Bashir Shihab II (born 1767 in Ghazir, died 1850 in Constantinople) was a Lebanese emir who ruled Lebanon in the first half of the 19^th century and was as such the second ruler who managed to do this (the first one was Fahkr-al-Din II in the 17^th century). 1767 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Map of Constantinople. ... Entrance to the emirs palace in Bukhara. ... Fakhr-al-Din II also the Great was a Lebanese prince, son of prince Qurqumaz from the Maan Druze dinasty and princess Nassab. ...

Bashir was born into a noble Shihab family which came to power in 1697 when Ahmad Maan, the last member of the Maan family, died. Despite his noble roots he was born into poverty and married into a rich family. In 1788, after abdication of his predecessor, he was elected an emir and would rule under Ottoman suzerainty, being appointed wali or governor of Mount Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley and Jebel Amil, together forming about two thirds of modern day Lebanon. He would reform taxes and attempt to break the feudal system, in order to undercut rivals, the most important of which was also named Bashir: Bashir Jumblatt, whose wealth and feudal backers equaled or exceeded Bashir II – and who had increasing support in the Druze community. In 1822 the Ottoman wali of Damascus went to war with Acre, which was allied with Muhammad Ali, the pasha of Egypt. As part of this conflict one of the most remembered massacres of Maronite Christians by Druze forces occurred, forces that were aligned with the wali of Damascus. Jumblatt represented the increasingly disaffected Druze, who were both shut out from official power and angered at the growing ties with the Maronites by Bashir II, who was himself a Maronite Christian (initially the Shihab family belonged to Sunni Islam and converted to Christianity at the end od the 18^th century, although Bashir was always trying not to emphasize his own faith) Events September 20 - The Treaty of Ryswick December 2 – St Pauls Cathedral opened in London Peter the Great travels in Europe officially incognito as artilleryman Pjotr Mikhailov Use of palanquins increases in Europe Christopher Polhem starts Swedens first technical school. ... World map showing Life expectancy. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio, disowning, renouncing, from ab, from, and dicare, to declare, to proclaim as not belonging to one) is the act of renouncing and resigning from a formal office, especially from the supreme office of state. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Sogut (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty... Suzerainty refers to a situation in which a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which allows the tributary some limited domestic autonomy but controls its foreign affairs. ... Mount Lebanon is the mountain range that extends across the whole country of Lebanon about 160 km (100 mi) parallel to the Mediterranean coast and rising to 3,090 m (10,131 ft). ... Beqaa is a valley in Lebanon. ... 1822 (MDCCCXXII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Damascus by night, pictured from Jabal Qasioun; the green spots are minarets Damascus (Arabic officially دمشق Dimashq, colloquially ash-Sham الشام) is the capital city of Syria. ... The Old City of Acre in the 19th or early 20th century, looking south-west from atop the Land Wall Promenade, the open space now a parking lot. ... Muhammad `AlÄ« Muhammad Ali Pasha (Arabic: محمد علي باشا) (many spelling variations, including Turkish Mehmet Ali (Kavalalı Mehmet Ali PaÅŸa), are encountered) (c. ... This article discusses the rank/title used in the Ottoman Empire. ... Maronites (Marunoye ܡܪܘܢܝܐܶ; in Syriac, Mâruniyya مارونية in Arabic) are members of an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. ... This article is about the religous people known as Christians. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( (help· info)), submission (to the will of God)) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

Bashir II was overthrown as wali when he backed Acre, and fled to Egypt, later to return and organize an army. Jumblatt gathered the Druze factions together, and the war became sectarian in character: the Maronites backing Bashir II, the Druze backing Bashir Jumblatt. Jumblatt declared a rebellion, and between 1821 and 1825 there were massacres and battles, with the Maronites attempting to gain control of the Mt. Lebanon district, and the Druze gaining control over the Beqaa valley. In 1825 Bashir II defeated his rival and killed him after the battle of al Simqaniya. Bashir II was not a forgiving man and repressed the Druze, particularly in and around Beirut. 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1825 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Central Beirut Beirut (Arabic: , Bayrūt) is the capital, largest city, and chief seaport of Lebanon. ...

Bashir II, who had come to power through local politics and nearly fallen from power because of his increasing detachment from them, reached out for allies, allies who looked on the entire area as “the Orient” and who could provide trade, weapons and money, without requiring fealty and without, it seemed, being drawn into endless internal squabbles. Trying to obtain greater degree of autonomy he supported Muhammad Ali's rise against the Ottoman Empire and allied with Ali's son Ibrahim Pasha who occupied Syria on his father's behalf. This way United Kingdom's and Austrian interests were threatend, so in 1840 they both helped the Ottomans to drive Ibrahim Pasha from Syria. Bashir was captured and sent into exile to Malta. For a short time the direct Ottoman rule over Lebanon was imposed until Bashir shihab III, another member of the Shihab family, was appointed an emir. The term the Orient - literally meaning sunrise, east - is traditionally used to refer to Near, Middle, and Far Eastern countries. ... A fruit stand at a market. ... The bayonet, still used in war as both knife and spearpoint. ... An example of Money. ... Autonomy is the condition of something that does not depend on anything else. ... Ibrahim Pasha (Arabic: ابراهيم باشا) ‎ (1789 – 10 November 1848), a 19th century general of Egypt. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Exile is a form of punishment. ...

One of the most remarkable Bashir's monuments is a magnificient palace in Beit ed-Dine which he started building immediately after taking power in 1788. He moved his government from Deir al-Qamar to Beit ed-Dine when he had executed (as a part of his many intrigues) a popular Maronite prince and caused riots in Deir al-Qamar. The quintessential medieval European palace: Palais de la Cité, in Paris, the royal palace of France. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Oldsmobile Intrigue was a mid-sized family sedan manufactured from 1998 through 2002 by Oldsmobile. ...

Today the Shihabs are still one of prominent families in Lebanon, better known as Chehab as spelt in French.

See also

• History of Lebanon
• Beit ed-Dine

This article discusses the modern-day history of Lebanon. ...

External links

• Encyclopædia Britannica
• The Shihabs
• Salaam Knowledge
• Lebanon during Ottoman rule