Lebanon's Silk Trade: The Wealth Behind Beirut's Rise

While the Phoenicians gave us letters and Tyrian purple, a quieter industry shaped modern Lebanon’s urban landscape. This episode explores the mid-nineteenth century silk boom that transformed Mount Lebanon from a fragmented mountain society into a global commercial hub. We trace how sericulture — the farming of silkworms — brought unprecedented wealth to the villages of the Chouf and Metn, funding the construction of stone houses in Aley and Baabda. We also examine the political fallout, including the devastating 1860 massacres triggered by economic jealousy and religious tension, and the Ottoman reforms like the Règlement Organique that attempted to manage this volatile prosperity. From mulberry groves to Lyon’s textile mills, discover how a single commodity rewired the Middle East’s economy.

#History #FexingoHistory #LebanonHistory #SilkTrade #Sericulture #MountLebanon #OttomanEmpire #Tanzimat #Beirut #Aley #Baabda #Chouf #1860Massacres #RèglementOrganique #Mutasarrifiyya #Lyon #MulberryTrees #Maronite #Druze

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo