Sheikh, Beyk,... Origins of these titles?

[cedarheart]

Some families in Lebanon hold some titles of which they are proud and make a big deal about them. Mostly feudal titles. Example:
Sheikh: Khazen, Gemayel, Abi Nader, Khoury, etc... (seems that most of them are maronite families from Mount-Lebanon and the North)
Beyk: Jumblat, Karam,...
Emir: Chehab, Arslan, Abi Lamaa,..
Also seems that these titles are mostly concentrated in the Mount-Lebanon/North areas.
Where did these families get those titles from? from whom? who gave it to them? Are they all related to the ottoman empire days? Is it true that the maronite church used to name "sheikhs of the church" (machayikh el kanissa)?

Note: I'm not criticizing these families (they all have good and bad people just like all families) it's just that i'm trying to understand better this "feudal" heritage, and that's why this thread is in the educational section. If you have supporting documents for your answers it'll be great, this way we can keep things educational.
Thank you

[Fragrance of Roses]

I know that the Emirs were all of a Druze origin (Chehab and Abi Lame3) but they converted to Christianity.
The Beiks were granted their titles by the ottomans!! They were mostly BigBashies who fought with the Ottomans. They preserved their lands by doing that, and preserved the entity of Lebanon (which then consisted of Mount Lebanon only)
The Sheikhs got their titles the same way as well, and some Druze families got their "mashyakha" titles from "Mashyakhat el 3a2il." Some families hold both titles in the Chouf, like Marwan Hamadeh for example: His grandfather was Sheikh 3a2il (in addition to six others from the Hamadeh family of Baakleen who held the title), and he is a Beik too! He has both titles but uses none!
I know other members of this forum who can explain the Christian Mashyakha for you better than I can.
Yallah, I'll be looking forward to reading more about this topic with you!!!

[Souss]

These titles take their sources from the Ottoman hierarchy. You had the sultan at the top of course, and then the Wali (which was ottoman), then Emir, Mouqaddam and Cheikh.

Bek was a Turkish title given to rulers of tribal groups. Under the Ottoman Empire a bek was the governor of a province. But it's pretty loosely used, so that's why it can be sometimes confusing.

Just a clarification Abir, not all Emirs were druze. Fakhreddine al Ma3ni for example was druze, but Emir Bashir II Chehab was sunni, and then converted to maronitism to become the first christian Emir.

[une concernee]

As Souss said these titles ar all taken from the Ottoman hierarchy.. they had a certain politicy that allows the rich people to buy these titles (and this was adopted in lebanon and may be still exist).. Concerning the mountains it's not only in the North but in all of lebanon were poor people used to call the rich ones by titles even if they hadn't bought one, specially if this person was new into their country.. and they used to accord the title "sheikh" to the Moukhtar for his post because usually "sheikh" means educated, and from here we can explain why old people are called "sheikh and sheikha" as if they have live for long time and known what is life, so experience taught them and educated them.. However i think that for this same reason we have "sheikh" in islam (the one who studied islam religion and is supposed to know it very good and becomes as a reference).. and we should not forget the Hachem family who are also "beit masheyikh" (muslim and chistian) and this is related to their origins from Sulalet An-Nabi..

Concerning Emir, it's related to their post as Princes and it could be bought too just like "bek.. unfortunality i do not have a lot of details about the meaning of "bek" .. i'll try to look for it..

[Fragrance of Roses]

Originally Posted by Souss

Just a clarification Abir, not all Emirs were druze. Fakhreddine al Ma3ni for example was druze, but Emir Bashir II Chehab was sunni, and then converted to maronitism to become the first christian Emir.

Actually ya masculin Souss, Emir Bashir El Chehabi known as "Abu Sa3da" was born Druze, lived a Christian, and died a Muslim... He converted to Islam on his death bed. The Chehabs were Druze Emirs.
There is also Mashyakha by Ikta3iyeh!! Those were owners of vast land in Lebanon, and that's how they got their titles...exactly like the noble families in England. Many guaranteed the continuity of their titles through fighting for their lands against foreign oppressors....I cannot refer to my history books to give you more insightful details, since all my good history books are all in Lebanon!

[Souss]

Akh Ya Abir you disappoint me, although the "masculine Souss" is appreciated thank you (said in a rugged way).

The Chehabs were Sunni all the way. Although they had druze followers, there is no druze Chehab. I repeat Bashir II was a born a sunni, and converted to christianity later.

You're thinking too much about that June 4th meeting, it's distracting you ;)
I suggest you dust off the history books and open 'em! :)

[Fragrance of Roses]

Ok Ok!!!! I found a good book that says what follows:
"After his removal [fakhreddine Al Maani] the Ottomans found, in 1667, a new local ally to do their bidding in Fakhreddine's grand nephew, Ahmad Maan. He was awarded an emirate that was annually renewable and encompassed the Chouf and Kesrouane, but excluded the coastal towns. When he died without an heir in 1697, the emirate passed to the Shihab family, Sunni descendants of the Maans through the female line." In the second half of the 18th century they began to convert to Christianity and by 1770 all Shihab emirs were Maronite."
All's well that ends well
I stand corrected, but I've proven my point that they had something to do with the Druze!! LOL
(I Laves messin with ya Masculin Sous! I shall dust off my history books and smack you with one on the head when I see you on June 3rd) You'll be there, won't you?

[Leb Lady]

just a clarification: the titles are not all from the ottoman:
In druze community we have moukaddamin, emir...
Bek is an ottoman title
and as for Cheikh it is a title given by the emir to some feodal families and the 7 family are
Khazen,Raffoul, Karam, Aouad, Azar, Khoury and forgot the other (I have to ask my father)
but for sure Gemayel are not cheikh neither all the new ones

[Fragrance of Roses]

Leb Lady, excuse my ignorance, but who are the "Moukaddamin?"

[Leb Lady]

it is a title found only in the druze community which is higer in rank than Cheikh