Summary
Ruler of Acre (1805-1819), successor to Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar, whose decentralized political and fiscal policies and relaxation of control over the collection and sale of cotton, grains and other commercial commodities heralded, in Doumani’s account, the slow decline from above of the Politics of monopoly in northern Palestine (Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900, lines 2167-2330).
Details
- The contrast with his predecessor is symbolized by their appellations: Jazzar (butcher) versus Adil (just) (Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900, lines 2167-2330).
- To reduce expenses and minimize the threat of rebellion, Sulayman Pasha gutted al-Jazzar’s formidable military machine and relaxed his political control over Acre’s dependencies; according to his sympathetic scribe he preferred diplomacy over violence and rarely interfered in the affairs of his appointees (Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900, lines 2167-2330).
- In 1806/1807 he turned day-to-day operations over to his three main advisors: Ali Pasha, his deputy; Haim Farhi, his financial manager; and Ibrahim Awra, his head scribe, all with strong relations with the local merchant community (Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900, lines 2167-2330).
- Merchants were no longer subject to routine extortion and confiscation as under al-Jazzar; Sulayman Pasha gave Acre merchants virtual ownership of the government-owned shops they had long rented, and many of al-Jazzar’s properties were sold off to them (Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900, lines 2167-2330).
- During his reign there were five permanent employees dealing solely with buying, storing and selling cotton, more than for any other agricultural product, including wheat (Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900, lines 2167-2330).
Related pages
Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900, Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar, Haim Farhi, Acre, Politics of monopoly