Al-Azm family

Al-Azm family (Arabic: آل العظم‎) is a prominent Damascene family of ethnic Arab origins. Their political influence in Ottoman Syria began in the 18th century when members of the family administered Maarrat al-Nu'man and Hama. A scion of the family, Ismail Pasha al-Azm, was appointed wāli of Damascus Eyalet in 1725. Between 1725 and 1783, members of the family, including As'ad Pasha al-Azm, held power in Damascus for 47 years, in addition to periodical appointments in Sidon Eyalet, Tripoli Eyalet, Hama, Aleppo Eyalet, and Egypt Eyalet. The family's influence declined in the 19th century, failing to establish a true dynasty.

History

The origins of the al-Azm family are relatively obscure. They may have originated from the region of Konya in Anatolia and were considered awlad al-arab or descendants of an Arab tribe, making them one of the few Arab aghawat ("military") families in Ottoman Syria. They began to emerge as a major influence in the region in the early 18th-century from the their stronghold in the fortress of Maarrat al-Nu'man. From 1717, Ismail Pasha al-Azm, the commander of the fortress and son of a professional soldier, became governor of Homs and Hama for seven years. The latter city would become a long-time stronghold of the family.