Lebanese Nobility

The Lebanese aristocracy (), also known as manasib () literally "titles", is a social class that was formed during the Ottoman Lebanon period.

History

The feudal aristocratic Lebanese families hold titles which were granted to them by the Ottoman authorities, or by the Emir of Mount Lebanon, or sometimes self-bestowed.

Not all descendants of Lebanese aristocratic families were able to retain their honorific titles. The survival of these titles within certain branches of the old aristocratic families depended on their political connections, wealth & relative clout within their respective communities. Many families who were originally members of the feudal aristocracy have lost their social stature over time (to a lower rank, or were stripped from all titles). This phenomenon happened along political developments, such as during Ibrahim Pasha's rule of the Levant (1830-1840) which stripped the local feudal aristocracy of their tax rights, and subjected many of them to public humiliation as a form of political education for the public of the new reality and change of regime, a policy which continued, under the guise of the nominal equality of the Tanzimat Reforms, after the British restored the Turks as rulers of the region by the British pursuant to the Treaty of London thereby plunging many such families into complete poverty to the point where some had to live in hiding out of shame, as the American missionaries had reported at the time. Such stripping of tax rights was a decisive factor in the Civil War of 1860.
Others have moved the opposite way, from lower titles of nobility to higher stature, normally with the Ottoman central government or its representatives bestowing upon them honorific titles for services rendered, or upon appointment to official post. Similarly, a number of ordinary Christians rose to high prominence and were able to accumulate significant wealth during the emancipatory era of Ibrahim Pasha in Mount Lebanon.

Ottoman titles and ranks

Ottoman honorific titles were mostly based on their earlier usage in the military-administrative history. With time, these same titles started to be given to the civilian high-ranking officials. Many of these terms were Persian in origin. Unlike Arabic honorific titles, an Ottoman title comes directly after the first name (instead of preceding it).

During the time of the Mutasarrifate of Mount Lebanon, only the Mutasarrıf (i.e. governor) was granted the honorific title of Pasha, other high-ranking officials were given the title of Bey. The lower ranking officials held the title of Agha.

List of titles

* Pasha
* Bey
* Agha
* Effendi
* Kaymakam
* Sheikh
* Emir
* Muqaddam

Lebanese aristocracy today

In modern Lebanon, many families still retain the honorific aristocratic titles of Sheikh, Muqaddam, Emir & Bey. The Lebanese government formally recognizes their rights by including the honorific titles in the official Lebanese ID documents (with title preceding the first name; except for the Turkish Bey title which follows the first name). Using these titles is disallowed during indirect elections in parliament.

References

{{Authority control

Estates (social groups)
Feudalism
Aristocracy
Social class in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman period in Lebanon