page_title: Sultan al-Atrash
section_title: Role in the Arab revolt
hierarchical_section_title: Sultan al-Atrash / Role in the Arab revolt
caption_attribution_description: Sultan Pasha al-Atrash (1885-1982), Commander of the Syrian Revolution of 1925-1927
context_page_description: Sultan al-Atrash, commonly known as Sultan Pasha al-Atrash was a prominent Arab Druze leader, Syrian nationalist and Commander General of the Syrian Revolution. He fought against the Ottomans and the French. One of the most influential figures in Syrian and Druze history, he played a major role in deciding the destiny of Jabal al-Druze and of Syria in general.
context_section_description: Sami Pasha used military force and trickery and succeeded at last in occupying Jabal el Druze. He sent hundreds of young Druze to fight in the Balkans, Sultan among them. However, during the first World War, the Ottomans left Jabal el Druze in peace as they feared rebellion. Sultan was then able to get in touch with Pan-Arab movements and especially with the Arab Revolt in Hijaz. As the revolt started he raised the Arab flag on the citadel of Salkhad and on his own house.
  When Arab forces reached Aqaba, he sent a thousand men to join the revolt. He joined them himself, with another 300 men, when they reached Bosra. His forces were the first to enter Damascus and raise the Arab revolt flag on the government house on September 29, 1918.
  Sultan was a good friend of the Hashemite Emir Faisal, leader of the Arab forces in the revolt, and was awarded the title of Emir and the rank of a General in the Syrian army, the equivalent of the title of Pasha. Faisal, later king of Iraq, helped Sultan a lot during his years in exile.
  The newly independent kingdom of Syria didn't survive for long, as it was occupied by France after the Battle of Maysalun on July 24, 1920. Sultan was gathering his men to fight the French but the quick succession of events cut his efforts short, as French forces entered Damascus and the country was divided into five states, Jabal el Druze being one of them.
caption: Portrait
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