ABSTRACT
Reform of the Ottoman system followed the withdrawal of the Egyptian occupation and reflected pressure from the Western powers ostensibly anxious to protect the rights of minorities. A serious setback came in 1860 with extensive rioting and loss of life among Christians in Damascus when disturbances spread from Lebanon. The Ottoman governor’s failure to protect the community resulted in his execution and redoubled efforts to pursue a reform agenda, including through more effective control over the administration. New institutions were developed to modernise Ottoman practice, including in education, administration of justice, armed forces and the development of modern communications including telegraph, rail (Hijaz Railway) and road links. Town planning was actively pursued, including through projects for new street axes integrated with public transport. In 1893, an unintentional blaze destroyed most of the interior of the Great Mosque in Damascus, later restored through a publicly funded program. In the hands of the Young Turks, Damascus suffered many privations during World War One and Ottoman rule was ended in October 1918 when the city was taken by Allied forces.
