Historical dictionary of the Druzes
By: Samy Swayd.
Series: Historical dictionaries of people and cultures ;; no. 3
Publisher: Scarecrow Press, Inc.
Published: 2006
Place of publication: Lanham, Md
Language: eng
Number of pages: 209
Subjects: Druzes -- History -- Dictionaries.
Genres: Dictionaries.
Description: "The Druzes are one of the smallest, least studied, and most esoteric religious communities in the Middle East because of the teachings' inaccessibility to both outsiders and uninitiated members within the Druze community. Furthermore, proselytizing has been prohibited since the establishment of the sect in the 11th century. In order to resist assimilation by the various empires and colonial powers that sought to dominate them (the Byzantines, Arab dynasties, the Mamluks and Ottomans, the British and French, in addition to the nations that govern them), the Druzes disguise and conceal their beliefs . Historical Dictionary of the Druzes contains nearly 1,000 concise and informative entries on religious, political, and cultural themes, as well as major families and individuals (artists, writers, diplomats, and leaders) who have contributed to Druze communities. Also provided are a chronology, introductory essay, bibliography, and several maps, plates, and genealogical tables."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: Editor's foreword / Jon Woronoff; title: Preface; title: Acknowledgements; title: Note on translation and transliteration; title: Acronyms and abbreviations; title: Maps; title: Druze communities in the Middle East; title: Druze villages and towns in Lebanon; title: Druze villages and towns in Syria; title: Druze villages and towns in Israel; title: Chronology; title: Introduction; title: The dictionary; title: Appendixes; title: Fatimi caliphs; title: Buhturi emirs; title: Ma'ni emirs; title: Shihabi emirs; title: Bibliography; title: About the author.