Battle of Maysalun معركة ميسلون
Part of the Franco–Syrian War
Henri Gouraud on horseback inspecting his French troops at Maysalun
Date July 23, 1920 Location Maysalun Pass, Anti-Lebanon mountains (Syria) Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Syria
Commanders and leaders
Henri Gouraud	Yusuf al-Azmah†
Strength
9,000 men supported by tanks and aircrafts[1]	around 3,000 men[1] (older light equipment)
Casualties and losses
42 dead[1] and 154 injured	400+ dead[1]

The Battle of Maysalun (Arabic: معركة ميسلون‎), also called The Battle of Maysalun Pass, took place between Syrian and French forces about 12 miles west of Damascus near the town of Maysalun on July 23, 1920.

Background[link]

An independent Kingdom of Syria was proclaimed in Damascus after an Arab army, which included British colonel T. E. Lawrence, defeated the Ottoman forces in Syria and captured Damascus. However, as a result of negotiations between the western powers at the San Remo conference, and the Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France, the French had set up the republic on the remnants of a former Ottoman Christian-majority autonomous province. In a dispute of French authority, the Hashemite king and Arab sheikhs decided to lead an open revolt against the French.

The Battle[link]

Syrian soldiers at Maysalun.

The French forces advanced out of Beirut, led by General Gouraud. Some Maronite Lebanese reportedly fought on the French side, unwilling to join a Muslim-dominated Kingdom of Syria. Understanding the futility of opposing the French forces, King Faisal submitted to the French and fled to Iraq where he was made ruler of the Kingdom of Iraq by the British. However, Syrian defense minister General Yusuf al-Azmah, who was 36 years old at the time, insisted that Syrians could not allow the French to enter unopposed. He led a small force from Damascus, which consisted of a few hundred regular soldiers from the newly formed army and some hastily-summoned citizen volunteers on what was essentially a suicide mission.

The French forces under the command of General Mariano Goybet easily defeated the Syrian forces. Yusuf al-Azmah was killed in the battle. He is remembered in Syria today as a martyr who died in the cause of Syrian independence. A statue of him now resides at the center of one of the largest squares in Damascus. The battle ushered in the new era of French colonialism and led to more revolts in Northern Syria and Damascus.

Aftermath[link]

Within a short time, the majority of Hashemite forces fled or surrendered to the French. The last stronghld to fall to the French was Damascus, where last parties of Arab hardliners continued to resist, but were shortly defeated.

See also[link]

• Greater Syria
• King of Syria

Further reading[link]

• Sami M. Moubayed, The Politics of Damascus 1920–1946. Urban Notables and the French Mandate (Dar Tlass, 1999)
• M. Shakir, Islamic History

Referenes[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c d} David Murphy: The Arab Revolt 1916-18: Lawrence Sets Arabia Ablaze, Osprey Publishing, 2008, ISBN 184603339X, page 83.

Maysalun ميسلون
Maysalun Location in Syria
Coordinates: 33°35′N 36°05′E / 33.583°N 36.083°E / 33.583; 36.083
Country	Syria
Governorate	Rif Dimashq Governorate
District	Zabadani District
Elevation	1,090 m (3,580 ft)

Maysalun (Arabic: ميسلون‎) is a Syrian town located 12 kilometers West of Damascus Governorate, in the Rif Dimashq Governorate and has an altitude of about 1090 meters.

Maysalun is enshrined in Syrian history as the site where the Syrian minister of war, Yusuf al-Azma refused to give in to the French and English Colonial designs by putting up a fight.^[1] King Faisal of Syria decided not to fight the French and fled to Switzerland. Azma decided otherwise and went ahead to fight the French even with the knowledge that his forces would be outnumbered and outgunned. The French entered Syria to impose their colonial ambitions and the artificial borders agreed upon by the Sykes-Picot agreement of 1917.^[2] The battle was a decisive French victory, which enabled them to march to Damascus and start dividing and colonizing Syria.

References[link]

1. ^ A history of the Modern Middle East,Third Edition, Cleveland, Page 166
2. ^ A history of the Modern Middle East,Third Edition, Cleveland, Page 167

Coordinates: 33°35′N 36°05′E / 33.583°N 36.083°E / 33.583; 36.083

v t e Rif Dimashq Governorate Cities Dair Atiah Darayya Duma al-Hajar al-Aswad Harasta Jaramanah an-Nabk al-Qutayfah Sayyidah Zaynab al-Tall Yabrud Zabadani Towns and villages Artouze Bloudan Deir Ali al-Dimas Dumeir Efra al-Hama Jdeidet al-Khass Kafr Batna Kiswe Ma'loula Madaya Maysalun Rankous Qarah Qatana Saidnaya as-Sehl Sirghaya