Fransiz Diplomatik Arşivlerine Göre Suriye Olaylari (1860)
The Syrian Revolt (1860) According to French Diplomatic Archival Documents

Summary/Abstract: This study aims at investigating the background of the attempts by France- a colonial power of the 19th century- at creating an “independent nation” out of the “nation” system by riding on ethnic and secterian dynamics in a vast Ottoman territory named “Bilad’üş Şam” which involves present day Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. It is possible to see the reflections of the growing rivalry going on in Europe between France and England on Syria. It is sometimes England and sometimes France that came out victorious from this rivalry/conflict. As a result, they carried out their colonial plans across the territory. While the years between 1840-1870 were perceived by European Powers as a period when the Eastern Question became more serious, notably Reşid Paşa (1800-1838), then Ali Paşa (1815-1871) and Fuad Paşa (1815-1869) were governing the Ottoman Empire. With the announcement of the Ottoman Reform Edict of 1856 and Treaty of Paris (1856) immediately after the Crimean War (1853-1856), the Ottoman Empire took a new turn with its own institutions. This turn was supposed to initiate a period of recognition of the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire as part of Europe. To the contrary, this era marked the “longest century” leading to both a tragic dissolution and progress at the same time. It is well known that the revolts within Ottoman states cannot be explained with only one reason. In this respect, it is necessary to evaluate the revolts breaking out in Syria and Lebanon in light of various political and economic motives. Following the industrial revolution, France as an imperial power started to take an active interest in the East, thanks to its realisation of the ancient Egyptian, Roman and Hellenic cultures that formed the basis of a wide ranging belief systems and lifestyles in the East. This study aims at evaluating the Syrian revolts from the perspective of French diplomatic archival documents based on French ambassadors’ correspondences in the territory. Furthermore, intervention of the prominent statesman Fuad Paşa is discussed with its results.

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