How was Ottoman Lebanon governed in the north, center, and south?

Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Ottoman Empire governed the regions of Lebanon through a decentralized administrative system. The governance was divided geographically as follows:

• North: Administered by Ottoman Aleppo or Tripoli.12
• Center: Governed by Damascus.12
• South: Administered by Sidon, which became a center of governance after 1660.12

While these regions were under provincial oversight, the coastal areas and the Bekaa Valley were typically subject to more direct rule from the Ottoman capital in Istanbul. In contrast, Mount Lebanon maintained a semiautonomous status, often governed by local notables and princely families such as the Maʿn and the Shihāb, who established feudal relationships with the cultivators. This traditional structure eventually shifted in the 19th century, leading to the establishment of an autonomous region in Mount Lebanon under a Christian governor following the 1860 conflict.12