From the sixteenth century until 1918, the area of Syria (that includes modern day Lebanon), made up only a small part of the vast Ottoman Empire that extended from central Europe, east to Persia, down to the south of the Arabian Peninsular and across most of North Africa.

Lebanon as a state is a relatively new arrangement, being formed in the 1920s by the central part of the Ottoman vilayet (province) of Beirut, and later, the Beqaa Valley that at the time was part of the Vilayet of Syria.

Intercommunity fighting in 1859 and 1869, culminating in the massacre of over 10,000 Marionites led France, alarmed at the plight of fellow christians, to sent troops into Beirut to end the bloodshed and restore order.

When the French lost control of Egypt, they focused on Syria as a possible land link with the Indian Ocean. They strengthened their ties with minority groups in Mt Lebanon and the Syria/Palestine area, and took the Catholic communities in the Middle East under their wing. The French founded a system of educational facilities, and by 1914 more than half the children attending school in Syria and Palestine were studying at French institutions.

Under French pressure, the Ottomans reorganised the area of Mount Lebanon into a single administrative unit, named the Mutasarrifa (Special province) of Mt Lebanon under the control of a Christian Ottoman Governer. Marionite, Christian and French interests flourished.

The whole area prospered, and with it a revival of Arabic literature, Arab nationalism, and a desire to remove their Ottoman rulers.The whole area prospered, and with it a revival of Arabic literature, Arab nationalism -and a desire to remove their Ottoman rulers.

But the French, though happy with the economy, failed to hear the warning bells.