Who was Ahmud Pasha (al-Jazzar)?

The Ottoman Empire was a vast empire that by the late 17th century covered large parts of Southeast Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The empire began after the defeat of the Mamluks by Sultan Selim I. Suleiman the Magnificent was the tenth sultan and is usually regarded as the greatest Ottoman ruler due to his political, military and cultural achievements. However, following his death in 1566 and the reigns of his heirs, there was internal strife and a gradual decline in the central authority of the sultanate.

Zahir al-Umar (otherwise known as Doher El-Omar) was a local Bedouin chieftain who initially worked as a tax collector for the Ottoman authorities, but by the 1740s he had accumulated enough power and influence to become the autonomous governor of the Galilee. His rule introduced stability and prosperity to this part of Israel. He initially made Tiberias his capital, but later moved his capital to Acre. and transformed it into a major trade hub. He fortified the city, expanded its harbor, and encouraged economic growth. He is remembered as a visionary leader who modernized Acre and defied Ottoman centralization.

Zahir al-Umar also appreciated the benefits of having Jews in his kingdom. Being dependent on his largesse, they were guaranteed to remain loyal subjects. He provided financial incentives for Jews to settle and engage in commerce in his kingdom and enacted laws to safeguard their safety. He encouraged Rabbi Chayim Abulafia to bring his community from Smyrna in Western Turkey and to establish a Jewish community in Tiberias. 

Zahir al-Umar’s rule was independent of the Ottomans and he defied their central authority by allying with European powers and maintaining a strong military presence. However, this independence led the Ottoman Sultan to view him as a rebel and in 1775, Sultan Abdulhamid I ordered an Ottoman military campaign to crush Zahir al-Umar’s rule. Muhammad Abu al-Dhahab and Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar launched an attack on Acre. Zahir al-Umar attempted to flee, but was killed by Ottoman forces near the city.

After Zahir’s defeat, the Ottomans needed a strong governor to restore direct imperial rule in the region. Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar, a Bosnian military officer who had proven his loyalty and ruthlessness, was appointed as the new governor of Sidon Eyalet, which included Acre.

Ahmad Pasha’s nickname and favored name was al-Jazzar, meaning “the Butcher,” earned because of his ruthlessness and cruelty. He was particularly known for his brutal methods of torture and execution. On the other hand, he was a very strong and effective administrator and the reforms he initiated led to improved economic development in the area.

Al-Jazzar constructed a number of public buildings in Acco. He strengthened the existing walls of the city and fortified the city’s seafront. This enabled him to successfully resist the siege of the city by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799. This led to Napoleon abandoning his attempt to create a French empire in the Middle East and crawling back home without his army.

Al-Jazzar built the Hammam al-Pasha, which was one of the finest bathhouses in this region. He erected the Khan al-Umdan, a large caravanserai center for trade, commerce and accommodation. This building has been preserved and contained shops, cafes and restaurants. The Jezzar Pesha Mosque (White Mosque) which he also built remains a prominent landmark in the city and is open for Muslim prayer.

Acco remained important but began to decline after Ahmad Pasha’s death in 1804. In 1831, the Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali’s son, Ibrahim Pasha, captured Acre and ruled it for nearly a decade. The city was retaken by the Ottomans in 1840 with European support. In 1918, the British captured the city, marking the end of Ottoman rule and the beginning of British Mandate Palestine.