Mar'i Pasha al-Mallah | |
|---|---|
 Mar'i Pasha al-Mallah, Governor General of the State of Aleppo, 1924 | |
| 3rd Governor General of theState of Aleppo | |
| In office 5 January 1924 – January 1925 | |
| Preceded by | Mustafa Bey Barmada |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1856 |
| Died | 22 November 1930(1930-11-22) (aged 73–74) |
| Occupation | Politician |
Mar'i Pasha al-Mallah (Arabic:مرعي باشا الملاح /ALA-LC:Mar‘ī Bāshā al-Mallāḥ; 1856 – 22 November 1930) was aSyrianpolitical leader and statesman.
Al-Mallah was born inAleppo. He graduated from theGalatasaray Mekteb-i Sultanisi (Galatasaray Imperial School) inConstantinople, in 1876.[1]
Al-Mallah held major positions inAleppo under theOttoman (Turks), including:
And he was Privy to SultanAbdulhamid II.[2]
He represented Aleppo in theOttoman Parliament of 1908, and served as the last Ottoman Interim Governor of the Province ofAleppo.[3] Following the Ottoman collapse, al-Mallah contributed to the foundation of the first modern Arab state in Syria under KingFaysal I, became thegovernor of occupied Zor, and was elected Deputy Speaker of theSyrian National Congress (1919–1920).[4] Finally, he was named Governor General of theState of Aleppo (1924–1926) under theFrench Mandate of Syria .[5]
Al-Mallah acquired the rank ofbeylerbey, which corresponds to the rank of lieutenant general, from SultanAbdulhamid II and was awarded several Ottoman,French andSyrian decorations.
Al-Mallah was a man of liberal views, open to western ideas and thought, proficient in Turkish, Persian, Armenian and French. He particularly loved photography, and used to keep massive albums featuring Ottoman and European royalty, politicians, writers and musicians. He was also noted for his collection of rare and antiquarian books and manuscripts, which he made available to scholars and researchers by dedicating them to the "Islamic Endowments Library of Aleppo," and the "Library of the Arab Academy" in Damascus.
Al-Mallah was described by a fellow historian Sheikh Kamil al-Ghazzi as "The leading notable of Aleppo". Moreover, his biography appeared in a number of books, and was also cited in dozens of historical works on Aleppo and modern Syria written by noted Arab and western scholars. His name also appeared in the memoirs of Syrian politicians as well as the accounts of Arab and western travelers, including the late Crown PrinceMohammed Ali Tewfik ofEgypt, who visited Syria before the outbreak of World War I, and the memoirs of LadyGertrude Bell.