Lebanon (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

Lebanon (Arabic: لبنان‎ Libnān or Lubnān), officially the State of Greater Syria (Arabic: دولة سوريا الكبرى Dawlat Suriya Al-Kabir), is a country in the Middle East. To avoid confusion with the neighboring country of Syria ("Syrian Republic") and emphasize its claim over Greater Syria, Lebanon is referred by most of international forums and organizations under the name, "Lebanon, the State of Greater Syria" (Arabic: لبنان، دولة سوريا الكبرى Lubnān, Dawlat Suriya Al-Kabir)

It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Palestine and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history and shaped a cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity

Ottoman Syria (1516–1918)
In 1516, the Ottoman Empire conquered Western Asia. The Ottomans reorganized Syria into one large province or eyalet. The eyalet was subdivided into several districts or sanjaks. In 1549, Syria was reorganized into two eyalets; the Eyalet of Damascus and the new Eyalet of Aleppo. The majority of historical Lebanon became part of the Eyalet of Damascus until 1660, and later became part of the Eyalet of Sidon.

Ottoman administration was such that it fostered a peaceful coexistence amongst the different sections of Syrian society for over four hundred years. Each religious minority — Shia Muslim, Greek Orthodox, Maronite, Armenian, and Jewish — constituted a millet. The religious heads of each community administered all personal status law and performed certain civil functions as well.

During the nineteenth century the town of Beirut became the most important port of the region, supplanting Acre further to the south. This was mostly because Mount Lebanon became a centre of silk production for export to Europe. This industry made the region wealthy, but also dependent on links to Europe. Since most of the silk went to Marseille, the French began to have a great impact in the region.

On May 22, 1860, a small group of Maronites fired on a group of Druze at the entrance to Beirut, killing one and wounding two. This sparked a torrent of violence which swept through Lebanon. France intervened on behalf of the local Christian population and Britain on behalf of the Druze after the massacres. In July 1860, with European intervention threatening, the Turkish government tried to quiet the strife, but France sent 7,000 troops to Beirut and helped impose a partition: The Druze control of the territory was recognized and the Maronites were forced into an enclave. Approximately 10,000 Christians were killed by the Druzes during inter-communal violence in 1860.

In the 1861 "Règlement Organique", Mount Lebanon was separated from Syria and reunited under a non-Lebanese Christian governor appointed by the Ottoman sultan, with the approval of the European powers. The region then became the semi-autonomous Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate. As part of the Tanzimat reforms, the eyalets becoming smaller vilayets, governed by a vali (governor). A vali was appointed by the Ottoman Sultan but with new provincial assemblies participating in administration. The Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate then was incorporated under Beirut Vilayet.

During World War I, the decline of Ottoman Empire paved a way for the Arab nationalist movement to arise. However, the idea of Arab nationalism had virtually no impact on the majority of Arabs as they considered themselves loyal subjects of the Ottoman Empire. Britain had been a major sponsor of Arab nationalist thought and ideology, primarily as a weapon to use against the power of the Ottoman Empire. In June 1916, Sharif Hussein bin Ali, the guardian of the holy city of Mecca, entered into an alliance with the United Kingdom and France against the Ottomans. The Arab Revolt against the Ottomans was finally launched on June 10, 1916.