CHAPTER VI : THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATUS OF AL-QODS THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES

From its very beginnings, the city of Al-Qods has played an important role in the administrative life of Palestine. Its exceptional role from the spiritual point of view has added so much weight to its administrative importance throughout these centuries. At times, it grew into a major administrative centre which played a great political role that raised it to the status of a wilâyah, or a principality; at other times, its role grew so weak that it was reduced to the status of the smallest sanjaq or province. (277)

Ever since it was conquered by Arab Muslims in 15 A.H./635 A.D., Al-Qods ceased to be the capital of any large empire. Hence, despite the relatively large number of Sultanates of which the Ayyubid Empire was organized, Al-Qods was never raised within this structure to the rank of a political capital the way the case was with such cities as Damascus, Cairo, Halab (Aleppo), Hims Hamât, and so forth. (278)

At the beginning of the Mameluke era, the city of Al-Qods was made into a wilâya whose political affairs were managed by a delegate who was directly under the authority of the Sultan's representative in Damascus. The status of Al-Qods changed only when the Sultan Annâssir Muhammad bin Qalâoun wished to reorganize the administrative structure of Al-Shâm (Syria and Palestine), which consisted of six governorships, by instituting two more governorships : the one in Al-Qods, and the other in Gaza. Accordingly, the governorship of Al-Qods was entrusted about 713 A.H./1312 A.D. to Emir 'Alamuddîn Sanjar bin Abdallah Al-Jâwalî, who was also appointed as the protector of both the Mosque of Al-Aqsa and Al-Haram Al-Ibrâhîmî in Al-Khalîl (Al-Haramain Al-Sharîfain).

277. S. 'Ashûr, Some New Light on the City of Al-Qods in the Mameluke Era, in Proceedings of

the Third Congress on the History of Al-Shâam, (Amman : 1983), p. 110.

278. Y. Ghawânima, The Governorship of Al-Qods in Studies in the History and Antiquities of

Palestine Ancient Monuments (University of Halab : 1984) p. 142.

Not all the historians agree as to the year on which the governorship of Al-Qods was inaugurated in the Mameluke era. For example, Ghawânima quotes the statement by Al-Khâlidî in his book, Al-Maqsadu Ar-Rafî'ul Mansha', to the effect that : "The governorship of Al-Qods was instituted in 767 A.H. (1365 A.D.) and Tabalkhâna was appointed as the city's governor." (279) On the other hand, Al-Qalqashandî in his work, Sobhou Al-A'shâ, notes that Al-Qods became a governorship in 777 A.H. (1375 A.D.) (280) and that its appointed governor in this same year was Emir Tamrâz Al-Mou-ayyidî (281) , whose successors were Emir Badruddîn Hassan bin 'Imâduddîn Al-'Askarî (appointed 782 A.H./1380 A.D.), Emir Nâssiruddîn Muhammad bin Bahâdir (appointed 789 A.H./1387 A.D.), Emir Sharafuddîn Moussâ bin Badrudîn Al-'Askarî, and Emir Jântimar Ar-Ruknî Ad-Dhâhirî (appointed 796 A.H./1393 A.D). (282)

The city of Al-Qods had thus become a governorship by itself, which implies that the management of its affairs was entrusted to an eminent Emir who was appointed by a decree made by the Sultan, who resided in Cairo, the capital city in that era. Moreover, it was a tradition that the appointed Emir should also serve as the protector of Al-Haramain Al-Sharîfain (the two holy shrines : the Mosque of Al-Aqsâ and Al-Haram Al-Ibrâhimi) in Al-Qods and Al-Khalil respectively; hence the title of the appointee as "The Emir Guardian of Al-Haramain and Representative of the Sultanate in Al-Qods Al-Shareef and in the city of our lord Al-Khalîl". This amounted to a privilege that was not granted to a representative of the Sultan anywhere else in Al-Shâm. (283) Very often, in addition to the above-mentioned responsibilities, the Sultan's representative in Al-Qods concurrently held administrative and political functions in the city's neighbourhood areas, as happened in the reign of Sultan Al-Ashraf Barsay. (284)

This interest, throughout the Mameluke era, in the administrative situation of Al-Qods along with the raising of this city to the rank of a governorship may be explained by its great importance on the international scene. The Crusaders' ambition and their tenacious wish to occupy Al-Qods could be given as evidence of this city's worldwide importance in that era. (285) In the face of the 279. Ghawânima, Ibid., p. 142.

Cf. Al-Khâlidî, Al-Maqsadu Ar-Rafî'ul Mansha', (Unpublished MS), p. 147.

280. S. 'Ashûr, Ibid., p. 110

Al-Qashqashandi, Sobhou Al-A'shâ, Vol. 4, p. 199

281. Al-Hanbalî, Al-Ounsu Al-Jalîl, Vol. 2, p. 272.

282. Al-Hanbâli, Ibid., p. 272; Ghawânima, Ibid., p. 142

283. Ghawânima, Ibid., p. 148; 'Ashûr, Ibid., p. 110

284. Ghawânima, Ibid., p. 148

285. 'Ashûr , Ibid., p. 110

impeding threats to the security of the city, Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'bân began by promoting Tabalkhân to the rank of governor probably within a strategy that shows the great importance he attached to Al-Qods.

On the other hand, Al-Maqrîzî writes that the vested interest which the Mameluke Sultan, Ad-Dhâhir Barqûq, had in Al-Qods was motivated by his fear of Tartar threats to this city, and that the Sultan accordingly made it into an independent principality so that it could react promptly to any Tartar aggression without having to wait for orders from Cairo. (286)

In the Mameluke era, the representative of Al-Qods had a substantial budget consisting of annual resources which came from various rural villages designated for this purpose, and one such village, according to what Al-Hanbalî says in his Al-Ounsu Al-Jalîl, was the Arîhâ (Jericho) rural neighbourhood, located in the Jordan Valley. The representative, as mentioned above, was appointed by a decree issued by the Sultan. It was an established ceremony that a newly appointed representative, or a representative whose term was renewed, should be cloaked in the official garb of this office as he entered the city, and that on this occasion the city's magistrates, officials, and notables should be out to welcome him into the city. The procession then moved with pomp and ceremony to the Mosque of Al-Aqsâ, wherein the appointment decree was read to the public. (287) Every night, drumbeating took place at the entrance to his residence, exactly the way such a ceremony was conducted in honour of the high princes in Egypt. (288)

The administrative provinces of Al-Khalîl, Nablus, and Ramlah were all dependencies of Al-Qods, the county town which was the seat of the representative and of such officials as the Citadel manager, the governor of the city, the chamberlain, the magistrates, the price controller, the head doctor, the army commander (289) , as well as religious and political officials.

The governorship of Al-Qods kept a regular army as well as a special force which, respectively, served to protect the city of Al-Qods and to maintain peace and security throughout the province. It was not unusual in the Mameluke era that the representative of Al-Qods should be called upon for combat missions outside 286. Ghawânima, Ibid.,

p. 146 Al-Qashqashandî, Soubhu Al-A'shâ, Vol. 4, p.199

Al-khâlidî, Al-Maqsidu Ar-Rafi'u Al-Mansha', p. 147 (quoted by Al-Ghawânima).

287. Al-Hanbalî, Ibid., p. 337

288. Ghawânima, Ibid., p. 149

289. Ghawânima, Ibid., pp. 149-150

his jurisdiction territory. Hence, the representative of Al-Qods helped to check rebels and invaders in Al-Shâm; he also mobilized the army under his command and joined other Mameluke army units both in the Shah Siwâr war and in the war against the Ottomans. The size of the army grew larger or smaller as the danger faced by the Mameluke Empire increased or decreased. (290)

When the territory of Al-Shâm, including Palestine, came under Ottoman rule after 1516 A.D., Al-Qods became a province subordinated alternately to Damascus and to Saydâ (Sidon). Later on, it was raised to the rank of an autonomous wilâya so as to consolidate its status on the international level. In 1845 A.D., Al-Qods was demoted to a sanjaq subordinated to the governorship of Damascus; within the same year, it was subordinated to the governorship of Saydâ (Sidon). (291) In 1845 A.D., the Sanjaq of Al-Qods was again promoted to the rank of a wilâya to consolidate its status on the international level. A specially high-ranking governor was accordingly appointed as its governor, and a most elaborate formula had to be used every time by any person who wanted to address him.

When the Ottomans adopted the administrative system of wilâyas in 1281 A.H./1864 A.D., the status of Al-Qods was lowered to the rank of a region subordinated to the wilâya of Damascus and made up of the districts of Al-Khâlil, Gaza, Ramlah, Bethlehem, and Yâffâ (Jaffa). (292) This situation continued until 1874 A.D., when Al-Qods was made into an autonomous governorship w hich was linked to Istambul and included the districts of Gaza, Yâffâ (Jaffa), and Al-Khalîl. (293) Thus, between 1874 and 1914 A.D., seventeen governors have succeeded each other at the head of the governorship of Al-Qods. (294)

Among the administrative functions in the province of Al-Qods in the Ottoman era was that of "the tax collector", who after 1840 A.D., took the title of "intendant". The tax collector initially had the rank of "second-grade pasha", 290. Ghawânima, Ibid., pp. 168-169

291. Sabrî Bahjat Hussein, "Lioua' Al-Qods : 1840-1873 A.D.", a paper published in Proceedings of the Third International Congress on the History of Al-Shâam, (Amman, 1983), p. 13.

292. Sabrî B. Hussein, Ibid., p. 14.

Abdul'azîz 'Awad, "Moutassarrifiyyat Al-Qods : 1874-1914 A.D.", a paper published in Proceedings of the Third International Congress on the History of Al-Shâam, p. 205. The author notes that, in 1864, the city of Al-Qods was subordinated to the wilâya of damascus, but that the rank of its governor was far higher than that of any other. The city's governor accordingly was an "Intendant", but actually had the rank of "Prince of Princes"

293. Abdul'aziz 'Awâd, Ibid., p. 208

Al-Aref, A History of Al Qods, p. 118. The author notes that, in 1871 A.D., Al-Qods was an autonomous governorship.

294. Abdul'azîz 'Awad, Ibid., p. 209.

but subsequently was changed to that of 'first-grade pasha'. In his duties, the tax collector was assisted by a team of civil servants which included the treasury inspector, the investigation police officer, the agriculture director, the director  of waqfs (pious endowments), the police commissioner, the qâdi (magistrate with wide-ranging attributions), a council of advisers, and the army commander, whose headquarters were in the city's Citadel, (295) which for some time could boast an artillery section and an infantry division among other forces. (296)

After 1918 and for the period of the British mandate, Al-Qods became the capital of Palestine as well as the seat of the British commissioner, who by virtue of the laws promulgated in London on the basis of the Mandate entrusted to it, had all the powers and could have control over the whole country. Al-Qods was also the seat of most of the Ministries : the Ministry of Education, of Religious Affairs, of Health, and of Economic and Social Affairs. Moreover, Al-Qods was also the county town of what was known as the "Province of Al-Qods".

To assist the British High Commissioner, there were two councils : the Consultative Council and the Executive Council. The former consisted of a Chairman (the High Commissioner), a Secretary-General, a Treasury Inspector, a Security Commissioner, and other high officials. The latter Council was also presided by the British High Commissioner and included a Secretary-General, a General Prosecutor, a Finance Secretary, and the Prefect of the Province of Al-Qods. (297)

After 1948, the West Bank was annexed by Jordan. Al-Qods became the seat of the Government of the Province. This city ranked as the second most important city after Amman, but after the Sionist aggression of 1967. The Arab and Muslim part of it was annexed to the part which came under Israeli control. Ever since that time, Al-Qods has lost elements of its identity and its independence.

295. Sabrî Bahjat Hussein, Ibid., pp. 15-16

296. Sabrî Bahjat Hussein, Ibid., p. 22

297. Al-'Aref, A History of Al-Qods, p. 223

At the end of the British era, Palestine consisted of six Provinces led by Prefects : Al-Jalîl, Haifa, Nablus, Al-Qods, Jaffa, and Gaza. Each province was divided into districts which were administrated by officials of the Province.

Cf. Ad-Dabbâgh, Our Land Palestine, Vol. 1, pp. 141-142.

In 1931, Palestine consisted of only three Provinces :

- The Province of Al-Qods, which had the following districts : Al-Qods, Ramallah, Arîha (Jericho), and Bethlehem;

- The North Province, which was made up of the following districts : Haifa, Akka (Acre), Nazareth, Tabaria, Safad Nablus, Janîne Bîssan, and Tulkrum; and - The South Department, which had the following districts : Jaffa, Ramlah, Gaza, Bîr Sabâa, and Awja Hafîr.

Cf. Al-'Aref, A History of Al-Qods, p. 160

298. Palestine Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 58

299. Many sources and archeological finds indicate that it was the Jebusites, i.e. the inhabitants of Jebus (an old name for Al-Qods), who had erected the ramparts of this city.

300. Palestine Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 514.

301. Yâqût Al-Hamaouî, A Dictionary of Cities : Beit Al-Maqdis.

Imâm Rashâd, Al-Qods in the Medieval Era, p. 164.