Beirut 1875: The Silk Boom That Built a City

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the transformative silk boom of 1875 that turned Beirut from a small port town into a thriving commercial hub. They discuss how French merchants and Lebanese farmers created a global supply chain, the role of the Mutasarrifiyya system in protecting the industry, and the social changes brought by new wealth — including the rise of the Sursock family and the construction of iconic buildings like the Sursock Palace. The episode also touches on the decline of silk when Japanese competition and World War I disrupted trade, and how this early globalisation shaped Lebanon's modern economy and identity.

#LebanonHistory #Beirut #SilkBoom #Mutasarrifiyya #Sursock #19thCentury #GlobalTrade #OttomanEmpire #MountLebanon #FrenchMerchants #SilkRoad #BeirutPort #SursockPalace #Kisrawan #Sericulture #EconomicHistory #History #FexingoHistory

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