Maronites | Sanjak of Alexandretta, Syria

Maronites -- Christians of Maronite Church -- from Mount Lebanon & surrounding regions, Levant -- name derived from Syrian Christian, Saint Maron -- followers migrated to Mount Lebanon from prior residence of Antioch -- Antioch formerly Greek city, site of early Christianity, in Anatolia -- subsequently fell to Islamic invaders -- sovereignty of Hatay province (capital the former Antioch) -- currently disputed with Syria Sanjak of Alexandretta (Hatay Province) -- province separated against stipulations of French Mandate of Syria -- subsequent to Syria's independence from Ottoman Empire post WWI -- Syria has never formally renounced title to Hatay Province -- earlier, Hatay Province controllers: --     -- Akkadian Empire (Semitic / Akkadian & Sumerian / now Iraq              /  Sumerian eventually assimilated) --     -- Amorite Kingdom (Semitic, Syrian) --     -- Hittites (Anatolian, Indo-European) --     -- Neo-Hittites (Hattena, giving Hatay name) = Syro-Hittites --     -- Neo-Hittite / Syro-Hittite languages: Luwian - language of Trojans Aramaic - ancient Aram, now Syria Phoenician - Semitic, Lebanon, Syria (lang. of Canaan) --     -- Assyrians (part Iraq, Syria, Turkey, part Iran)        -- capital:  Assur, (now Iraq) --     -- brief occupation:  Urartu (Ararat cognate) - Armenian --     -- Persians (Iran) --     -- Hellenistic Seleucid Empire (centre) - Macedonian --     -- Roman Empire regional centre --     -- 638 AD:  conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate --     -- 969 AD:  Antioch recaptured by Byzantine Empire --     -- 1084 AD:  captured by Seljuk Turk, Suleiman I --     -- 1098 AD:  captured by Crusaders --     -- 1268 AD:  captured by Mameluks (Arabic slave soldiers caste) -- -- Ottomans referred to Hatay Province region as 'sanjak' (governate of Alexandretta -- 1911:  majority Arab with smaller communities of Armenians & Turks -- considered by many to be traditionally part of Syria -- 1764 maps confirm this -- WWI Ottomans on losing side -- Alexandretta / Hatay Province occupied by British -- armistice of Mudros signed 1918 -- handed to France by British like rest of Syria -- Alexandretta / Hatay province within French mandate of Syria -- following signing of Treaty of Sevres (allies & turkey) -- treaty not ratified by Ottoman parliament or Turkish National Movement -- Treaty of Laussane (subsequent) -- also put Alexandretta / Hatay province with Syria -- Oct 1921 - French-Turkish treaty renders Alexandretta / Hatay autonomous -- Hatay / Alexandretta authonomous:  1921-1923 -- population inc. Turks, Arabs (of misc. religions), -- Greek Catholics, Syriacc-Maronites, Jews -- Syriacs, Kurds, Armenians -- 1923:  Hatay attached to State of Aleppo -- 1925:  Hatay directly attached to French mandate of Syria -- nonetheless, Turks remained in Hatay -- Mustafa Kemal argued Hatay had been 'Turkish homeland' for 4,000 years --  presuming that ancient peoples of Anatolia & Middle East --  eg. Sumerians & Hittites were related to Turks --  However, Turks first appeared in Anatolia --  during 11th Century invasion by Seljuk Turks --  who occupied Abbasid Empire eastern province & captured Baghdad --  1930s pan-Arab movement / suppressed by France & Turkey --  Republic of Hatay proclaimed 1938 --  joint French & Turkish military supervision -- 1939:  referendum - Hatay becomes Turkish province -- referendum / labelled phoney / rigged -- for referendum, Turkey crossed TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TURKS INTO HATAY TO VOTE -- Turks reportedly born Hatay but living elsewhere in Turkey -- note also:  League of Nations - 1938 registered Turkish voters no more than 46% of the population -- 1937 & 1938 Turkey govt had local authorities make lists of employees originally from Hatay -- those listed were sent by Turkish govt to Hatay to register as citizens & to vote     -- way for French to let Turks take over     -- in hope Turks would turn on Third Reich Germany -- Syrian president resigned in protest at French intervention in Syrian affairs -- French were obliged to refuse annexation under: -- Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence of 1936 -- Turkey then incorporated various districts into Hatay -- annexation then resulted in subsequent demographic changes -- inhabitants given choice between staying & becoming Turkish citizens -- or emigrating & acquiring citizenship of French mandated Syria or Greater Lebanon -- almost half Sunni Arabs leave -- many Armenian families (1,068) got to Beqaa Valley, Lebanon -- other Armenians fled to French Mandate of Syria -- total leaving for Syria estimated at 50,000 -- Syrians maintain land illegally ceded to Turkey by France (mandatory occupying power 1930s) -- Hatay is still considered integral part of Syrian territory -- Hatay known as:  Liwa' aliskenderun ('Sanjak of Alexandretta') rather than Turkish elected name of 'Hatay' -- Syrian maps still show Hatay as part of Syria    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatay_Province Sanjak of Alexandretta On behalf of the League of Nations, representatives of: France United Kingdom Netherlands Belgium Turkey prepared a constitution for Syrian Sanjak of Alexandretta new statute came into power in November 1937 Sanjak becoming 'distinct but not separated' from Syria on the diplomatic level linked to both France and Turkey militarily https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatay_State Antioch -- Antioch is the cradle of Christianity -- pivotal role in emergence of:     -- Hellenistic Judaism     -- early Christianity -- name 'Christian' first emerged in Antioch -- declined in significance Middle Ages -- due to:     -- warfare     -- repeated earthquakes     -- change in trade routes (after Mongol conquests) [wikipedia] COMMENT The French capitalists are as despicable as the English, and they're often in partnerships, I believe. Syria ought to be given a portion of France as compensation.  Turkey is right up there on the untrustworthy list.   *The list just got longer:  France, UK & Turkey robbed Syria, along with:  Netherlands & Belgium.