“Sheikh Nassif Al-Nassar: The Martyred Leader of Jabal Amel”
Among the prominent figures of Jabal Amel shines the name of Sheikh Nassif Al-Nassar, the renowned Sheikh of Sheikhs, who was killed in 1781 during a battle against the forces of Ahmad Pasha Al-Jazzar near the village of Yaroun, where he was also buried.
When asked about this significant historical figure, historian Kassem Hejeij explained:
“The title ‘Sheikh’ was given to the rulers of Jabal Amel, who were known as the ‘Mashayekh.’ At the time, the emirate of Jabal Amel was divided among three factions:
Bilad Bshara: Ruled by the Ali Al-Saghir family.
Bilad Al-Shaqif: Governed by the Saabi family.
Iqlim Al-Shoumar: Controlled by the Monker family.
Sheikh Nassif Al-Nassar was titled ‘Sheikh of Sheikhs,’ or Emir of Emirs. He, along with other leaders of Jabal Amel, supported Sheikh Zahir Al-Umar Al-Safadi, who had overthrown Ottoman rule in Palestine.
When Ali Bek Al-Tantawi, a Mamluk prince of Egypt, sent an army to conquer Syria alongside Muhammad Bek Abu Al-Dhahab, the forces of Zahir Al-Umar and his ally Sheikh Nassif joined them. Historical sources recount that Ali Bek and his allies entered Damascus as victors.”
“Sheikh Nassif Al-Nassar and the Battle of Yaroun”
Hejeij continued:
“Following Al-Tantawi’s victories, the Ottoman Sultan sent an envoy to warn him against continuing his campaign, offering instead to appoint him governor of Egypt and Sudan. Al-Tantawi withdrew his troops, leaving Zahir Al-Umar and Sheikh Nassif to face Ahmad Pasha Al-Jazzar, who had received substantial reinforcements from Greece and Sicily.
Al-Jazzar persuaded Zahir’s allies by offering them the governorship of Safad, leading them to abandon Sheikh Nassif. Left with only 470 fighters, Sheikh Nassif faced Al-Jazzar’s army in a fierce battle near Yaroun.
During the battle, Sheikh Nassif’s horse slipped on a rock, and he was fatally shot by an enemy soldier, dying instantly. The rock at Yaroun remains a memorial to the martyred Sheikh, a testament to his bravery and sacrifice.”
