Cheikh Abi Nader El Khazen’s Role in Returning the Christians of Keserwan Back Home

06 April 2008

In 1598, Emir Fakhr Al Din appointed Cheikh Ibrahim (Abi Sakr) an assistant to his authority and his brother Rabah (Abi Safi), a chief of staff. But in 1600, Cheikh Abi Sakr died so his older son, Cheikh Abi Nader, replaced him, and when Emir Fakhr Al Din retuned back from Tuscany, he granted Cheikh Abi Nader ownership over Keserwan the county. So Cheikh Abi Nader started rebuilding it after it was destroyed a century and a half ago and its people fled it. Following this, Cheikh Abi Nader bought all their properties from who held them, and in year 1620, he bought from Pasha Youssef, governor of Tripoli, all properties he took from Assaf Emirs who were governors of Keserwan where their dynasty ended in year 1593 when the above Pasha assassinated Emir Mohammed and married his wife. These properties start from Beirut till Ghazir. At the same time, he worked on getting all the Christians who fled Kesserwan back home granting them properties to live in and a source of living. He also persuaded Emir Fakhr Al Din to grant them a Emir-hood fee exemption and concentrated on development of Agriculture in the county imitating what he had learnt when he visited Duke of Tuscany. He carried on corresponding with him in order to learn more about the issue. In 1635, he initiated silk commerce in Sidon and Beirut and brought to Lebanon cotton and silk clothing for its residents. He was the first to bring all the Christians who fled Keserwan back home, and afterwards, grant them areas to live in and settle down. He died in year 1647.