The effect of Amir Fakhr al-Dīn II’s (993- 1043 AH) policies on the Ottoman approach against Al-Shām’s Shīīts and Druzeans during the successors of Fakhr al-Dīn II’s era (1043- 1078 AH)

During the Ottoman period, the policies and actions of local governments appointed by them escalated against the local Shīīts communities in Al-Shām. Ma‘nīds was one of these local governments who, under the support of the Ottomans, undertook extensive anti-Shī‘a policies. Fa Fakhral-Dīn II became famous more than all the emirs of Ma‘nīds due to her continuous raids on Shīīts areas in Jabal ‘āmel, Jabal Lebanon, Ba‘lbek, and Beghā‘. After examining the causes and consequences of the attacks and the political autonomy of Fakhr al-Dīn II, this article reached the conclusion that In order to gain the satisfaction of the Ottomans, on the one hand, he adopted a divisive and repressive policy against Shīīts, and on the other hand, with the aim of achieving political autonomy and independence for Lebanon, he also thought of overthrowing the Ottoman government. In the end, in spite of many repressions on Shīīts, due to the conclusion of a secret commercial-military agreement with Italy and Tuscany against the Ottomans, he was not only removed from power, but also the policy of the Ottomans changed towards and intensified their hostile positions against Shīīts and Druzeans. The all-out war of the Ottomans with the last two groups and many solutions to prevent the formation of the Druzes-Shīīts alliance were among the policies that led to the fall of Al-Ma‘nīds Druze and finally, the recovery of power from the loss of the Ottomans in Shīīts areas in Jabal ‘āmel, Jabal Lebanon, Ba‘lbek, and Beghā‘.