# Ottoman Syria

> the region of Syria under the Ottoman Empire (1516–1918)

**Wikidata**: [Q3076765](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3076765)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Syria)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ottoman-syria

## Summary
Ottoman Syria refers to the region of Syria under the control of the Ottoman Empire from 1516 to 1918. Classified as a historical region and a dependent territory, it was an administrative territorial entity located in Asia within the Fertile Crescent. This period in Middle Eastern history followed the era of medieval Syria and concluded with the establishment of the Occupied Enemy Territory Administration.

## Key Facts
- **Time Period:** Existed from 1516 to 1918, falling within the modern historical period.
- **Location:** Situated in the continent of Asia, specifically within the Fertile Crescent at coordinates 34°N, 37°E.
- **Political Status:** Functioned as a dependent territory and administrative entity of the Ottoman Empire; it did not possess full political independence as a sovereign state.
- **Administration:** The official language was Ottoman Turkish. The region used the Ottoman lira as its currency starting in 1844 until its end in 1918.
- **Territorial Composition:** Comprised several parts, including Ottoman Palestine, the Damascus Eyalet, and the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem.
- **Borders:** Shared a border with Ottoman Iraq.
- **Succession:** The entity was dissolved in 1918 and was followed by the Occupied Enemy Territory Administration.
- **Historical Context:** Succeeded medieval Syria and was the site of significant events such as the First Egyptian-Ottoman War and the 1838 Druze revolt.

## FAQs
**What regions or administrative divisions made up Ottoman Syria?**
The entity included Ottoman Palestine, the Damascus Eyalet, and the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem as its constituent parts.

**What currency was used in Ottoman Syria?**
The region utilized the Ottoman lira, which was introduced in 1844 and remained in use until the dissolution of the territory in 1918.

**What historical events significantly impacted Ottoman Syria?**
The region experienced the First Egyptian-Ottoman War and the 1838 Druze revolt during its existence.

**What was the political classification of Ottoman Syria?**
It was classified as a historical region, a historical period, and a dependent territory, meaning it was an administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire that did not possess full political independence.

**Where was Ottoman Syria located geographically?**
The region was located in Asia within the Fertile Crescent, bordered by Ottoman Iraq, and centered roughly around latitude 34 and longitude 37.

## Why It Matters
Ottoman Syria represents a distinct and extensive era in the history of the Middle East, spanning over four centuries. It serves as a crucial historical bridge between the medieval era of Syria and the modern geopolitical landscape that followed World War I. As a dependent territory, it illustrates the administrative structure of the Ottoman Empire, illustrating how regions like Palestine, Damascus, and Jerusalem were governed under Ottoman Turkish rule before being reorganized into the Occupied Enemy Territory Administration in 1918. Its existence helps define the historical boundaries and political evolution of the Levant.

## Notable For
- **Administrative Status:** Being a distinct administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire, classified specifically as a "dependent territory" rather than a sovereign state.
- **Geographic Scope:** Encompassing historical regions now known as Ottoman Palestine and the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem.
- **Historical Transition:** Marking the transition from medieval Syria to the post-World War I administration of the Levant.
- **Documentation:** Being described by the historical reference work *The Nuttall Encyclopædia* and possessing a specific timeline of events.
- **Multilingual Recognition:** Having aliases and titles in over a dozen languages, including "Levant ottoman" (French), "奥斯曼叙利亚" (Chinese), and "سوريا في العهد العثماني" (Arabic).

## Body

### Historical Context and Timeline
Ottoman Syria is defined as the region of Syria under the dominion of the Ottoman Empire. This historical period began in **1516** and concluded in **1918**, placing it firmly within the **modern period** of history. The entity succeeded **medieval Syria** and was ultimately dissolved, abolished, or demolished in **1918**. Following its dissolution, the region came under the **Occupied Enemy Territory Administration**.

The timeline of Ottoman Syria includes significant military and social disruptions, most notably the **First Egyptian-Ottoman War** and the **1838 Druze revolt**. These events are integral to the history of the topic. The region is widely recognized in academic and encyclopedic sources, including the **The Nuttall Encyclopædia** (which refers to it simply as "Syria") and various national library authority files such as the **Library of Congress** (ID: sh85131703) and the **Bibliothèque nationale de France** (ID: 119948911).

### Geography and Administration
Geographically, Ottoman Syria was located in **Asia** within the **Fertile Crescent**. The specific coordinates for the region are **latitude 34 and longitude 37**. It shared a direct border with **Ottoman Iraq**.

As a political entity, it functioned as a **dependent territory**—defined as a territory that does not possess full political independence as a sovereign state—and an **administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire**. The **official language** of the administration was **Ottoman Turkish**.

The region was composed of several distinct sub-regions and administrative units, specifically:
*   **Ottoman Palestine**
*   **Damascus Eyalet**
*   **Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem**

The monetary system in Ottoman Syria utilized the **Ottoman lira**, which was instituted in **1844** and remained in circulation until the region's end in **1918**.

### Nomenclature and Identifiers
Ottoman Syria is known by a wide variety of names and aliases across different languages and historical contexts. Common synonyms include **Ottoman Levant**, **Syria**, **Levant**, and **Eyalato de Siria**. Non-English designations include:
*   *Levant ottoman* (French)
*   *سوريا في العهد العثماني* / *بلاد الشام زمن الحكم العثماني* (Arabic)
*   *奥斯曼叙利亚* / *鄂图曼叙利亚* (Chinese)
*   *オスマン朝のシリア* / *オスマン帝国領シリア* (Japanese)

In linked open data and library science, the entity is identified by several specific IDs:
*   **Wikidata / Freebase ID:** /m/047bn12
*   **IDREF (France):** 028031687
*   **National Library of Israel J9U ID:** 987007556051905171
*   **Czech National Library Authority ID:** ge1244048 (osmanská Sýrie)
*   **Yale Lux ID:** place/a3f14818-a8e5-4a0a-a352-4b356e8cc968
*   **FactGrid Item ID:** PF-89

### Digital Presence and Media
The entity has a significant digital footprint with a **sitelink count of 29** across various Wikipedia language editions, including English, Arabic (ar), Spanish (es), French (fr), Hebrew (he), and Turkish (tr), among others (ast, az, ca, ckb, cs, da, el, fa, hy, id, it, ko, mk, ms, nn, pnb, pt, ru, uk, ur, vi).

Visual representation of Ottoman Syria is maintained through:
*   **Flag Image:** [Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1922)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Flag_of_the_Ottoman_Empire_(1844–1922).svg)
*   **Locator Map:** [Ottoman Syria Map](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Ottoman_Syria.png)
*   **Commons Gallery:** Ottoman Syria
*   **Main Category:** Category:Ottoman Syria

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. Czech National Authority Database
3. FactGrid
4. National Library of Israel