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Ira, Syria

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'Ira
عرى
Areh, 'Ara, Ora
Village
'Ira is located in Syria
'Ira
'Ira
Coordinates: 32°37′2″N 36°31′53″E / 32.61722°N 36.53139°E / 32.61722; 36.53139
Grid position294/225
Country Syria
Governorateas-Suwayda
Districtas-Suwayda
Subdistrictas-Suwayda
Population
 (2004)
 • Total6,136
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

′Ira (Arabic: عرى; also spelled Areh, ′Ara or Ora) is a village in southeastern Syria, administratively part of the as-Suwayda District of the as-Suwayda Governorate, located south of as-Suwayda. In the 2004 census, it had a population of 6,136.[1] Its inhabitants are predominantly Druze.

History

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In 1596 the village appeared under the name of "Timri" in the Ottoman tax registers as part of the nahiya (subdistrict) of Bani Nasiyya in the Qadaa of Hauran. It had a Muslim population consisting of twenty-five households and fourteen bachelors, and a Christian population of five households. They paid a fixed tax-rate of 40% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, goats and beehives, in addition to occasional revenues; the taxes totaled 16,000 akçe.[2]

In 1838 'Ira was reported to be populated with Druze and Greek Orthodox Christians.[3]

'Ira was resettled by Druze migrants in the early 19th century. It was controlled by the Al Hamdan family, who used it as a secondary headquarters. The Al Hamdan were ousted from 'Ira in 1857 by Ismail al-Atrash. This marked the consolidation of Bani al-Atrash supremacy in Jabal Hauran over the Al Hamdan.[4] Following Ismail's death in 1869, his son Ibrahim became head of the family and was recognized by Rashid Pasha, governor of Damascus, as governor of 'Ira.[5] His brother succeeded him in 1883 and based himself in 'Ira. The village was attacked by Ruwala tribesmen in 1893 during hostilities between the Bani al-Atrash and the Ottomans. Four residents were killed.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "General Census of Population 2004". Retrieved 2014-07-10.
  2. ^ Hütteroth and Abdulfattah, 1977, p. 219
  3. ^ Smith, in Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. 158
  4. ^ Firro 1992, p. 189.
  5. ^ Firro 1992, p. 194.
  6. ^ Firro 1992, p. 229.

Bibliography

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