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85-602: Located on the ancient trade route " strata coloniensis " the Lotharingian hamlet of Medamana ( engl. between the streams , which bears an etymological similarity to the origins of the name for the Northern Italian city of Milan ( lat. Mediolanum )) first appeared in the charter of the last Carolingian King, Louis the Child , 904 AD, thus existing "officially" for more than 1100 years. In 1363 Mettmann

170-686: A British contingent) were deployed in Beirut after the Israeli siege of the city , to supervise the evacuation of the PLO. The civil war re-emerged in September 1982 after the assassination of Lebanese President Bachir Gemayel , an Israeli ally, and subsequent fighting. During this time a number of sectarian massacres occurred, such as in Sabra and Shatila , and in several refugee camps . The multinational force

255-670: A defeat to the French at the Battle of Maysalun , the kingdom was dissolved. Around the same time, at the San Remo Conference , tasked with deciding the fate of former Ottoman territories, it was determined that Syria and Lebanon would fall under French rule; Shortly afterward, the formal division of territories took place in the Treaty of Sèvres , signed a few months later. On 1 September 1920, Greater Lebanon , or Grand Liban ,

340-724: A duchy in its own right, and about 925 Duke Gilbert declared homage to the German king Henry the Fowler , an act which King Rudolph of France was helpless to revert. From that time on Lotharingia (or Lorraine) remained a German stem duchy, the border with France did not change throughout the Middle Ages. In 959 King Henry's son Duke Bruno the Great divided Lotharingia into two duchies: Lower and Upper Lorraine (or Lower and Upper Lotharingia) and granted Count Godfrey I of Mons (Hainaut)

425-679: A formula for the de-confessionalization of the Lebanese political system. The civil war ended at the end of 1990 after 16 years; it had caused massive loss of human life and property and devastated the country's economy. It is estimated that 150,000 people were killed and another 200,000 wounded. Nearly a million civilians were displaced by the war, and some never returned. Parts of Lebanon were left in ruins. The Taif Agreement has still not been implemented in full and Lebanon's political system continues to be divided along sectarian lines. Conflict between Israel and Lebanese militants continued, leading to

510-484: A ground invasion of southern Lebanon , resulting in the 2006 Lebanon War . The conflict was officially ended by the UNSC Resolution 1701 on 14 August 2006, which ordered a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and the disarmament of Hezbollah. Some 1,191 Lebanese and 160 Israelis were killed in the conflict. Beirut's southern suburb was heavily damaged by Israeli airstrikes. In 2007,

595-507: A large degree of autonomy despite the succession of rulers over Lebanon and Syria. The relative isolation of the Lebanese mountains meant the mountains served as a refuge in the times of religious and political crises in the Levant . As such, the mountains displayed religious diversity and the existence of several well-established sects and religions, notably, Maronites , Druze , Shiite Muslims , Ismailis , Alawites and Jacobites . After

680-563: A national unity government was established, granting a veto to the opposition. The agreement was a victory for opposition forces, as the government caved in to all their main demands. In early January 2011, the national unity government collapsed due to growing tensions stemming from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon , which was expected to indict Hezbollah members for the Hariri assassination. The parliament elected Najib Mikati ,

765-563: A reduced area under closer Ottoman supervision until the late 17th century. On the death of the last Maan emir , various members of the Shihab clan ruled Mount Lebanon until 1830. While the history of Druze-Christian relations in Lebanon has generally been marked by harmony and peaceful coexistence, there were occasional periods of tension, notably during the 1860 Mount Lebanon civil war , during which around 10,000 Christians were killed by

850-462: A regional center for finance and trade. In May 1948, Lebanon supported neighboring Arab countries in a war against Israel . While some irregular forces crossed the border and carried out minor skirmishes against Israel, it was without the support of the Lebanese government, and Lebanese troops did not officially invade. Lebanon agreed to support the forces with covering artillery fire, armored cars, volunteers and logistical support. On 5–6 June 1948,

935-443: A relative of Uthman, serving as the governor. Mu'awiya sent forces to the coastal region of Lebanon, prompting conversions to Islam among the coastal population. However, the mountainous areas retained their Christian or other cultural practices. Despite Islam and Arabic becoming officially dominant, the population's conversion from Christianity and Syriac language was gradual. The Maronite community, in particular, managed to maintain

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1020-612: A series of assassinations that resulted in the death of many prominent Lebanese figures. The assassination triggered the Cedar Revolution , a series of demonstrations which demanded the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the establishment of an international commission to investigate the assassination. Under pressure from the West, Syria began withdrawing, and by 26 April 2005 all Syrian soldiers had returned to Syria. UNSC Resolution 1595 called for an investigation into

1105-518: A series of violent events and clashes including the Qana massacre . In May 2000, Israeli forces fully withdrew from Lebanon. Since then, 25 May is regarded by the Lebanese as the Liberation Day . The internal political situation in Lebanon significantly changed in the early 2000s. After the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the death of former president Hafez al-Assad in 2000,

1190-699: A severe famine. During the war, approximately 100,000 people in Beirut and Mount Lebanon died due to starvation. Amidst the height of the First World War , the Sykes–Picot Agreement of 1916, a secret pact between Britain and France, delineated Lebanon and its surrounding areas as regions open to potential French influence or control. After the Allies emerged victorious in the war, the Ottoman Empire ultimately collapsed, losing control over

1275-527: A temporary embargo on the export of U.S. aircraft to Israel. In August 1981, defense minister Ariel Sharon began to draw up plans to attack PLO military infrastructure in West Beirut, where PLO headquarters and command bunkers were located. In 1982, PLO attacks from Lebanon on Israel led to an Israeli invasion , aiming to support Lebanese forces in driving out the PLO. A multinational force of American, French and Italian contingents (joined in 1983 by

1360-722: A vanguard of the US Ninth Army and then became a part of the British military administration under which the Northern Rhineland was redemocratised . Since 1946, Mettmann is a part of the Land North Rhine-Westphalia and from 1949 of West Germany . Since 1990 it belongs to the unified Federal Republic of Germany . In the years following Germany's loss of World War II in 1945, Mettmann saw significant population increases driven mostly by

1445-697: Is the country's capital and largest city. Human habitation in Lebanon dates to 5000 BC. From 3200 to 539 BC, it was part of Phoenicia , a maritime empire that stretched the Mediterranean Basin . In 64 BC, the region became part of the Roman Empire , and later the Byzantine Empire . After the 7th century, it came under the rule of different caliphates , including the Rashidun , Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphate . The 11th century saw

1530-467: The 2020 Beirut explosion , precipitated the collapse of Lebanon's currency and fomented political instability, widespread resource shortages, and high unemployment and poverty . The World Bank has defined Lebanon's economic crisis as one of the world's worst since the 19th century. Despite the country's small size, Lebanese culture is renowned both in the Arab world and globally, powered primarily by

1615-617: The Bible , King Hiram of Tyre collaborated closely with Solomon , supplying cedar logs for Solomon's Temple and sending skilled workers. The Phoenicians are credited with the invention of the oldest verified alphabet , which subsequently inspired the Greek alphabet and the Latin one thereafter. In the 9th century BC, Phoenician colonies , including Carthage in present-day Tunisia and Cádiz in present-day Spain , flourished throughout

1700-682: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the County of Tripoli as Roman Catholic Christian states along the coast. These crusader states made a lasting impact on the region, though their control was limited, and the region returned to full Muslim control after two centuries following the conquest by the Mamluks. Among the most lasting effects of the Crusades in this region was the contact between the Franks (i.e.,

1785-916: The Lebanese diaspora . Lebanon is a founding member of the United Nations and of the Arab League , and is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement , the Organization of Islamic Cooperation , the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie , and the Group of 77 . The name of Mount Lebanon originates from the Phoenician root lbn ( 𐤋𐤁𐤍 ) meaning "white", apparently from its snow-capped peaks. Occurrences of

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1870-472: The Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon , administered by France , which established Greater Lebanon . By 1943, Lebanon had gained independence from Free France and established a distinct form of confessionalist government , with the state's major religious groups being apportioned specific political powers . The new Lebanese state was relatively stable after independence, but this was ultimately shattered by

1955-524: The Nahr al-Bared refugee camp became the center of the 2007 Lebanon conflict between the Lebanese Army and Fatah al-Islam . At least 169 soldiers, 287 insurgents and 47 civilians were killed in the battle. Funds for the reconstruction of the area have been slow to materialize. Between 2006 and 2008, a series of protests led by groups opposed to the pro-Western Prime Minister Fouad Siniora demanded

2040-643: The Republic of Lebanon , is a country in the Levant region of West Asia , bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west; Cyprus lies a short distance from the country's coastline. It is at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula . Lebanon has a population of more than five million and an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi). Beirut

2125-584: The Rhenish - Westphalian majority population and its traditions. Due to festivals and other events that took place in Mettmann to which many Brazilians were flown in, the town also became the host of a sizeable Brazilian community, this fact was also featured in the German movie Samba in Mettmann by the German/Italian filmmaker duo Hape Kerkeling and Angelo Colagrossi. Mettmann gave its name to

2210-481: The Roman Empire during the early spread of the faith. During the late 4th and early 5th century, a hermit named Maron established a monastic tradition focused on the importance of monotheism and asceticism near the Mediterranean mountain range known as Mount Lebanon . The monks who followed Maron spread his teachings among Lebanese in the region. These Christians became known as Maronites and moved into

2295-725: The Tanzimat reform. After 1861 there existed an autonomous Mount Lebanon with a Christian mutasarrıf , which had been created as a homeland for the Maronites under European diplomatic pressure following the 1860 massacres. The Maronite Catholics and the Druze founded modern Lebanon in the early eighteenth century, through the ruling and social system known as the " Maronite-Druze dualism " in Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate. The Baalbek and Beqaa Valley and Jabal Amel

2380-618: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), charged with attempting to establish peace. Israeli forces withdrew later in 1978, but retained control of the southern region by managing a 19-kilometre-wide (12 mi) security zone along the border. These positions were held by the South Lebanon Army (SLA), a Christian militia under the leadership of Major Saad Haddad backed by Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister, Likud 's Menachem Begin , compared

2465-501: The Vichy High commissioner for Syria and Lebanon, played a major role in the independence of the nation. The Vichy authorities in 1941 allowed Germany to move aircraft and supplies through Syria to Iraq where they were used against British forces. The United Kingdom, fearing that Nazi Germany would gain full control of Lebanon and Syria by pressure on the weak Vichy government, sent its army into Syria and Lebanon . After

2550-543: The siege of Tyre in 332 BCE . In 64 BC, the Roman general Pompey had the region of Syria annexed into the Roman Republic . The area was then split into two Imperial Provinces under the Roman Empire , Coele-Syria and Phoenice , the latter which the land of present-day Lebanon was a part of. The region that is now Lebanon, as with the rest of Syria and much of Anatolia , became a major center of Christianity in

2635-651: The Children director estimated that 200,000–300,000 children were need of assistance and were living almost entirely on bread, which was subsidized by the government. Those who could relied on foreign assistance. Hezbollah was receiving about $ 3–5 million a month from Iran . In September 1988, the Parliament failed to elect a successor to President Gemayel as a result of differences between the Christians, Muslims, and Syrians. The Arab League Summit of May 1989 led to

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2720-576: The District of Mettmann . Although the administrative centre of the District of Mettmann changed often over the years, in 1954 the parliament of the Land North Rhine-Westphalia eventually decided to make Mettmann the district's administrative centre. In 1974–75, with the administrative boundary reform, the district lost several councils to the neighbouring cities Düsseldorf , Duisburg , Essen , and Wuppertal . The district name also changed from Düsseldorf-Mettmann to Mettmann during this reform. However,

2805-658: The Druze. Shortly afterwards, the Emirate of Mount Lebanon , which lasted about 400 years, was replaced by the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate , as a result of a European-Ottoman treaty called the Règlement Organique . The Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate (1861–1918, Arabic : متصرفية جبل لبنان ; Turkish : Cebel-i Lübnan Mutasarrıflığı ) was one of the Ottoman Empire 's subdivisions following

2890-454: The Duchy of Lower Lotharingia diminished and furthermore was affected by the conflict between Emperors Henry IV and Henry V : In 1100 Henry IV had enfeoffed Count Henry of Limburg , whom Henry V, having enforced the abdication of his father, immediately deposed and replaced by Count Godfrey I of Louvain . Upon the death of Duke Godfrey III in 1190, his son Duke Henry I of Brabant inherited

2975-792: The French mandate for both was legally terminated on that date and full independence attained. The last French troops withdrew in December 1946. Lebanon's unwritten National Pact of 1943 required that its president be Maronite Christian, its speaker of the parliament to be a Shia Muslim , its prime minister be Sunni Muslim , and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and the Deputy Prime Minister be Greek Orthodox . Lebanon's history since independence has been marked by alternating periods of political stability and turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on Beirut 's position as

3060-543: The French mandate may be said to have been terminated without any formal action on the part of the League of Nations or its successor the United Nations . The mandate was ended by the declaration of the mandatory power, and of the new states themselves, of their independence, followed by a process of piecemeal unconditional recognition by other powers, culminating in formal admission to the United Nations. Article 78 of

3145-761: The French) and the Maronites. Unlike most other Christian communities in the Eastern Mediterranean , who swore allegiance to Constantinople or other local patriarchs, the Maronites proclaimed allegiance to the Pope in Rome. As such the Franks saw them as Roman Catholic brethren. These initial contacts led to centuries of support for the Maronites from France and Italy, even after the fall of the Crusader states in

3230-682: The Haifa – Tel-Aviv road, shooting at passing vehicles in what became known as the Coastal Road massacre . They killed 37 and wounded 76 Israelis before being killed in a firefight with Israeli forces. Israel invaded Lebanon four days later in Operation Litani . The Israeli Army occupied most of the area south of the Litani River . The UN Security Council passed Resolution 425 calling for immediate Israeli withdrawal and creating

3315-447: The Islamic conquest, Mediterranean trade declined for three centuries due to conflicts with the Byzantines. The ports of Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, and Tripoli struggled to recover, sustaining small populations under Umayyad and Abbasid rule. Christians and Jews were often obligated to pay the jizya , or poll tax levied on non-Muslims. During the 980s, the Fatimid Caliphate took control of the Levant, including Mount Lebanon, resulting in

3400-689: The Lebanese army – led by the then Minister of National Defense , Emir Majid Arslan – captured Al-Malkiyya . This was Lebanon's only success in the war. 100,000 Palestinians fled to Lebanon because of the war. Israel did not permit their return after the cease-fire. As of 2017, between 174,000 and 450,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon with about half in refugee camps (although these are often decades old and resemble neighborhoods). Often Palestinians are legally barred from owning property or performing certain occupations. According to Human Rights Watch , Palestinian refugees in Lebanon live in "appalling social and economic conditions." In 1958, during

3485-410: The Maronites and other Lebanese factions. In 1975, following increasing sectarian tensions, largely boosted by Palestinian militant relocation into South Lebanon, a full-scale civil war broke out in Lebanon. The Lebanese Civil War pitted a coalition of Christian groups against the joint forces of the PLO , left-wing Druze and Muslim militias. In June 1976, Lebanese President Élias Sarkis asked for

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3570-417: The Mediterranean. Subsequently, foreign powers, starting with the Neo-Assyrian Empire , imposed tribute and attacked non-compliant cities. The Neo-Babylonian Empire took control in the 6th century BC. In 539 BC, The cities of Phoenicia were then incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great . The Phoenician city-states were later incorporated into the empire of Alexander the Great following

3655-524: The Muslim Caliphs and the people became more fully absorbed by the Arab culture. Following the fall of Roman Anatolia to the Muslim Turks, the Byzantines put out a call to the Pope in Rome for assistance in the 11th century. The result was a series of wars known as the Crusades launched by the Franks from Western Europe to reclaim the former Byzantine Christian territories in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially Syria and Palestine (the Levant ). The First Crusade succeeded in temporarily establishing

3740-407: The Shia cause in the Lebanese civil war, ending Western presence in Lebanon, and establishing a Shiite Khomeinist Islamic state . In the late 1980s, as Amine Gemayel ’s second term as president drew to an end, the Lebanese pound collapsed. At the end of 1987 US$ 1 was worth £L500. This meant the legal minimum wage was worth just $ 17 a month. Most goods in shops were priced in dollars. A Save

3825-438: The Syrian Army to intervene on the side of the Christians and help restore peace. In October 1976 the Arab League agreed to establish a predominantly Syrian Arab Deterrent Force , which was charged with restoring calm. PLO attacks from Lebanon into Israel in 1977 and 1978 escalated tensions between the countries. On 11 March 1978, 11 Fatah fighters landed on a beach in northern Israel and hijacked two buses full of passengers on

3910-399: The Syrian military presence faced criticism and resistance from the Lebanese population. On 14 February 2005, former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was assassinated in a car bomb explosion. Leaders of the March 14 Alliance accused Syria of the attack, while Syria and the March 8 Alliance claimed that Israel was behind the assassination. The Hariri assassination marked the beginning of

3995-468: The UN Charter ended the status of tutelage for any member state: "The trusteeship system shall not apply to territories which have become Members of the United Nations, relationship among which shall be based on respect for the principle of sovereign equality." So when the UN officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, after ratification of the United Nations Charter by the five permanent members , as both Syria and Lebanon were founding member states,

4080-445: The area. Soon after the war, Patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek , representing the Maronite Christians, successfully campaigned for an expanded territory at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference , also including areas with significant Muslim and Druze populations in addition to the Christian-dominated Mount Lebanon. In 1920, King Faisal I proclaimed the Arab Kingdom of Syria 's independence and asserted control over Lebanon. However, following

4165-529: The assassination. The United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission published preliminary findings on 20 October 2005 in the Mehlis report , which cited indications that the assassination was organized by Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services. On 12 July 2006, Hezbollah launched a series of rocket attacks and raids into Israeli territory, where they killed three Israeli soldiers and captured two others. Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery fire on targets in Lebanon, and

4250-416: The authority of the titular dukes of Lower Lotharingia ( Lothier ): Lebanon 33°50′N 35°50′E  /  33.833°N 35.833°E  / 33.833; 35.833 Lebanon ( / ˈ l ɛ b ə n ɒ n , - n ə n / LEB -ə-non, -⁠nən ; Arabic : لُبْنَان , romanized :  Lubnān , local pronunciation: [lɪbˈneːn] ), officially

4335-424: The creation of a national unity government, over which the mostly Shia opposition groups would have veto power. When Émile Lahoud 's presidential term ended in October 2007, the opposition refused to vote for a successor unless a power-sharing deal was reached, leaving Lebanon without a president. On 9 May 2008, Hezbollah and Amal forces, sparked by a government declaration that Hezbollah's communications network

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4420-478: The ducal title by order of Emperor Henry VI at the Diet of Schwäbisch Hall . Thereby the Duchy of Lower Lotharingia finally lost its territorial authority, while the remnant Imperial fief held by the dukes of Brabant was later called the Duchy of Lothier (or Lothryk). After the territorial power of the duchy was shattered, many fiefdoms came to imperial immediacy in its area. The most important ones of these were: The following successor states remained under

4505-562: The early 1960s, and followed by Turkey later that decade. These communities soon thrived and established cultural markers such as the Pizza and kebab restaurants that are now ubiquitous throughout western Germany. Later events such as the Lebanese Civil War and the Balkan Wars were also reflected in the town's makeup, which now comprises communities of Turks , Kurds , Kashubians , Old Prussians , Silesians , Poles , Greeks , Croatians , Serbs , Albanians , Bosnians and Lebanese heritage, each distinct but generally well-integrated into

4590-444: The ensuing political upheavals, which hit the district of Düsseldorf among the hardest, policing was done from Berlin, excluding local accountability. Thus, the Prussian government regarded the Rhinelands as more of a colony, furnishing the bureaucracy, which was based in Düsseldorf, with civil servants that were drafted in from other regions of Prussia. Mettmann was liberated from the National Socialist Dictatorship April 16, 1945, by

4675-412: The establishment of Crusader states , which fell to the Ayyubids and the Mamluks , and eventually the Ottomans . Under Ottoman ruler Abdulmejid I , the first Lebanese proto-state, the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate , was established in the 19th century as a home for Maronite Christians , in the Tanzimat period. After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire following World War I , Lebanon came under

4760-439: The fighting ended in Lebanon, General Charles de Gaulle visited the area. Under political pressure from both inside and outside Lebanon, de Gaulle recognized the independence of Lebanon. On 26 November 1941, General Georges Catroux announced that Lebanon would become independent under the authority of the Free French government. Elections were held in 1943 and on 8 November 1943 the new Lebanese government unilaterally abolished

4845-404: The formation of a Saudi–Moroccan–Algerian committee to solve the crisis. On 16 September 1989 the committee issued a peace plan which was accepted by all. A ceasefire was established, the ports and airports were re-opened and refugees began to return. In the same month, the Lebanese Parliament agreed to the Taif Agreement , which included an outline timetable for Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon and

4930-535: The grounds that the cease-fire was only relevant to Lebanon. In April 1980 the killing of two UNIFIL soldiers and the injuring of a third by the South Lebanon Army, near At Tiri , in the buffer zone led to the At Tiri incident . On 17 July 1981, Israeli aircraft bombed multi-story apartment buildings in Beirut that contained offices of PLO associated groups. The Lebanese delegate to the United Nations Security Council claimed that 300 civilians had been killed and 800 wounded. The bombing led to worldwide condemnation, and

5015-421: The last months of President Camille Chamoun 's term, an insurrection broke out, instigated by Lebanese Muslims who wanted to make Lebanon a member of the United Arab Republic . Chamoun requested assistance, and 5,000 United States Marines were briefly dispatched to Beirut on 15 July. After the crisis, a new government was formed, led by the popular former general Fouad Chehab . Until the early 1970s, Lebanon

5100-427: The mandate. The French reacted by imprisoning the new government. Lebanese nationalists declared a provisional government, and the British diplomatically intervened on their behalf. In the face of intense British pressure and protests by Lebanese nationalists, the French reluctantly released the government officials on 22 November 1943, and accepted the independence of Lebanon. Following the end of World War II in Europe

5185-532: The mountain range) that was introduced with the Ottoman reforms of 1861 as the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate ( Arabic : متصرفية جبل لبنان ; Turkish : Cebel-i Lübnan Mutasarrıflığı ), continued in the name of Greater Lebanon ( Arabic : دولة لبنان الكبير Dawlat Lubnān al-Kabīr ; French : État du Grand Liban ) in 1920, and eventually in the name of the sovereign Republic of Lebanon ( Arabic : الجمهورية اللبنانية al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah ) upon its independence in 1943. The Natufian culture

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5270-485: The mountains to avoid religious persecution by Roman authorities. During the frequent Roman–Persian Wars that lasted for many centuries, the Sasanian Empire occupied what is now Lebanon from 619 till 629. During the 7th century, Muslims conquered Syria from the Byzantines, incorporating the region, including modern-day Lebanon, under the Islamic Caliphate . In the era of Uthman 's caliphate (644–656), Islam gained significant influence in Damascus, led by Mu'awiya ,

5355-416: The name have been found in different Middle Bronze Age texts from the library of Ebla , and three of the twelve tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh . The name is recorded in Egypt as rmnn ( Ancient Egyptian : 𓂋𓏠𓈖𓈖𓈉 ; it had no letter corresponding to l ). The name occurs nearly 70 times in the Hebrew Bible as לְבָנוֹן Ləḇānon . Lebanon as the name of an administrative unit (as opposed to

5440-546: The outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990). Lebanon was also subjugated by two military occupations: Syria from 1976 to 2005 and Israel from 1985 to 2000 . Lebanon has been the scene of several conflicts with Israel , of which the ongoing war marks the fourth Israeli invasion of it since 1978. Lebanon is a developing country , ranked 112th on the Human Development Index . It has been classified as an upper-middle-income state . The Lebanese liquidity crisis , coupled with nationwide corruption and disasters such as

5525-524: The paramount emir of the Druze in the Shouf region. Eventually, he was appointed Sanjak-bey , overseeing various Ottoman sub-provinces and tax collection. Expanding his influence extensively, he even constructed a fort in Palmyra . However, this expansion raised concerns for Ottoman Sultan Murad IV, leading to a punitive expedition in 1633. Fakhr al-Din II was captured, imprisoned for two years, and subsequently executed in April 1635, along with one of his sons. Surviving members of his family continued to govern

5610-496: The plight of the Christian minority in southern Lebanon (then about 5% of the population in SLA territory) to that of European Jews during World War II. The PLO routinely attacked Israel during the period of the cease-fire, with over 270 documented attacks. People in Galilee regularly had to leave their homes during these shellings. Documents captured in PLO headquarters after the invasion showed they had come from Lebanon. PLO leader Yasser Arafat refused to condemn these attacks on

5695-399: The region. In 1516, Lebanon became part of the Ottoman Empire , with governance administered indirectly through local emirs . Lebanon's area was organized into provinces: Northern and Southern Mount Lebanon, Tripoli, Baalbek and Beqaa Valley, and Jabal Amil . In 1590, Druze tribal leader Fakhr al-Din II succeeded Korkmaz in southern Mount Lebanon and quickly asserted his authority as

5780-660: The regional Board of Inland Revenue —the "Finanzamt Düsseldorf-Mettmann"—serves both the municipalities forming the district of Mettmann, as well as the city of Düsseldorf proper. In the nearby Neanderthal , in the summer of 1856, quarry workers discovered the fossilised remains of what became known as the Neanderthal man or Homo neanderthalensis in Feldhof cave . Mettmann is twinned with: Mettmann also has friendly relations with: Lower Lorraine The Duchy of Lower Lotharingia , also called Northern Lotharingia , Lower Lorraine or Northern Lorraine (and also referred to as Lothier or Lottier in titles),

5865-458: The rejuvenation of Mediterranean trade along the Lebanese coast through renewed connections with Byzantium and Italy. This resurgence saw Tripoli and Tyre flourishing well into the 11th century, focusing on exports such as textiles, sugar, and glassware. During the 11th century, the Druze religion emerged from a branch of Shia Islam . The new religion gained followers in the southern portion of Mount Lebanon. The southern portion of Mount Lebanon

5950-486: The resettlement of citizens previously living in the eastern territories that had been ceded to Poland . Having seen almost no war-time destruction and being situated in a traditionally strong economic region, the town soon prospered, in line with a general period of rapid economic growth that acquired the moniker Wirtschaftswunder ( economic miracle ). A shortage of industrial workers led to several recruitment campaigns in Mediterranean countries, starting with Italy in

6035-403: The shore of the Mediterranean Sea over 7,000 years ago. Lebanon was part of northern Canaan , and consequently became the homeland of Canaanite descendants, the Phoenicians , a seafaring people based in the coastal strip of the northern Levant who spread across the Mediterranean in the first millennium BC. The most prominent Phoenician cities were Byblos , Sidon and Tyre . According to

6120-525: The territory). It was created out of the former Middle Frankish realm of Lotharingia under King Lothair II , that had been established in 855. Lotharingia was divided for much of the later ninth century, reunited under Louis the Younger by the 880 Treaty of Ribemont and upon the death of East Frankish king Louis the Child in 911 it joined West Francia under King Charles the Simple . It then formed

6205-555: The title of a duke of Lower Lorraine. Godfrey's lands were to the north (lower down the Rhine river system), while Upper Lorraine was to the south (further up the river system). Both duchies formed the western part of the Holy Roman Empire established by Bruno's elder brother Emperor Otto I in 962. Both Lotharingian duchies took very separate paths thereafter: Upon the death of Godfrey's son Duke Richar , Lower Lotharingia

6290-485: Was a stem duchy of the medieval Kingdom of Germany established in 959, which encompassed almost all of modern Belgium , Luxemburg , the northern part of the German Rhineland province and the eastern parts of France 's Nord-Pas de Calais region. It also included almost all of modern Netherlands (the region of Frisia was loosely associated with the duchy but the duke exercised no de facto control over

6375-611: Was called " Monsieur le Maire ." Mettmann remained French for about 10 years and became a part of Prussia's Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg following Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. As the result of the Congress of Vienna (1814–15), in 1822 it was adsorbed into the Prussian Rhine Province . However, the Prussian rulers did not prove to be very popular, as during the bread-riots of 1848–49 and

6460-451: Was directly ruled by the emperor, until in 977 Otto II enfeoffed Charles , the exiled younger brother of King Lothair of France . Lower and Upper Lorraine were once again briefly reunited under Gothelo I from 1033 to 1044. After that, the Lower duchy was quickly marginalised, while Upper Lorraine came to be known as simply the Duchy of Lorraine. Over the next decades the significance of

6545-739: Was dubbed "the Switzerland of the Middle East" for its unique status as both a snow-capped holiday destination and secure banking hub for Gulf Arabs . Beirut was also nicknamed "the Paris of the Middle East." With the 1970 defeat of the PLO in Jordan, many Palestinian militants relocated to Lebanon, increasing their armed campaign against Israel. The relocation of Palestinian bases also led to increasing sectarian tensions between Palestinians versus

6630-541: Was illegal, seized western Beirut , the most important Sunni center in Lebanon, leading to an intrastate military conflict . The Lebanese government denounced the violence as a coup attempt. At least 62 people died in the resulting clashes between pro-government and opposition militias. On 21 May 2008, the signing of the Doha Agreement ended the fighting. As part of the accord, which ended 18 months of political paralysis, Michel Suleiman became president and

6715-456: Was later ratified in July 1922. The Lebanese Republic was officially proclaimed on 1 September 1926, with the adoption of a constitution inspired by the French constitution on 23 May of the same year. While a Lebanese government was established, the country continued to be under French control. Lebanon gained a measure of independence while France was occupied by Germany. General Henri Dentz ,

6800-459: Was officially established under French control as a League of Nations Mandate , following the terms outlined in the proposed Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon . Greater Lebanon united the regions of Mount Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, and the Bekaa, with Beirut as its designated capital. These specified boundaries later evolved into the present-day configuration of Lebanon. This arrangement

6885-628: Was one of eight administrative burghs in the Earldom of Berg and Jülich . Later the burgh became independent at the hand of Counsellor to the Earl of Cleves and was allowed to build a wall and choose a mayor. The ability to toll and tax allowed the burgh to develop in commerce and trade. In 1806 Mettmann became a part of the Grand Duchy of Berg under the rule of Napoleon 's brother-in-law, Joachim Murat . During this time, Mettmann's burgomaster

6970-722: Was ruled by Druze feudal families till the early 14th century. The Maronite population increased gradually in Northern Mount Lebanon and the Druze have remained in Southern Mount Lebanon until the modern era. Keserwan , Jabal Amel and the Beqaa Valley was ruled by Shia feudal families under the Mamluks and the Ottoman Empire. Major cities on the coast, Sidon , Tyre , Acre , Tripoli , Beirut , and others, were directly administered by

7055-665: Was ruled intermittently by various Shia feudal families, especially the Al Ali Alsagheer in Jabal Amel that remained in power until 1865 when Ottomans took direct ruling of the region. Youssef Bey Karam , a Lebanese nationalist played an influential role in Lebanon's independence during this era. Lebanon experienced profound devastation in the First World War when the Ottoman army assumed direct control, disrupting supplies and confiscating animals, ultimately leading to

7140-551: Was the first to become sedentary at around 12000 BC. Evidence of early settlement in Lebanon was found in Byblos , considered among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The evidence dates back to earlier than 5000 BC. Archaeologists discovered remnants of prehistoric huts with crushed limestone floors, primitive weapons, and burial jars left by the Neolithic and Chalcolithic fishing communities who lived on

7225-710: Was withdrawn in the spring of 1984, following a devastating bombing attack during the previous year. During the early 1980s, Hezbollah , a Shiite Islamist militant group and political party, came into existence through the efforts of Shiite clerics who were financially supported and trained by Iran . Arising in the aftermath of the 1982 war and drawing inspiration from the Islamic Revolution in Iran , Hezbollah actively engaged in combat against Israel as well as suicide attacks , car bombings and assassinations. Their objectives encompassed eliminating Israel, fighting for

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