Special attention should be made to Murād Afandi al-Quwwatli (d. 1326 AH/1908 CE), whom al-Šaṭṭi describes as one of the most important notables in Syria. He was a member of the Administrative Council (Majlis al-ʾIdāra) for many years and is listed as such in the Sālnāme for 1289 (1872-1873) and 1309/1892 to 1316/1898-1899. He was second president of the Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce in 1301/1883-1884 and 1306/1888-1889, and had been a member of that chamber since 1295/1878. In 1307-08/1890-91 and 1308-09/1891-92, he served as president of the Agricultural Bank. His house (photo), unfortunately destroyed by the French bombing of Sīdi ʿĀmūd in 1925, must have been magnificently furnished; the Russian Prince Nicholas (?) visited it, as did the German Crown Prince Friedrich and, finally, Kaiser Wilhelm himself.
Stefan Weber. Ottoman Modernity and Urban Transformation 1808-1918. Proceedings of the Danish Institute in Damascus V 2009 (Vol. I p. 64).
Photo courtesy of Wolf-Dieter Lemke.
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