical era | Interwar period | ||||||||
• State declared | 5 December 1924 | ||||||||
• Established | 1 January 1925 | ||||||||
1925–1927 | |||||||||
14 May 1930 | |||||||||
Currency | Lebanese-Syrian pound | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Today part of | disputed) Turkey |
The State of Syria (
Background
In 1920, an independent
History of Syria under the Mandate
Initial civil administration
Following the
The primarily Sunni population of Aleppo and Damascus were strongly opposed to the division of Syria.
Syrian Federation (1922–24)
On 28 June 1922, the Syrian Federation was created between three of the states: the State of Damascus, the State of Aleppo and the Alawite State. Jabal Druze and Greater Lebanon were not parts of this federation. The autonomous Sanjak of Alexandretta was added to the state of Aleppo in 1923. The Federation adopted a new federal flag (green-white-green with French canton), which later became the flag of the State of Syria.
State of Syria
The Alawite state seceded from the federation in 1924. The states of Aleppo and Damascus were united into the State of Syria, with effect on 1 January 1925.
General revolt
In 1925, Syrian resistance to French colonial rule broke out in full scale
The revolt broke out in Jabal Druze but quickly spread to other Syrian states and became a general rebellion in Syria. France tried to retaliate by having the parliament of Aleppo declare secession from the union with Damascus, but the voting was foiled by Syrian patriots.
Despite French attempts to maintain control by encouraging sectarian divisions and isolating urban and rural areas, the revolt spread from the countryside and united Syrian Druze, Sunnis, Shiites, Alawis, and Christians. Once the rebel forces had besieged Damascus, the French military responded with brutal counter-insurgency techniques that prefigured those that would be used later in Algeria and Indo-China. These techniques included house demolitions, collective punishments of towns, executions, population transfers, and the use of heavy armor in urban neighborhoods. The revolt was eventually subdued in 1926-27 via French aerial bombardment of civilian areas, including Damascus.[1]
Republic of Syria
On May 14, 1930, the State of Syria was declared the Republic of Syria and a new constitution was drafted.
Government
While the State enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy as a Mandate, France exercised significant authority over the government. The revolt that began in Jabal Druze led to France easing their hold on Syria and a constitution was drafted but not ratified by the French Chamber of Deputies, and the coming of World War II stopped any progress in Syrian self-determination.[2]
Education
Under French administration, the
See also
- History of Syria
- French Colonial Empire
- List of French possessions and colonies
References
- ^ Michael Provence. The Great Syrian Revolt and the Rise of Arab Nationalism. University of Texas, Austin: University of Texas Press, 2005.
- ISBN 9780670815159.
Bibliography
- David Kenneth Fieldhouse (2006). Western Imperialism in the Middle East 1914-1958. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780199287376.
- Sami M. Moubayed (2006). Steel & silk: men and women who shaped Syria 1900-2000. Cune Press. ISBN 9781885942401.
- Derek Hopwood (1988). Syria 1945-1986: politics and society. Unwin Hyman.
External links
- Timeline of the French Mandate period
- (in French) Mandat Syrie-Liban ... (1920-1946)
- (in French) La Syrie et le mandat français (1920-1946)
- (in French) Les Relations franco-libanaises dans le cadre des relations Internationales
- (in French) Mandat français au Proche-Orient
- "No Yo-Yo!". Time. January 30, 1933. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.