Khazen
Encyclopedia
Khazen is the name of a prominent Noble Levant
ine family based in Keserwan District
, Lebanon
, Damascus
, Syria
, Nablus
, Palestine
as well as other distrits around the Levant
. The Khazen family have traced their lineage through DNA testing to Jericho
, Palestine
also known as Tell el-Sultan 8500 B.C.. Several members have played leading roles in politics
for many generations. French
King Louis XIV elevated the family to French Nobility of order "Duc" and in many ancient Letters sent to each others referred to them as the Prince
of the Maronites
. Most of the Lebanese Khazen branch are Maronites, while the Syrian and Palestinian Khazen branch are mostly Muslim. There is also a Saudi Khazen branch.
, Baalbeck and Nablus
. They have started buying and acquiring lands in Mount-Lebanon during the 1400 era and more specifically first in "Jaj" currently under Jbeil district
. Then continued their exodus to the Keserwan district where they have bought lands from the Chi'a Tribes. This has caused the Chi'a to move towards what is known today the South of Lebanon and this has brought the Maronites to the Keserwan district.
In 1584 The Khazen were able to hide the princes Fakhreddine and Youness in Ballouneh. At that time their Father cornered by the Ottomans army and losing the fight against them informed Sitt Nossab his wife to send his sons to the Khazen Family a powerful and influential family at that time. The great Fakhredine when he took power, was greatly influenced by the Khazen family politically and religiously. In return granted them the title of "cheikh" and complete political influence and control of Mount-Lebanon.
During the 15th century the Patriarch main Monastery was in Qannoubine North Of lebanon in the Kadisha valley. The Khazin's Family who were now controlling the Kerserwan district were very influential with the Maronite Church
. Mainly this is due because of their financial support to the Church and also helping the expansion of the Church by the construction of many Monstateries. They have also offered lands and most importantly supplied security to the Church and the Maronite community overall. In 1656 Cheikh Abou-Nawfal received a papal decoration for his help and expansion of the Maronite Faith in Mount-Lebanon on behalf of the Pope himself and the Catholic Faith. The family under their newly granted rights were able to nominate 3 Maronite Archbishops representing the districts of Baalbeck, Damas
and Aleppo
until the revolution against them in 1858 . There were 3 important and influential Patriarchs from the Khazen family: Youssef Dargham (1733–1742), Toubia
(1756–1766) and Youssef Ragi
(1845–1854) and seven Archbishops
In 1858 Tanios Chahine led a rebellion
against the Khazen family, which caused great loss to the family dominance over the Kerserwan District. The rebellion was a result of a power struggle; from one side the AbiLamaa family, England
next to the Ottoman Empire
and from the other the Khazen's who wanted to increase their influence. After these events the Khazen stayed involved in politics yet their work as one Family holding the ultimate Maronite power has diminished greatly. In modern history they have always represented Keserwan by one Parliament Member and in some cases two. They have also been represented in many recent governments, where they have held the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Tourism.
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ine family based in Keserwan District
Keserwan District
Keserwan is a district in the Mount Lebanon Governorate , Lebanon, to the northeast of the Lebanon's capital Beirut...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
as well as other distrits around the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
. The Khazen family have traced their lineage through DNA testing to Jericho
Jericho
Jericho ; is a city located near the Jordan River in the West Bank of the Palestinian territories. It is the capital of the Jericho Governorate and has a population of more than 20,000. Situated well below sea level on an east-west route north of the Dead Sea, Jericho is the lowest permanently...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
also known as Tell el-Sultan 8500 B.C.. Several members have played leading roles in politics
Politics of Lebanon
Lebanon is a parliamentary republic within the overall framework of confessionalism, a form of consociationalism in which the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives from certain religious communities. The constitution grants the people the right to change their government...
for many generations. French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
King Louis XIV elevated the family to French Nobility of order "Duc" and in many ancient Letters sent to each others referred to them as the Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of the Maronites
Maronites
Maronites , is an ethnoreligious group in the Middle East that have been historically tied with Lebanon. They derive their name from the Syriac saint Mar Maron whose followers moved to Mount Lebanon from northern Syria establishing the Maronite Church....
. Most of the Lebanese Khazen branch are Maronites, while the Syrian and Palestinian Khazen branch are mostly Muslim. There is also a Saudi Khazen branch.
History
The Khazen Cheikhs can trace back their lineage heritage to the 9th century where they were mainly located between Houran, DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Baalbeck and Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
. They have started buying and acquiring lands in Mount-Lebanon during the 1400 era and more specifically first in "Jaj" currently under Jbeil district
Jbeil District
Byblos /Jbeil is a district in the Mount Lebanon Governorate , Lebanon, to the northeast of the Lebanon's capital Beirut...
. Then continued their exodus to the Keserwan district where they have bought lands from the Chi'a Tribes. This has caused the Chi'a to move towards what is known today the South of Lebanon and this has brought the Maronites to the Keserwan district.
In 1584 The Khazen were able to hide the princes Fakhreddine and Youness in Ballouneh. At that time their Father cornered by the Ottomans army and losing the fight against them informed Sitt Nossab his wife to send his sons to the Khazen Family a powerful and influential family at that time. The great Fakhredine when he took power, was greatly influenced by the Khazen family politically and religiously. In return granted them the title of "cheikh" and complete political influence and control of Mount-Lebanon.
During the 15th century the Patriarch main Monastery was in Qannoubine North Of lebanon in the Kadisha valley. The Khazin's Family who were now controlling the Kerserwan district were very influential with the Maronite Church
Maronite Church
The Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome . It traces its heritage back to the community founded by Maron, a 4th-century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The first Maronite Patriarch, John Maron, was elected in the late 7th...
. Mainly this is due because of their financial support to the Church and also helping the expansion of the Church by the construction of many Monstateries. They have also offered lands and most importantly supplied security to the Church and the Maronite community overall. In 1656 Cheikh Abou-Nawfal received a papal decoration for his help and expansion of the Maronite Faith in Mount-Lebanon on behalf of the Pope himself and the Catholic Faith. The family under their newly granted rights were able to nominate 3 Maronite Archbishops representing the districts of Baalbeck, Damas
Damas
Damas can refer to:Geography* Damas-aux-Bois, a village in northeastern France* Damas-et-Bettegney, a village in northeastern France* Damas River, a seasonal river of Eritrea* Pichi Damas River, a river of Chile* Isla Damas, an island of Costa Rica...
and Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
until the revolution against them in 1858 . There were 3 important and influential Patriarchs from the Khazen family: Youssef Dargham (1733–1742), Toubia
Tobias El Khazen
Tobias El Khazen was the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1756 to his death in 1766.-Life:Tobias El Khazen was a member of the Abu Nawfal branch of the Khazen family, which ruled the Keserwan District, and he was a nephew of Patriarch Joseph Dergham El Khazen...
(1756–1766) and Youssef Ragi
Joseph Ragi El Khazen
Joseph IX Ragi El Khazen , , was the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1845 until his death in 1854.-Life:...
(1845–1854) and seven Archbishops
In 1858 Tanios Chahine led a rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
against the Khazen family, which caused great loss to the family dominance over the Kerserwan District. The rebellion was a result of a power struggle; from one side the AbiLamaa family, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
next to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and from the other the Khazen's who wanted to increase their influence. After these events the Khazen stayed involved in politics yet their work as one Family holding the ultimate Maronite power has diminished greatly. In modern history they have always represented Keserwan by one Parliament Member and in some cases two. They have also been represented in many recent governments, where they have held the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Tourism.