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With Sultan Selim I's conquest of Syrian territories in 1516, the Nusayris (also known as Alawites) became Ottoman subjects. From the 18th century onward, some Nusayri families accumulated capital as tax farmers (multezim).
This led to the enrichment of certain Nusayri tribes while others became dependent on them. This tribal rivalry, over time, led to a religious division between the "Northerners" and Southerners."
Until the 18th century, Nusayris generally resided in the Latakia region.
Due to inter-tribal disputes, a major earthquake in the region during the 18th century, and various other reasons, some Nusayris migrated to the Cukurova plain.
The Nusayris' attempts at rebellion in 1808 and 1816 were largely ineffective. In the 1830s, Ibrahim Pasha, son of Kavalalı Mehmed Ali Pasha, who had conquered Syria, was appointed governor of Syria.
Following Ibrahim Pasha's financial and administrative reforms, the Nusayris, along with the Druze, rebelled in 1834. Ibrahim Pasha tried to maintain control by fueling tribal conflicts among the Nusayris.
The Ottoman central administration, on the other hand, armed and incited the Nusayris against Ibrahim Pasha until 1841.
After Ibrahim Pasha's withdrawal from Syria, the Ottoman administration sought to maintain control by supporting the tribal rivalries.
By the 1850s, there were four major tribal structures in the Nusayri-inhabited region: Kelbiyye, Matavira, Hayyatin, and Haddadin. The Nusayris were also divided into various religious groups, each with its own independent sheikh, alongside different tribes. One of the reasons for their internal conflicts was this religious structure.
As Syria drew the attention of Western powers from the 19th century onward, Europeans tried to gain influence among certain groups.
The French engaged in missionary activities through Maronites, the British through Druze, and the Americans through schools they opened in Nusayri-inhabited areas. The Ottoman administration, particularly during the reign of Abdulhamid II, tried to prevent missionary activities by opening schools and mosques in the region.
Although the Nusayris were ostracized by the Sunnis in the region, they were considered Muslims by the central government. Attempts were made to establish control in Nusayri areas by relocating some families there.
A report written to the central government in 1890 highlighted missionary activities in the region. The report emphasized that sheikhs were highly influential among the Nusayris and that they should be won over by giving them various tasks.
Furthermore, it recommended rapidly building schools and mosques and opening secondary schools to educate them as soldiers.
Throughout the 18th century, the Hayr Bey family of the Matavira tribe was highly influential in the northwestern region of Syria. Around 1830, Osman Hayr Bey led a military unit, primarily composed of Nusayris, in Safita and its surroundings. After Osman Hayr's death, his son Ismail Hayr became the tribal leader. He quickly drew the attention of the central government, being appointed delibasi (leader of irregulars) of Hama to prevent banditry.
After consolidating his power in the Safita region, he began a struggle for dominance in surrounding villages from 1854 onwards. The Crimean War, which began in 1853, facilitated Ismail Hayr's actions by diverting military units in Syria to the front.
Nusayris around Latakia and Hama refused to perform military service, did not pay their taxes, and attacked neighboring villages. In 1854, hundreds of people attacked Latakia, raided the district governor's mansion, and released prisoners.
In 1855, the governorship of Sidon asked for ammunition and military support against the rebellious Nusayris, but the requests for help went unanswered. Taking advantage of this power vacuum, İsmail Hayr Bey seized control of Nusayri-inhabited areas, implemented some administrative regulations, and appointed loyal individuals to positions.
Unable to intervene against İsmail Hayr Bey due to the Crimean War, the central administration tried to establish control in the region by granting İsmail Hayr Bey the directorship of Safita. İsmail Hayr's activities led to the unification of previously constantly warring Nusayri tribes around him.
Although soldiers began to return to Syria with the end of the Crimean War in 1856, they did not reach a level capable of establishing control in the region until 1858. Despite İsmail Hayr expanding his sphere of influence, no intervention could be made. After a while, İsmail Hayr not only failed to pay taxes but also attacked and plundered neighboring villages after March 1858.
Despite these reports from the region, Ismail Hayr was granted an order of distinction in an attempt to keep the Nusayris under control. Encouraged by the central government's attitude, İsmail Hayr launched attacks on Sunni Muslims and Christians around Hama.
Fearing Ismail Hayr's expansion of power in the region, the Ottoman administration encouraged the Nusayri and Sunni tribes who had been subjected to his oppression to revolt.
The Sunni Dendeş tribe was the most important tribe supported against İsmail Hayr, as there had been animosity between the Matavira tribe and the Dendeş tribe dating back to the early 19th century. However, while Christians and most Nusayri tribes supported İsmail Hayr, the Sunnis were not well-organized.
Toward the end of 1858, new soldiers were dispatched to the region. If Ismail Hayr was neutralized, the Nusayri Semsin tribe was promised a role in the administration of Safita to secure their support. Additionally, sheikhs in the region were encouraged to declare jihad.
Due to the highly clandestine nature of these activities, İsmail Hayr could not prepare. After gaining the support of the local population, troops were dispatched against Ismail Hayr.
Nusayri tribes also began to turn their backs on Ismail Hayr. From October onwards, sporadic clashes occurred between Ottoman forces and Nusayris. İsmail Hayr sought assistance from the British and French consuls but did not find the support he sought.
Ismail Hayr, who had fled from the Ottoman troops commanded by Tahir Pasha, was killed by his uncle Ali Sila, to whom he had sought refuge, thus restoring state authority in the region.
Subsequently, the Nusayris, who periodically rebelled, were suppressed by forces sent to the region in 1870 and 1877. Particularly when American missionaries accelerated their activities among the Nusayris, the state opened schools and built mosques in the region.
In 1880, the Latakia Sanjak was established as part of the Syria Vilayet, aiming to establish state authority in the Nusayri Mountains region. The goal was to connect mountain villages to district centers through sub-districts and from there to the sanjak administration. When it became clear that a single-district governorship would not be sufficient for the mountain settlements, four districts were established in Latakia.
With the opening of Sunni-oriented schools, some Nusayris in certain areas became Sunni. However, because a good educational system could not be fully established, the desired results were not completely achieved.
Nusayrism has been referred to by different names throughout history. Necati Alkan, Ilker Kiremit, Ilyas Uzum, Tufan Buzpinar, Ali Capar, Ali Sinan Bilgili, Selahattin Tozlu, Ugur Akbulut, Naim Urkmez and many foreign authors have conducted studies on the Nusayris.
Nusayrism emerged within Shi'ism in Iraq in the 9th century. In its early periods, it was known as Nemiriyya, named after its founder, Muhammad bin Nusayr al-Namiri. However, the name Nusayriyya gained general acceptance. Nusayrism was generally referred to as Arab Alawism.
They lived in southern Homs, northeastern Hama, Idlib, Latakia, and the rural areas of Damascus in Syria.
In Türkiye, they were partly settled around Adana, Tarsus, Hatay, and Mersin. Each region where Nusayris settled had its religious and tribal leaders. The scattered nature of their settlements historically prevented Nusayris from acting together and becoming a unified actor in the region.
The founder of Nusayrism, Muhammad bin Nusayr, is mentioned in sources as a Shi'a individual. Muhammad bin Nusayr adopted the concept of metempsychosis (transmigration of souls) and attributed divinity to Ali. Al-Khasibi systematized the Nusayri belief. After operating for a while in Baghdad and Aleppo, he settled in Harran in northern Syria.
He formed a secret Nusayri community of 51 members and worked to spread Nusayrism through his students. Al-Khasibi later returned to Baghdad. After his death, Nusayrism continued with centers in Baghdad and Aleppo.
In the early 13th century, Emir Mekzun al-Sinjari brought the Nusayris from Sinjar in Iraq to the Nusayri Mountains in Syria. In later periods, the Matavira, Haddadin, Numaylatiyya, Mahaliba, Darawise, and Bani Ali tribes rose to prominence.
Salih al-Ali, who organized the rebellion against the French Mandate administration after 1919, and Hafiz al-Assad, who seized power in Syria in 1970, both belonged to the Numaylatiyya.
After World War I, when France occupied Syria, it initially established an autonomous structure in the Nusayri-inhabited area. The region was named "Alawite lands."
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