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87-699: For centuries in the Hijaz (the western region of Arabia where the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina are located), power was strongly centralized in the hands of the family of the sharif . Members of this family, as descendants of Muhammad , were called Hashemites in English. Unlike many areas of the Ottoman Empire , there were few competing political influences among the urban elite. The tribal chieftains served as intermediaries between their tribes and

174-814: A Shia minority in the cities of Medina, Mecca and Jeddah. Many consider themselves more cosmopolitan because Hejaz was for centuries a part of the great empires of Islam from the Umayyads to the Ottomans . People of Hejaz, who feel particularly connected to the holy places of Mecca and Medina, have probably the most strongly articulated identity of any regional grouping in Saudi Arabia. Aqaba Aqaba ( English: / ˈ æ k ə b ə / AK -ə-bə , US also / ˈ ɑː k -/ AHK - ; Arabic : الْعَقَبَة , romanized :  al-ʿAqaba , pronounced [ælˈʕæqɑba, ælˈʕæɡæba] )

261-587: A bishopric under Byzantine rule and later became a Latin Catholic titular see after Islamic conquest around AD 650, when it became known as Ayla ; the name Aqaba is late medieval. The Great Arab Revolt 's Battle of Aqaba resulted in victory for Arab forces over the Ottoman defenders. Aqaba's location next to Wadi Rum and Petra has placed it in Jordan's golden triangle of tourism, which strengthened

348-578: A council attended by bishops of the Late Roman provinces of Palaestina Prima , Palaestina Secunda and Palaestina Tertia , to the last-named of which Aela belonged. A citadel was also built in the area that became the focal point of the Roman southern defense system. In the 6th century, Procopius of Caesarea mentioned a Jewish population in Eilat and its surroundings which enjoyed autonomy until

435-439: A fortified structure, occupying an area of 35 × 55 meters. 24 towers defended the city. The city had four gates on all four sides, defining two main lines intersecting at the centre. The intersection of these two thoroughfares was indicated by a tetrapylon (a four-way arch), which was later transformed into a luxury residential building decorated with frescoes dated to the tenth century. This type of urban structure, called MSIR,

522-580: A fortress on Pharaoh's Island (called Île de Graye by the Franks), the modern Jazīrat Fir'aun in Egyptian territorial waters about 7 kilometres (4 miles) west of Aqaba. The garrison of Elyn (now serving primarily as a military outpost) was further strengthened in 1142 by Pagan the Butler , Lord of Oultrejourdain , who pursued an ambitious program of castle building throughout his domain. However, there

609-551: A new Arab city was established outside its walls under Uthman ibn Affan , known as Ayla ( Arabic : آيلا ). The Early Muslim city was excavated in 1986 by a team from the University of Chicago . Artefacts are now on exhibit at Aqaba Archaeological Museum and Jordan Archaeological Museum in Amman . The fortified city was inscribed in a rectangle of 170 × 145 meters, with walls 2.6 meters thick and 4.5 meters high, surrounding

696-570: A new strategy in regard to Medina. Rather than attack the well-protected Ottoman army and suffer large casualties, the Arabs surrounded the city and cut it off from access to other Ottoman forces. For much of the war the Ottomans managed to keep the Hijaz Railway open to Medina and, through this, were able to continue to supply their men with weapons, ammunition, and other equipment until near

783-431: A number of battles or expeditions were carried out in this area, like those of Al-Aḥzāb ("The Confederates"), Badr and Ḥunayn . They involved both Makkan companions , such as Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib , Ubayda ibn al-Harith and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas , and Madani companions. The Hejaz fell under Muhammad's influence as he emerged victorious over his opponents, and was thus a part of his empire. Due to

870-765: A prominent role in King Faysal's Iraq. Nuri al-Said and Ja’far al-Askari both served terms as prime minister. Officers from the Sharifian Army continued to play an important role in Iraqi politics until the 1963 coup led by Colonel Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr . Hejaz The Hejaz ( / h iː ˈ dʒ æ z , h ɪ ˈ -/ , also US : / h ɛ ˈ -/ ; Arabic : ٱلْحِجَاز , romanized :  al-Ḥijāz , lit.   'the Barrier';, Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [alħɪˈdʒaːz] )

957-659: A successful revolt against the Ottomans, the British would help him establish an Arab Caliphate encompassing most of the Arabian Peninsula stretching as far north as present-day Turkey . Although the British could not promise a few districts that they had already pledged to give the French, the pieces seemed to be falling into place for Sharif Husayn, and he prepared to launch the Arab Revolt . In early June 1916,

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1044-571: A west road leading to the Paralia and Roman Egypt . Around AD 106 Aela was one of the main ports for the Romans. The Aqaba Church was constructed under Roman rule between 293 and 303 and is considered to be the oldest known purpose-built Christian church in the world. By the time of Eusebius , Aela became the garrison of the Legio X Fretensis , which was moved to Aela from Jerusalem. One of

1131-638: Is a region that includes the majority of the west coast of Saudi Arabia , covering the cities of Mecca , Medina , Jeddah , Tabuk , Yanbu , Taif and Baljurashi . It is thus known as the "Western Province", and it is bordered in the west by the Red Sea , in the north by Jordan , in the east by the Najd , and in the south by the Region of 'Asir . Its largest city is Jeddah, which is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, with Mecca and Medina, respectively, being

1218-660: Is based on the tourism and port industry sectors. The economic growth in Aqaba is higher than the average economic growth in the country. Under the special economic zone status some investments and trades are exempted from taxation, as a result, new resorts, housing developments, and retail outlets are being constructed. New projects such as Tala Bay and Saraya al Aqaba are constructed aiming at providing high-end vacation and residential homes to locals and foreigners alike. Aqaba's location next to Wadi Rum and Petra has placed it in Jordan's golden triangle of tourism, which strengthened

1305-682: Is the Turkish Bath (Hamam) built in 306 AD, in which locals and visitors alike come to relax after a hot day. In 2006, the Tourism Division of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority ( ASEZA ) reported that the number of tourists visiting the Zone in 2006 rose to about 432,000, an increase of 5% over previous year. Approximately 65%, or 293,000 were Jordanians. Of foreign tourists, Europeans visited

1392-711: Is the only coastal city in Jordan and the largest and most populous city on the Gulf of Aqaba . Situated in southernmost Jordan, Aqaba is the administrative center of the Aqaba Governorate . The city had a population of 148,398 in 2015 and a land area of 375 square kilometres (144.8 sq mi). Today, Aqaba plays a major role in the development of the Jordanian economy , through the vibrant trade and tourism sectors. The Port of Aqaba also serves other countries in

1479-591: Is typical of early Islamic fortified settlements. The city prospered from 661 to 750 under the Umayyads and beyond under the Abbasids (750–970) and the Fatimids (970–1116). Ayla took advantage of its key position as an important step on the road to India and Arab spices (frankincense, myrrh), between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Peninsula . The city is also mentioned in several stories of

1566-696: The Mahd adh-Dhahab ("Cradle of the Gold") ( 23°30′13″N 40°51′35″E  /  23.50361°N 40.85972°E  / 23.50361; 40.85972 ) and a water source, now dried out, that used to flow 600 miles (970 km) north east to the Persian Gulf via the Wādi Al-Rummah and Wādi Al-Bātin system. Archaeological research led by of Boston University and the University of Qassim indicates that

1653-601: The Arabian Nights . The geographer Shams Eddin Muqaddasi describes Ayla as nearby the ruined ancient city. The city was mentioned in Medieval Arabic sources as having a mixed population of Jews and Christians. It subsequently became an important station for pilgrim caravans on the way to Mecca . Baldwin I of Jerusalem took over the city in 1115 without encountering much resistance. The centre of

1740-465: The Chalcolithic period, with thriving copper production on a large scale. This period is largely unknown due to the absence of written historical sources. University of Jordan archaeologists have discovered the sites, where they found a small building whose walls were inscribed with human and animal drawings, suggesting that the building was used as a religious site. The people who inhabited

1827-569: The Qur'an , and the site is known for having structures carved into rocks, similar to Petra . Construction of the structures is credited to the people of Thamud . The location is also called Madāʾin Ṣāliḥ ("Cities of Saleh"), as it is speculated to be the city in which the Islamic prophet Saleh was sent to the people of Thamud. After the disappearance of Thamud from Mada'in Saleh, it came under

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1914-696: The capture of Damascus at the end of the Arab Revolt, Faysal set up a Kingdom in Syria and ruled there until the French won the Franco-Syrian War on July 24, 1920, and ousted him from the country. In 1920, the League of Nations decided that the lands of the Ottoman Empire would be divided by a newly created mandate system . The country that received the mandate was responsible for guiding

2001-700: The early Muslim conquests , and it formed part of successive caliphates, first the Rashidun Caliphate , followed by the Umayyad Caliphate , and finally the Abbasid Caliphate . The Ottoman Empire held partial control over the area; after its dissolution, an independent Kingdom of Hejaz existed briefly in 1925 before being conquered by the neighbouring Sultanate of Nejd , creating the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd . In September 1932,

2088-549: The 8th and 4th centuries BCE. Around 735 BC, the city was conquered by the Assyrian empire . Because of the wars the Assyrians were fighting in the east, their trading routes were diverted to the city and the port witnessed relative prosperity. The Babylonians conquered it in 600 BC. During this time, Elath witnessed great economic growth, which is attributed to the business background of its rulers who realized how important

2175-536: The ASEZ had attracted $ 18bn in committed investments, beating its $ 6bn target by 2020 by a third and more in less than a decade. The goal was adjusted to bring in another $ 12bn by 2020, but in 2009 alone, deals worth $ 14bn were inked. Some projects currently under construction are: Aqaba has a number of luxury hotels, including in the Tala Bay resort 20 km further to the south, which service those who come for fun on

2262-493: The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority ( ASEZA ) was established which acted as the statutory institution empowered with administrative, fiscal, regulatory and economic responsibilities. Jordan is divided into 12 administrative divisions, each called a Governorate . Aqaba Governorate divides into 3 Districts , some of which are divided into Subdistricts and further divided into villages. Benefiting from its location and status as Jordan's special economic zone, Aqaba's economy

2349-423: The Arab Revolt. Irregular forces refer to largely untrained Arabs who joined the revolt for a short period of time when the fighting was taking place near their home. As the fighting stretched further from Mecca, many soldiers from around Mecca decided that they had done their part and returned home. The constant flow of British gold and weaponry into the hands of the Sharifian Army was the main driving force behind

2436-455: The Arab and British forces solidified control in Aqaba. From this point onwards, the Sharifian Army fought at the side of the British armed forces that were coming from British-occupied Egypt. The well executed Battle of Megiddo included a small amount of Sharifian forces who marched into Damascus on October 1, 1918, with their revolt almost complete. The only city still under Ottoman control in

2523-579: The Balkans, Mandi ( مَنْدي ) and Mutabbag ( مُطَبَّق ) from Yemen, Biryāni برياني and Kābli ( كابلي ) rice dishes from South Asia . Grilled meat dishes such as shawarma and kebab are well-known in Hejaz. The Hejazi dishes are known for their spice. The region is located along the Red Sea Rift. It is also known for its darker , more volcanic sand . Depending on the previous definition,

2610-809: The British to supply the Arab forces. In 1918, the regions of Aqaba and Ma'an were officially incorporated into the Kingdom of the Hejaz . In 1925, Ibn Saud the ruler of Nejd with the help of his Wahhabi Ikhwan troops successfully annexed the Hejaz, but gave up the Ma'an and Aqaba to the British protectorate of Transjordan . The Jordanian census of 1961 found 8,908 inhabitants in 'Aqaba. In 1965, King Hussein , through an exchange deal with Saudi Arabia , gave 6,000 square kilometres (2,317 square miles) of desert land in Jordanian territories in exchange for other territories, including 12 kilometres (7 miles) of an extension of prime coastline south of Aqaba, which included

2697-655: The Hejaz and Nejd were united as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This day is commemorated as the Saudi National Day . The cultural setting of Hejaz is greatly influenced by that of Islam , especially as it contains its 2 holiest cities, Mecca and Medina. Moreover, the Quran is considered the constitution of Saudi Arabia, and the Sharia is the main legal source. In Saudi Arabia, Islam is not just adhered politically by

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2784-608: The Hejaz includes some of the mountains of the Sarat range , which topographically separate the Najd from Tehamah. Bdellium plants are also abundant in the Hejaz. Saudi Arabia, and in particular the Hejaz, is home to more than 2000 dormant volcanoes. Lava fields in the Hejaz, known locally by their Arabic name of ḥarrāt ( حَرَّات , singular: ḥarrah ( حَرَّة )), form one of Earth's largest alkali basalt regions, covering some 180,000 km (69,000 sq mi), an area greater than

2871-658: The Hejaz was part of the Roman province of Arabia Petraea . According to Arab and Islamic sources, the civilization of Mecca started after Ibrāhīm (Abraham) brought his son Ismāʿīl (Ishmael) and wife Hājar (Hagar) here, for the latter two to stay. The Adnanites were a tribal confederation of the Ishmaelite Arabs , who trace their lineage back to Ishmael son of the Islamic prophet and patriarch Abraham and his wife Hagar through Adnan , who originate from

2958-507: The Hejaz. Some people from the Yemeni tribe of Jurhum settled with them, and Isma'il reportedly married two women, one after divorcing another, at least one of them from this tribe, and helped his father to construct or re-construct the Ka'bah ('Cube'), which would have social, religious, political and historical implications for the site and region. For example, in Arab or Islamic belief,

3045-593: The Hijaz was the city of Medina. Although they were cut off from the rest of the Ottoman world, forces inside of Medina continued to resist Sharifian forces until their lack of supplies forced them to surrender in January 1919. The Sharifian Army consisted of about 5,000 regular forces and many thousands of irregular forces. Many of the regular forces were former Arab members of the Ottoman military who defected and joined

3132-579: The Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd joined the Saudi dominions of Al-Hasa and Qatif , creating the unified Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The name of the region is derived from a verb ḥajaza ( حَجَز ), from the Arabic root ḥ-j-z ( ح-ج-ز ), meaning "to separate", and it is so called as it separates the land of the Najd in the east from the land of Tihāmah in the west. One or possibly two megalithic dolmen have been found in Hejaz. The Hejaz includes both

3219-478: The Ottoman government was putting pressure on Sharif Husayn to supply Hijazi troops and to issue a call for jihad from Mecca in support of the Ottoman participation in World War I . In exchange for the troops, Husayn wanted greater autonomy, but the Ottoman authorities would not concede it. Ottoman officials were holding Husayn's son Faysal and told Husayn that if he ever wanted to see his son again, he must send

3306-544: The Ottomans would end. Rather than wait for a reply, the Arab Revolt was started with an attack on the Hijaz Railway by forces that consisted of members of local Arab tribes and Ottoman defectors. The following day the first shots of the revolt were fired in Mecca and within two days, the Sharifian Army was in control of Mecca. By June 16, the Sharifian Army, with the assistance of the British Royal Navy , captured

3393-519: The Revolt. Many tribes would fight for whoever offered them the most money. Some tribal leaders would agree to fight for the British and accept their payment and weapons and soon afterwards begin fighting for the Ottomans because they offered to pay the tribes more. This fickleness showed that many of the tribes were not interested in Arab unity, the ultimate goal of Sharif Husayn, but rather just wanted to be paid. While this made things more difficult for

3480-659: The Sharifian Army, Faysal's strong negotiating skills won many tribal chieftains over, giving the Hashemites the support they needed to challenge the Ottomans. The army was divided into four groups led by Sharif Husayn's sons, ‘Ali, ‘Abdullah, Faysal, and Zayd. Nuri al-Said and his brother-in-law Ja’far al-Askari, who had previously been a Colonel in the Ottoman Army, joined the Sharifian Army because of their strong belief in Arab nationalism and rose to become leaders within

3567-415: The Sharifian Army. The first few months of the revolt were led by ‘Ali and his forces which consisted of about 30,000 men, most of whom were irregular forces who only fought for a short period of time. By September 1916 these 30,000 were divided amongst all four of Husayn's sons who each now had at least 6,000 irregular forces under their control. The Sharifian Army consisted of about 4,000 regular forces by

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3654-413: The Zone in the largest numbers, with about 98,000 visiting during the year. The division has financed tourism advertising and media campaigns with the assistance of the European Union. Aqaba has been chosen for the site of a new waterfront building project that would rebuild Aqaba with new man-made water structures, new high-rise residential and office buildings, and more tourist services to place Aqaba on

3741-471: The beaches as well as Scuba diving . Aqaba offers more than thirty primary diving locations, with the majority of them accommodating divers of all skill levels. These diving sites comprise fringing reefs that extend for over 25 kilometers, reaching all the way to the border with Saudi Arabia. It also offers activities which take advantage of its desert location. Its many coffee shops offer mansaf and knafeh , and baqlawa desserts. Another very popular venue

3828-403: The beginning of 1917. The majority of these regular soldiers served under Husayn or ‘Ali. As the revolt continued, Faysal emerged as the most successful of the four brothers and most of the forces fell under his control. The fact that Faysal worked alongside Lawrence of Arabia gave him access to more British intelligence, which is a large part of the reason he was the most successful. Following

3915-419: The city then moved to 500 meters along the coast to the south, and the crusader fortress of Elyn was built, which allowed the Kingdom of Jerusalem to dominate all roads between Damascus , Egypt , and Arabia , protecting the Crusader states from the east and allowing for profitable raids on trade caravans passing through the area. In order to secure this strategic position, Baldwin also built and garrisoned

4002-418: The city was anciently Elath , Ailath . The name is presumably derived from the Semitic name of a tree in the genus Pistacia . Modern Eilat (established 1947), situated about 5 km north-west of Aqaba, also takes its name from the ancient settlement. In the Hellenistic period , it was renamed Berenice (in Greek Βερενίκη), but the original name survived, and under Roman rule was re-introduced in

4089-407: The city's location on the world map and made it one of the major tourist attractions in Jordan. The city is administered by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority , which has turned Aqaba into a low-tax, duty-free city, attracting several mega projects like Ayla Oasis , Saraya Aqaba , Marsa Zayed and expansion of the Port of Aqaba. They are expected to turn the city into a major tourism hub in

4176-407: The city's location on the world map and made it one of the major tourist attractions in Jordan. The city is administered by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority , which has turned Aqaba into a low-tax, duty-free city, attracting several mega projects like Ayla Oasis , Saraya Aqaba , Marsa Zayed and expansion of the Port of Aqaba. They are expected to turn the city into a major tourism hub in

4263-446: The city's location was. The Persian Achaemenid Empire took the city in 539 BC. The city continued to grow and prosper which made it a major trading hub by the time of the Greek rule by 300 BC, after the Wars of Alexander the Great , it was described by a Greek historian to be "one of the most important trading cities in the Arab World". The Ptolemaic Greeks called it Berenice . The Nabatean kingdom had its capital north of

4350-402: The city's status as a transport and logistics hub. There are numerous hotels that reside in Aqaba but new hotels are also under construction. Aqaba is the only seaport of Jordan so virtually all of Jordan's exports depart from here. Heavy machinery industry is also flourishing in the city with regional assembly plants being located in Aqaba such as the Land Rover Aqaba Assembly Plant . By 2008

4437-434: The city, at Petra . In 64 BC, following the Roman conquest, they annexed the city and called it Aela (also Haila , Aelana , in Greek rendered Αἴλα Aila ). Both Petra and Aela were under strong Nabatean influence despite the Roman rule. Aela reached its peak during Roman times, the great long-distance road the Via Traiana Nova led south from Bostra through Amman , terminating in Aela, where it connected with

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4524-411: The city. According to Fulbright scholar Kimberly Cavanagh development projects will help exhibit the ways global- local partnerships and the resultant cultural exchanges,  can result in mutually beneficial outcomes. The city of Aqaba has one of the highest population growth rates in Jordan in 2011, and only 44% of the buildings in the city had been built before 1990. A special census for Aqaba city

4611-399: The coast of the Red Sea. The project will involve "the development of 22 of the 90+ islands" that lie along the coast to create a "fully integrated luxury mixed-use destination", and will be "governed by laws on par with international standards". The Hejaz is the most populated region in Saudi Arabia, containing 35% of the population of Saudi Arabia. Most people of Hejaz are Sunnis with

4698-406: The crossroads of the continents of Asia and Africa, while bordering Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Aqaba has a hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ) with mild, sometimes warm winters and very hot dry summers. Subzero temperatures can be observed every few years. The record low temperature of −3.9 °C (25.0 °F) was on January 16, 2008, as in Eilat . In August 2000,

4785-407: The end of the Ottoman suzerainty and control in Arabia, in 1916, Hussein bin Ali became the leader of an independent State of Hejaz. In 1924, Ali bin Hussein succeeded as the King of Hejaz. Then Ibn Saud succeeded Hussein as the King of Hejaz and Nejd. Ibn Saud ruled the two as separate units, known as the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd from 1926 to 1932. On 23 September 1932, the two kingdoms of

4872-531: The end of the war. The constant need for supplies in Medina played into the Sharifian strategy which was designed to have the Ottomans station troops along the railway and in Medina, wasting troops and supplies, while the Arabs continued up the coast of the Red Sea. As the British and Sharifian forces sought a way to overtake the Ottoman forces at Aqaba , the British decided to send Captain (later Colonel ) T. E. Lawrence (commonly referred to as “Lawrence of Arabia”) to help Faysal lead his forces. Lawrence's plan

4959-429: The forms Aila , Aela or Haila , adopted in Byzantine Greek as Άιλα Aila and in Arabic as Ayla (آيلا). The crusaders called the city Elyn . The present name al-ʿAqaba ( العقبة ) is a shortened from ʿaqabat Aylah ( عقبة آيلة ) "the mountain-pass of Ayla", first mentioned in the 12th century by Idrisi , at a time when the settlement had been mostly reduced to a military stronghold , properly referring to

5046-405: The fourth- and fifth-largest cities in the country. As the location of the cities of Mecca and Medina, respectively the first and second holiest sites in Islam , the Hejaz is significant in the Arabo-Islamic historical and political landscape. This region is the most populated in Saudi Arabia, and Arabic is the predominant language, as in the rest of Saudi Arabia, with Hejazi Arabic being

5133-687: The government but also it has a great influence on the people's culture and everyday life. The society is in general deeply religious, conservative, traditional, and family-oriented. Many attitudes and traditions are centuries-old, derived from Arab civilization and Islamic heritage. Hejazi cuisine has mostly Arabian dishes like the rest of Saudi Arabia, Some dishes are native to the Hejaz, like Saleeg . Other Dishes were imported from other cultures through Saudis of different origins, like Mantu ( منتو ), Yaghmush ( يَغْمُش ) and Ruz Bukhāri ( رُز بُخاري ) from Central Asia, Burēk ( بُريك ) and Šurēk شُريك and Kabab almīru ( كباب الميرو ) from Turkey and

5220-400: The hands of the sharif, who in the early years of the 20th century was Sharif Husayn . Dissatisfied with his limited power, Sharif Husayn began discussions with tribal leaders in the region, Arab nationalists , and the British High Commissioner in Egypt , Sir Henry McMahon . Husayn knew that many Muslims believed that the Sharif of Mecca was the rightful claimant to the caliphate , which

5307-488: The important port of Jeddah . By the end of the summer, the Arab forces under the control of Sharif Husayn had managed to overtake coastal cities as far north as Yanbu and as far south as Qunfudhah . The Ottomans decisively won a battle for the first time when the Sharifian Army attacked Medina in October 1916. The Ottoman forces were entrenched in Medina with artillery that the poorly equipped Sharifian Army lacked. The Sharifian forces retreated and were forced to develop

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5394-493: The influence of other people, such as the Nabataeans , whose capital was Petra. Later, it would lie in a route used by Muslim Pilgrims going to Mecca. As the land of Mecca and Medina, the Hejaz was where Muhammad was born, and where he founded a Monotheistic Ummah of followers, bore patience with his foes or struggled against them, migrated from one place to another, preached or implemented his beliefs, lived and died. Given that he had both followers and enemies here,

5481-618: The investment map and challenge other centers of waterfront development throughout the region. Aqaba was chosen as the Arab Tourism City of 2011. During the 5-day holiday at both the end of Ramadan and Eid Al-Adha , Jordanian and western expats flock into the city with numbers reaching up to 50,000 visitors. During this time the occupancy rate of most hotels there reaches as high as 90%, and are often fully booked. The several development projects (i.e. Ayla, Saraya etc.) now taking place in Aqaba provide "opportunities of empowerment" for local populations that want to expand their agency within

5568-426: The land promised to Sharif Husayn as part of the Arab kingdom because of the Husayn-McMahon Correspondence , the British had promised to create a Jewish state in the region. While the question of Palestine was never resolved, in Cairo, in 1921, the British decided to name Husayn's son Abdullah as the emir in the newly created state of Transjordan . The British left Husayn in control of the Hijaz and, since Faysal

5655-555: The latter one leaving the site completely destroyed. The Edomites , who ruled over Edom just south of the Dead Sea , are believed to have built the first port in Aqaba called Elath around 1500 BC, turning it into a major hub for the trade of copper as the Phoenicians helped them develop their maritime economy. They profited from its strategic location at the junction of trading routes between Asia and Africa. Archaeologists have investigated an Iron Age settlement at Tell el-Kheleifeh , immediately west of Aqaba, inhabited between

5742-412: The magnificent Yamanieh coral reef . Aqaba was a major site for imports of Iraqi goods in the 1980s until the Persian Gulf War . In 1997, the Aqaba Marine Reserve was established within the southern boundaries of the Gulf of Aqaba . The city lies at Jordan's southernmost point, on the Gulf of Aqaba lying at the tip of the Red Sea. Its strategic location is shown in the fact that it is located at

5829-407: The most widely spoken dialect here. Some Hejazis are of ethnically diverse origins, although the vast majority are of Arab origin. According to Islamic tradition , this region is the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad , who was born in Mecca, which is locally considered to have been founded by his ancestors Abraham , Ishmael , and Hagar . The area became part of his empire through

5916-414: The new state formed by the mandate to its independence. The British received the Palestinian and Mesopotamia (Iraq) mandates and the French received the Mandate of Syria and Lebanon . These mandates and their maps closely followed the divisions presented in the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916. The Balfour Declaration complicated things in the region because rather than including Palestine within

6003-487: The oldest known texts written in the Arabic alphabet is a late 4th-century inscription found in Jabal Ram 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Aqaba. The city became a Christian bishopric at an early stage. Its bishop Peter was present at the First Council of Nicaea , the first ecumenical council , in 325. Beryllus was at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, and Paul at the synod called by Patriarch Peter of Jerusalem in 536 against Patriarch Anthimus I of Alexandria ,

6090-403: The pass just to the north-east of the settlement ( 29°33′32″N 35°05′42″E  /  29.559°N 35.095°E  / 29.559; 35.095 , now traversed by Aqaba Highway ). Excavations at two tells (archaeological mounds) Tall Hujayrat Al-Ghuzlan and Tall Al-Magass , both a few kilometres north of modern-day Aqaba city, revealed inhabited settlements from c. 4000 BC during

6177-435: The presence of the two holy cities in the Hejaz, the region was ruled by numerous empires. The Hejaz was at the center of the Rashidun Caliphate , in particular whilst its capital was Medina from 632 to 656 ACE . The region was then under the control of regional powers, such as Egypt and the Ottoman Empire , throughout much of its later history. After the Ottomans lost control of it, Hejaz became an independent state. After

6264-478: The region. Aqaba's strategic location at the northeastern tip of the Red Sea between the continents of Asia and Africa has made its port important throughout thousands of years. The ancient city was called Elath , adopted in Latin as Aela and in Arabic as Ayla . Its strategic location and proximity to copper mines made it a regional hub for copper production and trade in the Chalcolithic period. Aela became

6351-485: The region. However, industrial and commercial activities remain important, due to the strategic location of the city as the country's only seaport . Over US$ 20 billion have been invested in Aqaba since 2001 when the Special Economic Zone was established. Along with tourism projects, Aqaba has also attracted global logistic companies such as APM Terminals and Agility to invest in logistics, which boosted

6438-496: The region. However, industrial and commercial activities remain important, due to the strategic location of the city as the country's only seaport . The city sits right across the border from Eilat , likewise Israel's only port on the Red Sea. After the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty , there were plans and hopes of establishing a trans-border tourism and economic area, but few of those plans have come to fruition. The name of

6525-512: The river system was active in 2500–3000 BCE. According to Al-Masudi the northern part of Hejaz was a dependency of ancient Israel, and according to Butrus al-Bustani the Jews in Hejaz established a sovereign state. The German orientalist Ferdinand Wüstenfeld believed that the Jews established a state in northern Hejaz. The Midianites of the Bible lived in Hejaz. The northern part of

6612-409: The sharif but rarely challenged his authority. The sharif's lone political rival was the Ottoman vali (governor) of the region, who was responsible for ensuring Ottoman sovereignty over the region. A power struggle existed between the sharif and the vali; the authority to make decisions switched back and forth between the two over time. Overall, this political climate left a large amount of influence in

6699-399: The site had developed an extensive water system in irrigating their crops which were mostly made up of grapes, olives and wheat. Several different-sized clay pots were also found suggesting that copper production was a major industry in the region, the pots being used in melting the copper and reshaping it. Scientific studies performed on-site revealed that it had undergone two earthquakes, with

6786-542: The state of Missouri . Al Bahah Region : Medina : Mecca Province : Tabuk Region : As a component of Saudi Vision 2030 , a touristic destination with an area of 28,000 square kilometres (11,000 square miles) is under development, between the towns of Umluj ( 25°3′0″N 37°15′54.36″E  /  25.05000°N 37.2651000°E  / 25.05000; 37.2651000 ) and Al-Wajh ( 26°14′11.76″N 36°28′8.04″E  /  26.2366000°N 36.4689000°E  / 26.2366000; 36.4689000 ), on

6873-538: The time of Justinian I ( r.  527–565 ). According to Ibn Ishaq , Muhammad himself reached Aila during the expedition of Tabuk of 630, and extracted tribute from the city. During the Late Byzantine or even Early Muslim period, Aila was the origin of what came to be known as the Ayla-Axum amphoras . Aila fell to the Islamic armies by 629, and the ancient settlement was left to decay, while

6960-514: The tribe of Quraysh would descend from Isma'il ibn Ibrahim, be based in the vicinity of the Ka'bah, and include Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abd Manaf . From the Period of Jāhiliyyah ('Ignorance') to the days of Muhammad, the often-warring Arab tribes would cease their hostilities during the time of Pilgrimage , and go on pilgrimage to Mecca, as inspired by Ibrahim. It

7047-495: The troops. On June 9, 1916, the Ottomans sent Faysal to Medina to get the armed forces that Husayn had been organizing, but when he arrived, he escaped with his brother ‘Ali. At the beginning of the revolt, the Sharifian Army consisted of these forces that had been assembled by Husayn and his sons under the guise that they were to fight with the Ottoman forces. After escaping, Faysal wrote a letter stating that if Husayn's demands for greater autonomy were not met their relations with

7134-642: Was currently held by the family of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The British support that was pledged in the Husayn-McMahon Correspondence caused Husayn to emerge from these talks with a strengthened belief in his right to claim both the caliphate and sovereignty over Arab lands in the area. Furthermore, and more importantly, the promises made by the British to Husayn in the Husayn-McMahon Correspondence of 1915 and 1916 led Husayn to think that if he were to lead

7221-609: Was deposed by the French from his Kingdom of Syria in 1920, helped Faysal come to power in Iraq, becoming Faisal I of Iraq . Sharif Husayn continued to rule the Hijaz and on March 23, 1924, declared himself Caliph . In that same year the Saudis ousted Husayn from the Hijaz and he lived the remainder of his life in exile, dying in Jordan in 1931. Many other officers from the Sharifian Army, including Nuri al-Said, Jafar al-Askari, Jamil al-Midfai, Ali Jawdat al-Aiyubi, and Jamal Baban , played

7308-484: Was during such an occasion that Muhammad met some Madanis who would allow him to migrate to Medina, to escape persecution by his opponents in Mecca . Saudi Arabia's and Hejaz's first World Heritage Site that was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is that of Al-Hijr . The name Al-Ḥijr ("The Land of Stones" or "The Rocky Place") occurs in

7395-583: Was never retaken by the Crusaders. The old fort was rebuilt, as Aqaba Fortress , by Mamluk sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh Al-Ghuri in the early 16th century. For the next four centuries, the site was a simple fishing village of little importance. During World War I, the Ottoman forces were forced to withdraw from Aqaba in 1917 after the Battle of Aqaba , led by T. E. Lawrence and the Arab forces of Auda Abu Tayi and Sherif Nasir . The capture of Aqaba allowed

7482-540: Was no large-scale settlement of Europeans in the area, and the region between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba remained mainly inhabited by Bedouins, who were obliged to pay tribute to the Lordship of Oultrejourdain. Despite all efforts to fortify the region, the city was captured in 1170 by a squadron sent by Saladin as he was besieging Gaza ; while it was successfully raided by Raynald of Châtillon in 1182, it

7569-555: Was to make the Ottomans think that the Arabs were planning on attacking Damascus by creating a few diversions, including the destruction of a railroad bridge in Baalbek . Upon arrival in Aqaba on July 6, 1917, the Sharifian forces brutally massacred about three hundred Ottomans before their superiors could get them under control. Another 150 Ottoman troops were taken prisoner and after a few subsequent small scale attacks by Ottomans,

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