Ottoman rule Gaza City

muslims studying qur gaza in background, painting harry fenn



painting of gaza david roberts, 1839

in 1516 gaza—at time, small town inactive port, ruined buildings , reduced trade—was incorporated ottoman empire. ottoman army , efficiently crushed small-scale uprising, , local population welcomed them fellow sunni muslims. city made capital of sanjak gaza, part of larger province of damascus. ridwan family, named after governor ridwan pasha, first dynasty govern gaza , continue rule city on century. under ahmad ibn ridwan, city became cultural , religious center result of partnership between governor , prominent islamic jurist khayr al-din al-ramli, based in nearby town of al-ramla.

during rule of husayn pasha, strife between settled population , nearby bedouin tribes dramatically reduced, allowing gaza peacefully prosper. ridwan period described golden age gaza, time when served virtual capital of palestine. great mosque restored, , 6 other mosques constructed, while turkish baths , market stalls proliferated. after death of musa pasha, husayn s successor, ottoman officials appointed govern in place of ridwans. ridwan period gaza s last golden age during ottoman rule. after family removed office, city gradually declined.

starting in 19th century, gaza culturally dominated neighboring egypt; muhammad ali of egypt conquered gaza in 1832. american scholar edward robinson visited city in 1838, describing thickly populated town larger jerusalem, old city lying upon hilltop, while suburbs laid on nearby plain. city benefited trade , commerce because of strategic position on caravan route between egypt , northern syria producing soap , cotton trade government, local arab tribes, , bedouin of wadi arabah , ma an. bazaars of gaza well-supplied , noted robinson far better of jerusalem. robinson noted virtually of gaza s vestiges of ancient history , antiquity had disappeared due constant conflict , occupation. mid-19th century, gaza s port eclipsed ports of jaffa , haifa, retained fishing fleet.

the bubonic plague struck gaza again in 1839 , city, lacking political , economic stability, went state of stagnation. in 1840 egyptian , ottoman troops battled outside of gaza. ottomans won control of territory, ending egyptian rule on palestine. however, battles brought more death , destruction in gaza whilst city still recovering effects of plague.