TRENDEFRARAtlas of the Sultans · Cities and countries
2 cities
The Hejaz region of today's Saudi Arabia, with Mecca and Medina, was under Ottoman rule from 1517 to the First World War.
After the fall of the Mamluks in 1517, the Sharif of Mecca declared his allegiance to the Ottomans, and the guardianship of the holy cities passed to the Ottoman sultans. The Hejaz remained attached to the Ottoman state together with the rule of local sharifs; at the beginning of the 20th century the Hejaz Railway reached Medina. With Sharif Hussein's revolt in 1916 the region broke away; Medina surrendered in 1919 after Fahreddin Pasha's long defence.
After Selim I took Egypt, Mecca passed to the Ottomans; the sultan became 'Servant of the Two Holy Cities'.
When Selim I confirmed the sharif of Mecca in office, Medina too came under Ottoman rule.
The Wahhabis took the city; Sharif Ghalib laid siege on 12 July 1803 and recovered it.
The Wahhabis occupied the city in June 1805.
Despairing of Ottoman help, Sharif Ghalib surrendered the city to the Wahhabis in January 1806.
Tusun Pasha recovered the city on 3 December 1812 after a two-week siege.
Tusun Pasha, son of Muhammad Ali, entered the city on 23 January 1813.
Sharif Hussein rose in revolt on 27 June 1916 and on 3 November 1916 founded the Kingdom of Hejaz with Mecca as capital.
Fahreddin Pasha defended the city for two years and seven months; Medina was the last Ottoman stronghold in the region.
Seventy-two days after the Armistice of Mudros, on 10 January 1919, the city was surrendered.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, article “SUUDİ ARABİSTAN” (in Turkish) and the atlas's city pages. Present-day borders are used.