brought back to the communion of Rome by the influ- ence of the Crusaders. Even in our day the Maronites, " warranted, indeed, both by historical and traditional records, allude in terms of pride and satisfaction to the service done by their ancestors to the armies of tlie Cru- saders, and estimate in round numbers 50,000 of their population as having fallen under the standards of the Cross" (Churchill). During the early part of the r2th century the communications between the Maronitc pa- triarch antl the papal see were of frequent recurrence, and thus the way was easily paved for reunion. But though the Maronites joined the communion of Rome in this very age, it required three cOTituries more be- fore the sturdy mountaineers could be brought to ac- knowledge Rome's supremacy in matters of ecclesias- tical discipline, and we are afforded a picture of a Chris- tian Church existing for three centuries, " popish in all its forms and doctrines, saving the cartlinal point of sub- mission to the pope." They had entered the Romish communion on the establishment of the Latin kingdom of .Jerusalem in the r2th century, but they did not en- ter into a formal act of union with Rome until the Coun- cil of Florence in 1445, and only formally subscribed to the decrees of the Council of Trent in 1736. Mosheim observes that the subjection of the Maronites to the spiritual jurisdiction of the Roman pontitf was agreed to with this express condition, that neither the popes nor their emissaries should pretend to change or abolish anything that related to the ancient rites, moral pre- cepts, or religious opinions of this people; so that, in reality, there is nothing to be found among the Maro- nites that savors of popery, if we except their attachment to the Roman pontiff. It is also certain that there are Maronites in Syria who still hold the Church of Rome in the greatest aversion and abhorrence (Schaff, Church J/isf. iii, 783) ; nay, what is still more remarkable, great numbers of that nation residing in Italy, even under the eye of the pontiff, opposed his authority during the 17th century, and threw tlie court of Rome into great perplexit}'. One body of these non-conforming Maro- nites retired into the valleys of Piedmont, where they joined the Waldenses; another, above six hundred in number, with a bishop and several ecclesiastics at their head, flew into Corsica, and implored the protection of the republic of Genoa against the violence of the in- quisitors. Their union with Rome gave the Maronites the protection of European powers, especially that of the devoted Frank ; but Avhen the Franks were expelled from Syria, in 1300, by Malek Ashraf, the IMaronites were compelled to defend their independence against the Mamehike sovereigns, and the greater part of them became mixed up with the Druses, still keeping up, however, their connection with Rome. In the 17th cen- tury they placed themselves inider the direct protec- tion of France, Louis XIV and Louis XV granting them "Letters of Protection ;" and for some time the French consul at Beirut exercised almost regal sway over them, the Maronites regarding themselves as " the French of the East." In the early part of the 18th centurj- the Druses called the Mohammedan family of the She- habs to govern Lebanon, and in 1713 the Turks made the first attempt to bring the inhabitants under the direct rule of a pacha. Tliey resisted successfully, defeating the Turks in the battle of Aindara; but in 175G several emirs became Maronites, and, incited by the Maronite clergj-, showed great favor to their new Ijrethren, there- by displeasing the Druses, and provoking a feeling of ill-will between the Druses and the ^Maronites, which has not yet subsided. The pachas of Acre, since Jez- zar, carefully promoted this misunderstanding, for they felt that the tribes of Lebanon, fully united under an en- terprising chief, would become dangerous to the Porte. Yet there was no feeling of religious animosity between the two nations at this early date, and, whenever polit- ical troubles broke out, Druse and JIaronite sided in- discriminately with both parties. Emir Beshir Shehab (1789-1840), although in secret a Maronite, was always
surrounded by the most important among the Druses, and, whenever he needed help, asked it of them rather than of the Maronites. Thus the Druses and the Chris- tians were living peaceably side by side until 1831, when Sj'ria passed under the rule of Mohammed Ali, and he commissioned his son, Ibrahim Pacha, to govern the province. Carrying out his father's enlightened views, Ibrahim Pacha applied himself to the improvement of the condition of his Christian subjects, and, in spite of the opposition of the Jlohamraedans, they were raised to civil and military offices. The Syrians, however, ac- customed to the indolent Turkish rule, revolted against this energetic and active Egyptian management, and it was some time before the insurrection was quelled, the Druses being the last to submit. They had asked the Maronites to join them, and the latter, who had held back when there was some chance of success, now rose under the most frivolous pretences. In the mean time, in 1840, the allied fleet of England, Austria, and Tur- key were employed to secure the restoration of Syria to Turkey. Turkish agents were busy among the Jlar- onites, fanning the flame of rebellion; most of these wretches were Englishmen. Finally, France not uphold- ing Egypt, Syria was returned to Turkish rule. The position of the Christians now became worse than ever, and their merchants were obliged to invoke the protec- tion of the European consuls against the spoliation of the Turks. Lord Stratford of Redcliffe interfered in their behalf at Constantinople, and quiet was for a while restored. The Turkish government wished to appoint a Turkish governor over Lebanon, but the English flnal- 1}' succeeded in obtaining the appointment of emir Be- shir Kassim Shehab, a Christian. The Druses, how- ever, took exception to this arrangement, and when sub- sequently the Maronite patriarch attempted to confis- cate all civil authority for the benefit of the Maronites, they became exasperated. Colonel Rose, the English consul-general, wrote on that occasion, " The Maronite clergy show a determination to uphold their supremacy in the mountains at the risk of a civil war." And a civil war was the result of this obstinac)'. The patri- arch (for his functions among the Slaronites, see below, under III. Religious Status. — 1. Clerg;/) at the same time, by his mismanagement, excited the jealousies of the Turks, and displeased the English, whom the Druses hailed as their friends.