Ira, Syria
'Ira
عرى Areh, 'Ara, Ora | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  'Ira | |
| Coordinates: 32°37′2″N 36°31′53″E / 32.61722°N 36.53139°E | |
| Grid position | 294/225 |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | as-Suwayda |
| District | as-Suwayda |
| Subdistrict | as-Suwayda |
| Population (2004) | |
| • Total | 6,136 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
′Ira (Arabic: عرى; also spelled Areh, ′Ara or Ora) is a village in southeastern Syria, administratively part of the as-Suwayda District of the as-Suwayda Governorate, located south of as-Suwayda. In the 2004 census, it had a population of 6,136.[1] Its inhabitants are predominantly Druze.
History
[edit]In 1596 the village appeared under the name of "Timri" in the Ottoman tax registers as part of the nahiya (subdistrict) of Bani Nasiyya in the Qadaa of Hauran. It had a Muslim population consisting of twenty-five households and fourteen bachelors, and a Christian population of five households. They paid a fixed tax-rate of 40% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, goats and beehives, in addition to occasional revenues; the taxes totaled 16,000 akçe.[2]
In 1838 'Ira was reported to be populated with Druze and Greek Orthodox Christians.[3]
'Ira was resettled by Druze migrants in the early 19th century. It was controlled by the Al Hamdan family, who used it as a secondary headquarters. The Al Hamdan were ousted from 'Ira in 1857 by Ismail al-Atrash. This marked the consolidation of Bani al-Atrash supremacy in Jabal Hauran over the Al Hamdan.[4] Following Ismail's death in 1869, his son Ibrahim became head of the family and was recognized by Rashid Pasha, governor of Damascus, as governor of 'Ira.[5] His brother succeeded him in 1883 and based himself in 'Ira. The village was attacked by Ruwala tribesmen in 1893 during hostilities between the Bani al-Atrash and the Ottomans. Four residents were killed.[6]
References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Firro, Kais (1992). A History of the Druzes, Volume 1. Brill.
- Hütteroth, W.-D.; Abdulfattah, K. (1977). Historical Geography of Palestine, Transjordan and Southern Syria in the Late 16th Century. Erlanger Geographische Arbeiten, Sonderband 5. Erlangen, Germany: Vorstand der Fränkischen Geographischen Gesellschaft. ISBN 3-920405-41-2.
- Robinson, E.; Smith, E. (1841). Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the year 1838. Vol. 3. Boston: Crocker & Brewster.
External links
[edit]- Map of the town, Google Maps
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