{{Short description|Ottoman governor of Gaza}} {{similar names|Hüseyin Pasha (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Husayn Pasha <br>حسن باشا | office1 = [[Sanjak-bey]] of [[Gaza Sanjak|Gaza]] | term_start1 = 1644 | term_end1 = 1660 | predecessor1 = 'Arab Hasan Pasha ibn Ahmad | successor1 = Ibrahim Pasha ibn Husayn | monarch1 = [[Mehmed IV]] | term_start2 = 1661 | term_end2 = 1662 | predecessor2 = Ibrahim Pasha ibn Husayn | successor2 = [[Musa Pasha ibn Hasan Ridwan|Musa Pasha ibn Hasan]] | birth_date = | death_date = 1663 | birth_place = [[Gaza City|Gaza]], | death_place = [[Constantinople]], [[Ottoman Empire]] | party = | allegiance = [[Ottoman Empire]] | commands = ''[[Amir al-hajj]]'' | signature = | spouse = | children = Ibrahim Pasha<br> Shaqra Khatun (daughter) | relations = [[Ridwan dynasty]] }} '''Ḥusayn Pasha ibn Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad ibn Riḍwān ibn Muṣṭafā ibn ʿAbd al-Muʿīn Pasha''' ({{langx|ar|حسين باشا بن حسن رضوان}}) (died 1662 or 1663) was the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] governor of [[Gaza Sanjak]], a district which extended from [[Jaffa]] and [[Ramla]] in the north to [[Bayt Jibrin]] in the southeast and [[Rafah]] in the south, with [[Gaza City|Gaza]] as its capital. Husayn belonged to the [[Ridwan dynasty|Ridwan family]], who long held the governorship of Gaza. Husayn Pasha became governor in 1644 after succeeding his father 'Arab Hasan Pasha. He served, with a brief interruption by his son Ibrahim in 1660, until his imprisonment in 1662. Husayn Pasha also served intermittent terms as governor of [[Nablus Sanjak|Nablus]] and [[Jerusalem Sanjak|Jerusalem]] and as ''[[amir al-hajj]]'' (commander of the [[Hajj]] caravan). Gaza prospered under Husayn Pasha and its political importance rose so much so that the French consul considered it to be the virtual capital of [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]. Husayn Pasha maintained friendly relations with the [[Bedouin]] tribes of the region, local [[Arab Christian|Christian]] communities and the French. In 1662, Husayn Pasha was imprisoned by the Ottoman imperial authorities and executed in [[Damascus]] later that year or in [[Constantinople]] in 1663.
==Biography== In the mid-17th century Husayn Pasha served as governor of [[Jerusalem Sanjak|Jerusalem]] and [[Nablus Sanjak|Nablus]].<ref name="Zeevi41">Ze'evi 1996, p. 41.</ref> From 1524, his family, the [[Ridwan dynasty]], had administered much of [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] and parts of the [[Southern Lebanon|Lebanon]] and [[Ottoman Syria|Syria]] on behalf of their [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] superiors based in [[Constantinople]] and [[Damascus]].<ref name="Dowling70-1">Dowling 1913, pp. 70-71</ref> Husayn Pasha was also appointed ''[[amir al-hajj]]'' (commander of the [[Hajj]] caravan). This position entrusted him with provisioning and protecting the annual Hajj pilgrim caravan from Bedouin raids while the pilgrims traversed the desert route to [[Mecca]] in the [[Hejaz]].<ref name="Zeevi41"/>
===Governor of Gaza=== Husayn inherited the governorship of Gaza from his father 'Arab Hasan Pasha following the latter's removal from the post in 1644. Prior to the assumption of this post, Gaza was in an impoverished economic state and the Ridwan family was greatly indebted.<ref name="Zeevi41"/> In 1656, the Ottoman central authorities, wary of Husayn Pasha's overarching influence in Palestine, attempted to implicate Husayn Pasha in a corruption scandal regarding unclear cash and property transactions in a Nablus-based meeting between himself, his brother-in-law Assaf Pasha, a group of notables from [[Jabal Nablus]] and an Ottoman official from Istanbul, Ismail Pasha. According to contemporary testimonies, a group of village headmen from [[Jabaliya]] apparently harmed by the Nablus deal went to Damascus to lodge a complaint to the authorities against Ismail Pasha. However, they were advised by the Ottoman authorities in Damascus to instead file the complaint against Husayn Pasha, in an effort to undermine his credibility.<ref name="Zeevi58-9">Ze'evi 1996, pp. 58-59.</ref>
To restore Gaza's failing commerce sector, Husayn Pasha obtained a large loan from the French consul in Jerusalem, [[Laurent d'Arvieux|Chevalier d'Arvieux]].<ref>Meyer 1907, p. 97.</ref> When pressed to pay in 1659, Husayn made strenuous efforts to produce the funds and promptly paid back d'Arvieux in a meeting in the town of [[Ramla]]. D'Arvieux then proceeded to lavish fine robes and cloth to show his gratitude to Husayn Pasha.<ref name="Meyer98">Meyer 1907, p. 98.</ref>
Husayn Pasha maintained a positive reputation among the Bedouin tribes who largely dominated the desert areas surrounding Gaza. This relationship resulted in a drastic fall in the previously routine armed conflict between the nomadic Bedouin and the settled population of Gaza and the nearby towns.<ref name="Zeevi41"/> According to his contemporary biographer, [[Muhammad al-Muhibbi]], Husayn Pasha was able to subdue the Bedouin tribes and gain their cooperation.<ref name="Zeevi53">Ze'evi 1996, p. 53.</ref> The Bedouin tribal chiefs reportedly visited his court in Gaza to pay their respects. According to historian [[Martin A. Meyer|Martin Abraham Meyer]], Husayn's influence over the Bedouin was "marked" and they ended their plundering campaigns against the city, allowing its economy to grow unhindered.<ref name="Meyer98"/>
A more able governor than his predecessor, Husayn Pasha was able to restore the Ridwan family's wealth, and Gaza entered into a period of prosperity. The status of the city was elevated to the point that d'Arvieux described it as the capital of Palestine.<ref name="Dowling70-1"/><ref name="Meyer98"/> Husayn Pasha's rule over Gaza was considered beneficent,<ref name="Mattar171">Mattar 2005, p. 171.</ref> and according to Meyer "all things prospered under his rule."<ref name="Meyer98"/> Economic activity at the time was principally agricultural and centered on the cultivation of grain. While industry was primitive, Gaza became a principal manufacturer of [[Nabulsi soap|soap]] and wine.<ref name="Mattar171"/> Husayn was well known throughout Palestine for his many charities and hospitality.<ref name="Meyer98"/>
In addition to the majority [[Muslim]] population, there existed large communities of [[Jew]]s and [[Arab Christian|Christian]]s who thrived under Husayn's administration.<ref name="Meyer98"/><ref name="Mattar171"/> Husayn maintained friendly relations with the various Christian communities in Palestine as well as the French missionaries. Unusual at the time for a Muslim ruler, he allowed local Christians to build a church near the [[Great Mosque of Gaza]], repair already existing churches throughout the province and construct hospices.<ref name="Meyer98"/>
He appointed his son Ibrahim as governor of Jerusalem and later on handed over to him his post as governor of Gaza, the Ridwan dynasty's stronghold. He retained the office of governor of Nablus and continued to command the annual Hajj pilgrimage from Damascus to Mecca. Husayn Pasha restored himself as governor of Gaza in 1661 when Ibrahim was killed in an Ottoman-ordered punitive expedition against [[Druze]] rebels in [[Mount Lebanon]].<ref name="Zeevi41"/>
===Imprisonment and death=== Anonymous petitions were sent to the Ottoman capital Istanbul decrying his leadership of the Hajj caravan, which was justification enough for the Ottoman authorities to depose him. Thus, during the caravan’s stop at the [[Muzayrib]] fortress en route to Mecca, Husayn Pasha was arrested and then imprisoned in Damascus. Shortly after, he was transferred to Constantinople where he was killed while incarcerated in 1662-63.<ref name="Zeevi41"/> Historian Jean-Pierre Filiu asserts that Husayn Pasha was executed in the Damascus citadel in 1662.<ref name="Filiu27">Filiu 2014, p. 27.</ref> Mourning Husayn Pasha's death, the Damascene poet Abd as-Samman al-Dimashqi wrote: <blockquote>"He committed no crime, but these are days of envy's rule. Chained inside a dungeon cell, they feared him as one would fear a sword in its [[scabbard]]."<ref name="Zeevi58-9">Ze'evi 1996, pp. 58-59.</ref></blockquote>
Husayn Pasha was succeeded by his brother [[Musa Pasha ibn Hasan Ridwan|Musa Pasha]].<ref name="Zeevi41"/> According to historian Dror Ze'evi, "the Ottomans must have assumed that by killing Husayn Pasha, they ... would eventually be able to destroy the remnants of the extended dynasty."<ref name="Zeevi58-9"/> Members of the Ridwan family continued to govern Gaza consecutively, but from a weakened position and with considerably less political influence.<ref name="Filiu27"/> The last Ridwan governor was Musa Pasha's son Ahmad Pasha who ruled until 1690.<ref>Filiu 2014, p. 28.</ref>
==Personal life==
===Traits=== While Muhibbi describes Arab Hasan Pasha as a reckless "spendthrift and hedonist", Husayn Pasha was described as a "paragon of perfection".<ref name="Zeevi53"/> Muhibbi claimed Husayn Pasha was handsome, noble and cultured and "a man of deeds whose reputation preceded him".<ref name="Zeevi53"/> Although Husayn Pasha was illiterate, he memorized several books of [[Arabic poetry]] and prose.<ref name="Zeevi53"/> He was further described as a "resolute leader" in war and politics.<ref name="Zeevi53"/>
===Family=== Husayn Pasha had a number of children, including adopted child relatives.<ref name="Zeevi46">Ze'evi 1996, p. 46.</ref> His son Ibrahim was killed in combat in 1661.<ref name="Zeevi46"/> He adopted his late sister's son Farrukh whose deceased father, Ali ibn Muhammad Farrukh, had been a leading ''amir'' himself.<ref name="Zeevi46"/> Husayn Pasha's daughter Shaqra Khatun was married to the ''amir'' Assaf Pasha.<ref>Ze'evi 1996, p. 47.</ref> Husayn Pasha had 85 siblings, most notable among them was Husayn's successor, Musa Pasha.<ref>Ze'evi 1996, p. 48.</ref>
According to historian Theodore Dowling, Husayn's ''[[seraglio|serai]]'', today known as [[Qasr al-Basha]], was lavishly furnished and stood in the middle of a garden.<ref name="Dowling70-1"/> One of the servant families were the Frangi who were of [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church|Greek Catholic]] origin, but converted to [[Islam]].<ref name="Dowling70-1"/> Assalan Frangi was Husayn Pasha's secretary.<ref name="Dowling70-1"/><ref name="Meyer98"/>
==See also== *[[Ahmad ibn Ridwan]]
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |title=Gaza: A History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fhzBAAAQBAJ&q=hussein+pasha+gaza&pg=PA27 |last=Filiu |first=Jean-Pierre |authorlink=Jean-Pierre Filiu |year=2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780190201890 }} *{{cite book |title=Gaza: A City of Many Battles (from the family of Noah to the Present Day) |url=https://archive.org/details/gazacityofmanyba00dowlrich |quote=Gaza a city of many battles. |first=Theodore Edward |last=Dowling |authorlink=Theodore Edward Dowling |publisher=S.P.C.K |year=1913 }} *{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of the Palestinians |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/1136825/Encyclopedia-Of-The-Palestinians- |first1=Phillip |last1=Mattar |authorlink=Phillip Mattar |year=2005 |publisher=Infobase Publishing |isbn=0-8160-5764-8 |access-date=2017-09-09 |archive-date=2012-08-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805064657/http://www.scribd.com/doc/1136825/Encyclopedia-Of-The-Palestinians- |url-status=dead }} *{{cite book |title=History of the city of Gaza: from the earliest times to the present day |url=https://archive.org/details/32882013066983-historyofthecit |page=[https://archive.org/details/32882013066983-historyofthecit/page/n101 84] |quote=Nasir Gaza. |author-link=Martin A. Meyer |first1=Martin Abraham |last1=Meyer |year=1907 |publisher=Columbia University Press }} *{{cite book |title=An Ottoman Century: The District of Jerusalem in the 1600s |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EN-Pd-JLybUC&q=Lajjun&pg=PA42 |first1=Dror |last1=Ze'evi |author-link1= Dror Ze'evi|year=1996 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=0-7914-2915-6 }} {{refend}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Husayn Pasha}} [[Category:1663 deaths]] [[Category:17th-century governors of the Ottoman Empire]] [[Category:Date of birth unknown]] [[Category:People from Gaza City]] [[Category:Ottoman governors of Gaza]] [[Category:Pashas]] [[Category:Prisoners who died in Ottoman detention]] [[Category:Ridwan dynasty|Husayn]] [[Category:Turkish people who died in prison custody]]