Ottoman Syria Ottoman Syria refers to divisions of the Ottoman Empire within the Levant , usually defined as the region east of the Mediterranean Sea , west of the Euphrates River , north of the Arabian Desert and south of the Taurus Mountains . Ottoman Syria became organized by the Ottomans upon conquest from the Mamluks in the early 16th century into Eyalets ( provinces ) of Damascus and Aleppo . Elayet of Tripoli was formed in 1579 and later Eyalet of Adana was split from Aleppo . In 1660 , Eyalet of Safed was established and shortly renamed into Eyalet of Sidon . The Eyalets were later transformed into the Vilayet of Syria , the Vilayet of Aleppo and the Vilayet of Beirut , following the 1864 Tanzimat reforms . History . Before 1516 , Syria was part of the Mamluk Empire centered in Egypt . The Ottoman Sultan Selim I conquered Syria in 1516 after defeating the Mamlukes at the Battle of Marj Dabiq near Aleppo in northern Syria . Selim carried on his victorious campaign against the Mamlukes and conquered Egypt in 1517 following the Battle of Ridanieh , bringing an end to the Mamluk Sultanate . Administrative divisions . When he first seized Syria in 1516 , Selim I kept the administrative subdivisions of the Mamluk period unchanged . After he came back from Egypt in July 1517 , he reorganized Syria into one large province or eyalet named " Şam " ( Arabic / Turkish for " Syria " ) . The eyalet was subdivided into several districts or sanjaks . 1549 . In 1549 , Syria was reorganized into two eyalets . The northern Sanjak of Aleppo became the center of the new Eyalet of Aleppo . At this time , the two Syrian Eyalets were subdivided as follows : 1579 . In 1579 , the Eyalet of Tripoli was established under the name of " Tripoli of Syria " ( Turkish : " Trablusşam " ) ( Arabic : طرابلس الشام ) . At this time , the eyalets became as follows : The Eyalet of Aleppo included the Sanjaks of Aleppo , Adana , Marash , Aintab , and Urfa . The Eyalet of Tripoli included the Sanjaks of Tripoli , Latakia , Hama and Homs . The Eyalet of Damascus included the Sanjaks of Damascus , Beirut , Sidon , Acre , Safad , Nablus , Jerusalem , Gaza , Hauran and Ma ' an 1660 . The Eyalet of Safad was established in 1660 . It was later renamed the Eyalet of Sidon , and later , the Eyalet of Beirut . 1833 – 1840 . In 1833 , the Syrian provinces were ceded to Muhammed Ali of Egypt in the Convention of Kutahya . The firman stated that " The governments of Candia and Egypt are continued to Mahomet Ali . And in reference to his special claim , I have granted him the provinces of Damascus , Tripoli - in - Syria , Sidon , Saphet , Aleppo , the districts of Jerusalem and Nablous , with the conduct of pilgrims and the commandment of the Tcherde ( the yearly offering to the tomb of the Prophet ) . His son , Ibrahim Pacha , has again the title of Sheikh and Harem of Mekka , and the district of Jedda ; and farther , I have acquiesced in his request to have the district of Adana ruled by the Treasury of Taurus , with the title of Mohassil . " 1861 . Following the massacre of thousands of Christian civilians during the 1860 Lebanon conflict , and under a growing European pressure , mainly from France , an Ottoman edict issued in 1861 transformed " Al Kaimaqumyateen , " the former regime based on religious rule that led to civil war , into the " Mutesarrifiyyet " governed by a " Mutasarrıf " who according to law had to be a non - Lebanese Christian . 1864 . As part of the Tanzimat reforms , an Ottoman law passed in 1864 provided for a standard provincial administration throughout the empire with the Eyalets becoming smaller " Vilayets " governed by a " Wali " or governor still appointed by the Porte but with new provincial assemblies participating in administration . 1874 . In 1874 Jerusalem and the surrounding towns became the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem , gaining a special administrative status . 1877 . In 1877 , the subdivisions of Syria were