{{Short description|19th-century Ottoman Empire governor}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Muhammad Abu-Nabbut Agha<br>محمد أبو نبوت | office1 = Governor of [[Gaza City|Gaza]] and [[Jaffa]] | term_start1 = 1807 | term_end1 = 1818 | office2 = Governor of [[Thessaloniki]] | term_start2 = 1819 | term_end2 = 1827 | monarch = Sultan [[Mustafa IV]] (1807-1808) <br> Sultan [[Mahmud II]] (1808-1839) | predecessor1 = Muhammad Abu Marraq | successor1 = Mustafa Bey | birth_date = | death_date = | birth_place = | death_place = | party = | signature = | spouse = | children = }} '''Muhammad (Mehmet) Abu Nabbut Agha''' ({{langx|ar|محمد أبو نبوت}}) was the governor of [[Jaffa]] and [[Gaza City|Gaza]] in the early 19th century on behalf of the [[Ottoman Empire]], from 1807 to 1818, as well as the governor of [[Thessaloniki]] from 1819 to 1827 during the [[Greek War of Independence]].
==Biography== Born Christian in the Balkans, Abu Nabbut converted to Islam and started his military and political career as an officer in the [[janissary]] corps<ref>René Cattaui, 1933, Le Règne de Mohamed Aly d'après les archives russes en Égypte Édition : Le Caire : Société royale de géographie d'Égypte</ref> A few years after Jezzar's death in 1804, he was appointed by Jezzar's heir, [[Sulayman Pasha al-Adil|Sulayman Pasha]], as governor ([[Mütesellim]]) of the districts of Jaffa and Gaza.<ref name="ADL">[http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7221 Al-Mahmudiyya Mosque] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604200233/http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7221 |date=2011-06-04 }} Archnet Digital Library.</ref>
Abu-Nabbut possessed a similar character to Jezzar, becoming known for his ambitious construction and refurbishment projects in Jaffa and for his boundless cruelty as a ruler.<ref name="ADL"/> He was also known as a just ruler who strove to improve Jaffa and better its inhabitants. Under his rule, the population and economic conditions of Jaffa and Gaza improved substantially.<ref>Vilnay, 2003, p. 208</ref>
A number of legends surrounded Abu-Nabbut including one concerning his name. ''Abu-Nabbut'', meaning "Father of the Club" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]], supposedly was attributed to him from his habit of roaming the streets of Jaffa with a club, beating anyone who disobeyed his orders.<ref name="ADL"/> The English traveller [[Charles Leonard Irby]], who passed through Jaffa in 1817, observed that while his formal name was "Mohammed Aga", he was referred to as "Abou Nabout"; "the master of the mace or stick".<ref>Irby, 1852, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Xi4PAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA116 p.116]</ref> Another local [[Palestinian culture|Palestinian]] legend tells of how Abu-Nabbut was locked out of Jaffa after leaving the city to walk through the nearby orchards. When he demanded the gate be opened for him, the guard refused because he did not believe it was Abu-Nabbut waiting outside. After repeated calls, Abu-Nabbut was allowed entry. The next morning he summoned all of Jaffa's inhabitants and proclaimed "Cursed be the man, and cursed his father, who joins himself to a man of Jaffa." He ordered that this to be engraved on his well along the [[Jaffa Road]].<ref>Vilnay, 2003, [https://books.google.com/books?id=VkA6-0-aDdIC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA208 p. 208]</ref>
When Sulayman Pasha of Acre fell ill in 1818, Abu Nabbut apparently made moves to become his successor as governor of Acre. However, this did not suit Sulayman Pasha's influential financial advisor, [[Haim Farhi]], who favoured his young protégé [[Abdullah Pasha ibn Ali|Abdullah Pasha]], believing that Abdullah would be more easy to control. Farhi therefore convinced Sulayman Pasha in the summer of 1818 to move against Abu Nabbut. Abu Nabbut was hence removed from Jaffa through an internal coup. This earned Farhi the eternal enmity of Abu Nabbut, who after his removal from Jaffa went to [[Istanbul]], "where he could intrigue" against Farhi.<ref>Philipp, 2001, p. 88, 151</ref>
Between 1819 and 1827 Abu-Nabbut again served as a governor, first at [[Selanik]], then at [[Diyarbakir]].<ref>Kana`an, 2001, note 44, p.139</ref>
After inquiries in Jaffa in the 1870s, [[Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau|Clermont-Ganneau]] found that the tomb of "the legendary Abu Nabbut" was located near the Sebil Abu Nabbut in Jaffa.<ref>Clermont-Ganneau, [https://archive.org/stream/archaeologicalre02cler#page/3/mode/1up p.3], also cited in Petersen, 2001, p. [https://www.academia.edu/21539664/Gazetteer_4_D-J 171]</ref> This tomb survived at least until 1950,<ref>Mayer, et.al 1950, p.32. Cited in Petersen, 2001, p. [https://www.academia.edu/21539664/Gazetteer_4_D-J 172]</ref> but it has now disappeared.<ref>Petersen, 2001, p. [https://www.academia.edu/21539664/Gazetteer_4_D-J 172]</ref>
==Buildings== [[File:Mahmoudiya Mosque (14758020720).jpg|thumb|right|[[Mahmoudiya Mosque]], built by Abu Nabbut in 1812]]
During his tenure as governor Abu-Nabbut was responsible for a large number of building projects in Jaffa, including the completion of the fortifications of the city, the renovation of the [[Mahmoudiya Mosque|Great Mosque]], the erection of two sabils (public fountains), and the construction of cotton and wool markets.<ref name="ADL"/><ref>Kana`an, 1998. Cited in Petersen, 2001, p. [https://www.academia.edu/21539664/Gazetteer_4_D-J 16] 2</ref>
===Fortifications=== The French sacking of the city after the [[Siege of Jaffa]] in 1799 proved the inadequacy of the city walls, and when the city was returned to [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] control in 1800, Turkish and British engineers began to rebuild the fortifications. This task was completed under Abu-Nabbut from 1810 and onwards. Abu Nabbut added a monumental eastern gate crowned with three cupolas.<ref>Tolkowsky, 1924, p.133. Cited in Petersen, 2001, p. [https://www.academia.edu/21539664/Gazetteer_4_D-J 163]</ref> The fortifications were specially designed to cope with European artillery and possessed thick walls, with substantial corner [[bastions]], capable of supporting large [[cannon]]s. Similar fortifications have survived at [[Acre, Israel|Acre]]. However, later in the nineteenth century the political situation had changed, and Abu-Nabbut's fortifications were no longer needed. By 1888 the dismantling process was complete and the [[moat]] was entirely filled in. Today, only two gateways and a short section of Abu-Nabbut's wall remains.<ref>Petersen, 2001, p. [https://www.academia.edu/21539664/Gazetteer_4_D-J 163]</ref>
===Mahmoudiya Mosque=== [[File:Jaffa2.jpg|thumb|Sabil, or public fountain, in Jaffa, built by Abu Nabbut. Here the west face on old postcard from the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]]-period.]] {{main|Mahmoudiya Mosque}} During his tenure as governor, in 1812, Abu-Nabbut ordered the construction of the [[Mahmoudiya Mosque]] which today is the largest mosque in Jaffa.<ref name="ADL"/>
===Sabil Abu Nabbut=== {{main|Sabil Abu Nabbut}} Above the columns on the west side of the building is a plaque commemorating the construction of the sabil in 1236 H.<ref>Petersen, 2002, p. 170-172</ref>
===Palestinian villages=== The inhabitants of [[al-Jiyya]] reported that their village had been ruined at one point and then rebuilt by Abu Nabbut.<ref name="KhalidiP114">Khalidi, 1992, p.114</ref>
==See also== *[[Lady Hester Stanhope]]
==References== {{reflist|25em}}
==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book|last=Clermont-Ganneau|first=C.S. |author-link=Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau|title=[ARP] Archaeological Researches in Palestine 1873-1874, translated from the French by J. McFarlane|url=https://archive.org/details/archaeologicalre02cler|volume=2|year=1896|publisher=Palestine Exploration Fund|location=London}} Cited in Petersen, (2001). *{{cite book|last1=Irby|first1=C.L|author-link1=Charles Leonard Irby|last2=Mangles |first2=J.|author-link2=James Mangles (Royal Navy officer)|year=1823|url=https://archive.org/details/travelsinegypta01barkgoog/page/n10 |title=Travels in Egypt and Nubia, Syria, and Asia Minor; during the years 1817 & 1818 | location=London|publisher=Printed for Private Distribution by T. White & Co.}}( [https://archive.org/details/travelsinegypta01barkgoog/page/n430/mode/1up p.382]) *Irby, Charles Leonard, James Mangles, Henrich Steffens (1852),''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Xi4PAAAAYAAJ Travels in Egypt and Nubia, Syria, and the Holy Land: including a journey round the Dead Sea, and through the country east of the Jordan]'' Published by J. Murray, 150 pages <!-- (also about Abou Nabout) --> [https://books.google.com/books?id=Xi4PAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA116 p.116] *Kana`an, Ruba (1998), ''Jaffa and the Waqf of Muhammad Aga Abu Nabbut (1799-1831): A Study in Urban History of an East Mediterranean City,'' D.Phil. Thesis. Oxford: Oxford University. Cited in Petersen (2001). *Kana`an, Ruba (2001), ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20110604200257/http://archnet.org/library/documents/one-document.jsp?document_id=10380 Waqf, Architecture, and Political Self-Fashioning: The Construction of the Great Mosque of Jaffa by Muhammad Aga Abu Nabbut.]'' In Muqarnas XVIII: An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture. Gülru Necipoglu (ed.). Leiden: E.J. Brill. ([http://www.archnet.org/library/pubdownloader/pdf/10380/doc/DPC1870.pdf .htlm link]{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}) *{{cite book|title=All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_By7AAAAIAAJ |first=W.|last=Khalidi|author-link=Walid Khalidi|year=1992|location=[[Washington D.C.]]|publisher=[[Institute for Palestine Studies]]|isbn=0-88728-224-5}} *{{cite book|last1=Mayer|first1=L. A.|author-link1=Leo Aryeh Mayer |last2=Pinkerfeld|first2=J.|last3=Yadin|first3=Y.|author-link3=Yigael Yadin |title=Some Principal Muslim Religious Buildings in Israel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ePVAAAAMAAJ |year=1950|publisher= Ministry of religious affairs|location=Jerusalem}} Cited in Petersen (2001) *{{cite book|last=Petersen |first=Andrew |title=A Gazetteer of Buildings in Muslim Palestine (British Academy Monographs in Archaeology)|url=https://www.academia.edu/21539664 |volume =1 |year=2001|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-727011-0}} *Philipp, Thomas (2001), ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=3zxvmFe9ktMC Acre, The rise and fall of a Palestinian city. 1730-1830]'' Columbia University press *Tolkowsky, S. (1924), ''The Gateway of Palestine: A History of Jaffa,'' Routledge, London. Cited in Petersen, (2002). *{{cite book|title=Legends of Palestine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VkA6-0-aDdIC&q=Muhammad+Abu-Nabbut|first=Z.|last=Vilnay|author-link=Zev Vilnay|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|year=2003|isbn=9780766141285}} {{refend}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abu Nabbut, Muhammad}} [[Category:Political people from the Ottoman Empire]] [[Category:Muslims from the Ottoman Empire]] [[Category:Ottoman governors of Gaza]] [[Category:People from Ottoman Palestine]] [[Category:19th-century people from the Ottoman Empire]]