Study of Urban life in Syria, 1200-1400

356 Pages·094.797 MB·English

by  Ziadeh, N. A

irn s -
N.A. ZIADLH
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STUDY OF URBAN LIFE IK SYKIA
1200 - 1400
A thesis presented to the
U niversity of London, Faculty
of A rts, fo r the Degree of Ph.D.
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Copy of Candidate’s Statement, approved by the
U niversity, as to Proposed Scope and Method of Treatment of Ph.D.
Thesis e n title d - "A Study of the Urban life in Syria between
A,D. 1200 and 1400, aiming m ainly at fin d in g the extent to which
such life was continued” .
During the 13th and 14th Centuries A.D. Syria was
a battleground. Saladin started the b a ll ro llin g when he de­
feated the Crusaders in H ittin (1187). His immediate successors
waged less serious wars against the Crusaders, but the Mamluks,
established in A.D. 1250, carried the c o n flic t to its lo g ica l
end when in 1291 they wrested Aero from the Crusaders who s a tis ­
fie d themselves w ith the kingdom of Cyprus.
These wars constitute only one aspect of the p ic tu re .
The Tartars (Mongols) found th e ir way to Syria in the 13th century
and t i l l the end of the 14th they remained a source of danger to
the people of S yria. Their campaigns, b a ttle s, conquests etc.
caused great damage in the country. Besides, the Mamluks fought
against the kingdom of Armenia, and thus Horth Syria was the
meeting place of the armies.
Such wars led to the destruction of many aspects of
Syrian life . A griculture based on irrig a tio n (ric e , cotton,
sugar-cane) almost disappeared from the country by A.D. 140L.
Towns were com pletely or p a rtly destroyed. Yet Syrian urban
life seems to have some co n tin u ity, and towns revived, some
ii
q uickly, some more slow ly, w hile some towns survive! the forces
of destruction.
The purpose of the present study is to analyse th is
co n tin u ity, and to attempt an explanation o f it . This explanation
w ill mean a study of the factors that controlled life in Syria in
th is period. These factors include the physical (geographical),
the economic and the so cia l. In some cases it would be necessary
to cover an h is to ric a l background in order to appreciate the
development of a trend or an organisation. The town organisation
w ill receive special a tte n tio n because o f its especial importance
in determ ining the co n tin u ity o f lifo .
The anticipated contribution to knowledge of the
subject may be summed up in (a) a study o f c iv ic organisations
in Syria in the 13th and 14th centuries A.D. (b) an attem pt to
relate th is organisation to the factors co n tro llin g the continuity
of urban life , and (c) a possible d e fin itio n of the re la tio n
between town and country in Syria during th is period.
Note; This statement is sent to the Examiners, in order thnt
they may bo informed as to what the Candidate has been
authorised by the U niversity to submit as his Thesis.
1
P K E F A C K
The work covered in th is thesis is my own,
developed and presented by me.
I should lik e to thank Dr. D. S. Rice fo r
guidance and help on several occasions. I thank, too.
Dr. Bernard lew is. Professor H .a.R. Gibb and Professor
.-I. rb erry, fo r many c ritic is m s and suggestions*
To the B ritis h Council I am h e a rtily indebted.
I t was th e ir generosity which enabled me to spend some
time in England, where I could pursue ay research .nd study
the otherwise inaccessible MBS at the B ritis h Museum,
the Bodleian and the Cambridge Uni va rsity Libraries.
To the a u th o ritie s o f these L ib ra rie s I extend my thanks
for th e ir generous help.
Last, but not le a s t, I thank my wife fo r her
assistance in preparing the maps.
L. A. Liadsh.
American U niversity of B e iru t,
B e iru t, Lebanon.
.ugust, 19L0.
ii
T A B L E OP C O N T E N T S
PREPACE 1
Table op contests u
BIBLIOGRAPHY I
PRINCIPAL ABBREVIATIOSS XI
INTRODUCTION X III
CHAPTER ONE; SYKIa IS THE 13TH J5D 14TH
OENTOBIES 1-67
I . HI KY 2
II.THE ADMINISTRATION OP SYRIA 17
III.IO T a'. 68
IV.THE PBOPIE OP SYRIA 81
CHAPTER TWO: CENTRES OP UHBaN LIFE 88-129
I. STATISTICS AMD SURVEY 89
I I . NOTES ON LISTS I-IV ( iao luAisfS) 100
III.NOTES ON LIST V. 109
IV. THE COUNTRYSIDE 126
CHAPTER THREE: SYRIAN TOWN UMDKb THE
MaMLOXS 130-184
I. THE LEGACY OP THE PaST 131
I I . CHARACTERISTICS OP THE TOWN 142
III.FORTIFICATIONS aND PUBLIC BUILDINGS 149
IV. »Af ft- 43 163
V. THE POPULATION 172
CHAPTER FOOrf: TOWN AOMI is 1ST RATION 184-214
I. STATE AGENTS 185
I I . INTERNAL SECURITY 194
I I I .CONTROLLERS OP ECONOMIC LIFE 196
IV. 0FUCER3 CONNECTED .ITS SOCIAL LIFE 197
V. RELIGIOUS HEADS 198
V I. PROFESSIONAL OFFICERS 201
VU.AL-KISBA 201
VIII.AL-MUHTASIB 207
IX . G A Eh AL REMARKS 212
CHAPTER FIVE: ECONOMIC LIFE 215-50
I. KCOBOU 216
I I . ECONOMIC PROBLEMS 236
i i i
CHAPTER SIX: SOCIAL IHSTITUTIOBS 261-74
I . MOSQUES 252
I I . SCHOOLS 254
III.BIHARIStASS 258
IV.BIBaTS aBD TARIqaS 264
V. GUILDS 267
VI.TUTUOTfA 271
CHAPTER 3BVKB:' IBTELLECTUAL LIKE 275-299
I. CHARACTERISTICS OP IHTTLLECTUaL LIFE 276
VJHTE AOB 288
III.TH E 'ULAMV 297
COBCLUSIOBS 300
1. Syria under tfee AamluXs facing p. 1
2. Development o f Postal Routes " p .64
3. Expansion of Damascus " p .143
4. S h ift of Suqs in Damascus. " p.145
5. Routes of C entral Syria n p .224
6. Routes in the Levant " p .234.
I
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