Tuqan clan

The Tuqan clan (Arabic: طوقان‎, also spelled Toukan, Touqan, and Tukan) is a prominent Palestinian and Jordanian political and business family. During the Ottoman era, they dominated the political and socio-economic spheres in Nablus and extended their influence to al-Salt. During that era, they were the only household that came close to establishing centralized rule over Jabal Nablus. Over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries the Tuqan family held the title of Mutasallim of Nablus longer than any other local family.

History

Origins

According to Palestinian historian Muhammad Muslih, the Tuqan family traces their ancestry to an ancient tribe from northern Arabia. For centuries, they resided in Transjordan, particularly in Ma'an and the eastern Jordan Valley. They claim to have settled in Nablus during the 12th century. However, according to Palestinian historian Beshara Doumani, the political branch of the Tuqan family originated from northern Syria. This branch of the Tuqans were known by the appellation Bey or Beik. According to Doumani, they settled in the town of Nablus, which was the administrative and commercial center of the Jabal Nablus region, in the years following the Ottoman centralization campaign in Jabal Nablus in 1657. Doumani distinguishes between the political branch of the family and the Khawaja branch which was heavily involved in commerce. The Tuqans had already been a prominent clan before their migrating to Jabal Nablus, with many members being timariot (timar holders), including a certain Hajj Mahmud Tuqan, who had been a wealthy merchant. His son Ibrahim Agha Tuqan held a za'amah (large timar) and served as a commander of a military unit securing the annual Hajj pilgrim caravan alongside the Amir al-Hajj (Commander of the Hajj Caravan).