Daher al-Umar

Daher al-Umar al-Zaydani, also known as Zahir al-Umar or Dahir al-Umar, was a powerful leader in northern Palestine during the 1700s. He led the Zaydani family and became a key figure there from the 1730s until he died in 1775. At his peak in 1774, his influence stretched along the Syrian coast from Jaffa to Sidon, although Ottoman rulers only officially recognized him as a tax collector.

Daher began his rise in 1730 when he became the leader of his family, who collected taxes in the Galilee. With help from Bedouin groups, he took control of important towns like Tiberias, Safed, and Nazareth. He built strong defenses and controlled the valuable cotton trade, turning the small port of Acre into his main base. His efforts brought wealth and growth to areas such as Acre, Haifa, and Nazareth.

Daher's rule faced challenges, including conflicts with Ottoman governors and family disputes. Despite these struggles, he created a stable and thriving region. He welcomed Christian and Jewish families to settle in his lands, which helped the local economy grow. Today, Daher al-Umar is remembered as a hero by many Palestinians for his leadership and the development he brought to northern Palestine.

Family and early life

See also: Zayadina

Daher al-Umar was born around 1690. His father, Umar, was a leader of the Zayadina, a family of Bedouin people who had settled in the Tiberias area. His mother came from the Sardiyya tribe in Hauran.

When Daher was young, his father became a tax collector for the area around Safed. After his father died, Daher's brother Sa'd took over leadership of the family. Daher grew up learning to hunt and fight, and he became known for helping defend his village. He also married into important families, which helped him gain more influence in the region. He had many children who would later support him in his leadership roles.

Rise and consolidation of power

Stronghold in the Galilee

Around 1730, a local leader named Daher became important in his family, the Zayadina. His family had been helping collect taxes in the Galilee area for some time. With help from the Saqr Bedouin tribe, Daher took over the town of Tiberias. He convinced the local leader to step down by accusing him of unfair taxes and rule. This made Tiberias his main base, and he began building it up and expanding his area of control.

Northern and western expansion

Daher's fair and just rule attracted people from nearby places who moved to his areas or asked him to govern them. He took over areas controlled by another leader named Ahmad al-Husayn after getting permission from the local governor. He also added more towns and villages to his control through agreements and marriages. These additions strengthened his hold on the northern and eastern Galilee.

Capture of Nazareth and conflict with Nablus

Daher took control of Nazareth, a town with many Christian residents, by the end of 1740. The people there preferred him because he was known for being tolerant and fair, unlike other local leaders they saw as unfair. However, leaders from the Jabal Nablus area challenged his expansion. After some battles, Daher's forces were unable to take a key fortress there, marking the limit of his influence in that southern area.

Confrontations and respite with Damascus

Daher's growing power worried the leaders of Damascus. There were several conflicts between him and the Damascus governors, especially over areas east of the Jordan River. At one point, a Damascus governor even laid siege to Tiberias but had to stop because he died suddenly. Later, there was a period of peace between Daher and Damascus.

Control of Acre and Haifa

Daher worked for many years to take control of the port city of Acre, which was important for trade. He finally took it by force and made improvements to the city. He also took control of Haifa, another important port, to secure another trade location and prevent others from using it against him.

Family rebellions

As Daher grew older, some of his sons began to challenge his rule, wanting more power for themselves. There were several conflicts within his family, but Daher managed to keep control with the help of allies and by making peace agreements with his sons.

Alliance with the Metawalis of Jabal Amil

Daher's control over Safed and the western Galilee brought him into contact with the Metawali clans, who lived in the Jabal Amil area. After some conflicts, Daher and the Metawalis formed an alliance. They agreed to support each other, with Daher promising to help the Metawalis in their dealings with local governors and in defending against other groups. This alliance greatly increased Daher's military strength and helped secure his northern borders.

Zenith

In 1768, the Ottoman government gave Daher the title of 'Sheikh of Acre, Emir of Nazareth, Tiberias, Safed, and Sheikh of all Galilee'. This showed his high status, though it was still informal. Daher was at the peak of his power, having made strong alliances and gathered wealth from the cotton trade in Acre.

Because he lost some important allies, Daher faced threats from outside. During a war with Russia, Uthman Pasha wanted to remove Daher. In 1770, Uthman Pasha prepared to attack Acre, so Daher strengthened the city's defenses and armed its people.

Daher joined forces with Ali Bey, a ruler from Egypt, to fight against their shared opponent, Uthman Pasha. They aimed to challenge the power of Damascus. Their efforts led to some victories, including capturing cities like Jaffa and Sidon. However, their alliance faced challenges, especially after Ali Bey left for Egypt and was later killed. Despite setbacks, Daher continued to expand his influence in Palestine.

Eventually, the Ottoman government began negotiating with Daher. In 1774, they granted him a pardon and recognized some of his control, though not all of his requested territories. This marked a tentative peace between Daher and the Ottoman authorities.

Downfall

Abu al-Dhahab's campaign

Main article: Siege of Jaffa (1775)

Conflict between Daher and his sons began in the summer of 1774 as they fought for control of the Zaydani leadership. Ali wanted more villages in the Galilee, while Ahmad and Sa'id took control of areas around Jabal Ajlun and Nablus. With Ahmad's support, Daher attacked Ali in the village of Rameh in July but was pushed back. Abu al-Dhahab saw this fighting as a chance to attack Daher and teamed up with Ali. In March 1775, Abu al-Dhahab started his campaign in Palestine with government support. Gaza and Ramla surrendered in April, but Jaffa held out. The town was captured in May after a siege.

The news of what happened in Jaffa caused panic in Acre, and its people fled. Daher left for Sidon, feeling weaker as his son Ali abandoned him. Ali took over Acre but soon left for Safed. The city fell to a small force, and Abu al-Dhahab made Murad Bey its leader. His forces then took Safed, Sidon, and Beirut, forcing Daher to hide in the mountains.

Siege of Acre and death

The Ottomans still wanted to deal with Daher even after Abu al-Dhahab died. In August, a flotilla led by Hasan Pasha al-Jaza'iri arrived at Haifa, and the town surrendered. Hasan Pasha was sent to collect taxes from Daher, and he also had the power to remove him if needed. A land army led by Muhammad Pasha moved slowly to see what would happen.

Daher was in Acre with troops when Hasan Pasha's ships appeared. Talks about the taxes began but broke down. Different stories exist about why the talks failed, involving Daher's advisers. Hasan Pasha attacked Acre, and fighting broke out. The next day, Hasan Pasha's ships attacked again but faced no resistance, possibly because of betrayal by one of Daher's advisers.

Realizing the betrayal, Daher tried to escape Acre on August 22. As he left the city, he was shot by his own troops and fell from his horse. A soldier then killed him and took his head to Hasan Pasha, who brought it to Constantinople.

Aftermath

See also: Ali al-Daher § Rebellion against al-Jazzar

One of Daher's advisers, Sabbagh, fled but was later captured and executed. Another adviser, Dinkizli, was given a position but died or was killed on the way. Control of Acre was given to Jazzar, who became governor of Sidon later that year.

Daher's sons stayed in the Galilee and were a challenge to Jazzar's rule. One son, Uthman, joined Jazzar and kept control of Shefa-Amr, while another son, Ali, continued to resist with his brothers. After several battles, Ali was killed in 1776, ending the Zaydani family's power.

Economic policies and development

Monopolization of cotton trade

European demand for Palestinian cotton grew a lot in the early 1700s. Daher used this to build his power. He made deals with French merchants to get money and supplies in return for controlling the cotton trade. This helped him build a strong army and keep control over his land.

Daher worked hard to make sure farmers could grow their crops and get help when they needed it. He also made sure prices were fair so farmers weren’t taken advantage of.

Urban renewal

Daher used his wealth to build up towns like Tiberias, Nazareth, Acre, and Haifa. He built walls, forts, and buildings that helped people live safer and more comfortably. He welcomed people of different religions, which helped the towns grow and become important places for trade.

Tiberias

Tiberias was just a small ruin before Daher made it important. He built walls around it and helped Jewish families move there. He also built a mosque and made sure the town had what it needed to grow.

Nazareth

Daher made Nazareth a safe and important place. He built churches and welcomed Christian families, which helped the town become a center for different groups of people.

Acre

Daher rebuilt Acre, making it a busy port city. He built walls, markets, and places for people to worship. His changes made Acre a thriving place where people from many places came to trade.

Haifa

Daher also rebuilt Haifa, making it a safer port. He built walls and buildings to help the town grow, even though it stayed smaller than Acre.

Villages

Daher built walls and forts in many small villages to keep them safe. These buildings helped protect the people and make the villages stronger.

Governance

Daher al-Umar ruled his lands by keeping local leaders in charge. He allowed some leaders to stay in power as long as they supported him. He also married his sons into important families to keep control.

Daher made sure his lands were safe. Before his rule, bandits and attacks made life hard for people. He worked with local tribes to protect the roads and towns. Because of his efforts, people felt safer and trade improved. Many admired him for bringing peace and fairness to the area.

Legacy

After Daher passed away, the area he controlled continued to rely on growing cotton. For many years, the region did well, but things changed when cotton farming grew in the southern United States. This caused European buyers to buy less cotton from Palestine, leading to big economic problems. Many people stopped farming cotton and turned to growing food just for their own needs instead.

Even though some historians did not focus much on Daher, others see him as an important early figure for Palestinian identity. Some say he helped lay the groundwork for a feeling of Palestinian unity. Today, many people in northern Israel still respect him and see him as a hero who stood up for his people against foreign rulers. His family name lives on in some places, and his story is remembered as a time when his area had more independence.