The House of Fayez(Arabic: الفايز or, colloquially: Al-Fayez, Alfayez, Al Fayez, Al Faiz, Al Fayiz) is a noble sheikhly Jordanian family that heads the major Jordanian clan Bani Sakher. The family's influence and prominence in the region was at its ultimate under Fendi Al-Fayez, who led the family in the 1840s and gradually became the leader of the entire Bani Sakher.[1] Fendi would rule large parts of Jordan and Palestine, including the ancient Kingdoms of Moab and Ammon, and parts of modern-day Saudi Arabia until the late 1860s when a series of battles with the Ottoman Empire decreased the family's resources and claimed a portion of its holdings. After Fendi, his young son Sattam led the tribe in a push to cultivate the lands and live a more sedentary lifestyle, then under Mithqal Alfayez as a permanent political power in modern Jordan.[2] The family was the largest owner of land in Jordan and owned portions of modern day Palestine, and Mithqal was the single largest owner of private land in the kingdom in 1922.[3] The Al-Fayez family is active in Jordanian and Arabian politics and is currently headed by former Prime Minister Faisal Al-Fayez.
Origin and History
The Al-Fayez are the ruling branch of the Twaqa, the descendants of the 14th century AD Twayq bin Ahmad Al-Djarah, who was a Bani Sakher Sheikh. The Bani Sakher are descendants of the 3rd century Sakher, a great grandson of Julhamah bin Udad, the 2nd AD progenitor of the Banu Tayy Tribe which itself originated from the KahlaniteQahtanites in Ancient Yemen, and the Bani Sakher were first mentioned in text in western sources in 15th century AD.[4] The origin of the name is from the progenitor of the house, Fayez bin Fadel Al-Tayy. Fayez is derived from the Arabic word Fa'iz, meaning "Victorious" in Arabic. The Bani Sakher Tribe was separated from Banu Tayy during that time as they migrated north to modern day Jordan, and then the Fayez were further distinguished after multiple successful leaders from the family and furthermore the lineage of Fayez Al-Tayy.
The family was briefly split in 1879 when Emir Fendi died of illness on his way back from Nablus. During that time, half of his eight remaining sons allied with the Adwan tribe who were Bani Sakher's adversaries, and the other half under Sheikh Satm allied with the Anazah tribe. In May of 1881 Sheikh Satm was killed in a skirmish with the Adwan, leading to the reunification of the tribe by Sattam bin Fendi in September 1881, to regain some of the influence that his father had on the area.[5] However those two years would prove to be a big loss for the Fayez family as they never recovered to the peak that they experienced under Fendi.
18th Century
In 1742, Sheikh Qa'dan Al-Fayez, the progenitor of the Qa'dan branch of the Al-Fayez family and the grandson of Fayez Al-Tay, was invited to support the Ottoman state in Sieging Tiberias. Although the siege was a failure, the Beni Sakher were still thanked by an invite from As'ad Pasha al-Azm to escort the Hajj Caravans. In 1757, the Ottoman state failed to pay the Beni Sakher for their services, this coupled with the drought of 1756 has led to the infamous raid in 1757 led by Qa'dan. The raid's casualties were in the tens of thousands, including Musa Pasha and the sister of the sultan.[6]
Prince Fendi Al-Fayez in the 1870s
19th Century
In 1820, Fendi Al-Fayez led in battle for the first recorded time, and by mid century he was the paramount sheikh and revered throughout Arabia.
The Kerak Castle which was sieged by Shleish Al Bakhit Al Fayez
One of the most famous conflicts that they had was against the Majalli family in 1863 and was documented by the Italian explorer Carlo Claudio Camillo Guarmani in his book that Northern Nejd. The Al Tafilah villagers, who were subject to Mohammad Al-Majalli, paying yearly tributes to him, were discontented with the recent negligence of the Majalis in protecting the villagers. The Tafilah villagers were gathered by Abdullah Al-Huara, the chief of the Tafilah, and agreed to renounce vassalage and replace the tribute with an annual gift as homage instead. The Al-Majalli chief was discontent with this and was ready to force the Tafilah's to become their vassals again, but was stopped by the Bani Sakher headed by Fendi, where Fendi sent Shleesh Al-Bakhit Al-Fayez to ensure the contract between them where both parties comprised to avoid bloodshed.
However, in January 1864, Al-Majalli again decided to attack and announce himself the master of the Tafilah, and was met with an immediate declaration of war from Fendi himself. Shleesh Al-Bakhit was successful in leading an attack against Qoblan Al-Mkheisen who was appointed by Al-Majalli to oversee the Tafilah. Fendi shortly after sent 200 who met a force of 2000 riflemen on dromedaries. However, during the long standstill, the people of Al-Kerak were virtually under siege and were quickly running out of food and becoming increasingly ill-content, sensing this, Al-Majalli secretly went to Fendi in the night to personally declare his surrender to him and agreed to pay reparations to all those wronged in the conflict, including reinstating Al-Huara's son as the Chief of Al-Tafilah.[7]
A young Emir Sattam bin Fendi in 1848
In 1868, an Anglican missionary, F.A Klein, was accompanied by Sattam bin Fendi on Fendi's orders to show him the Mesha Stele, which was previously unknown to the western world. The stone has been dated to 840BC and described a war between the ancient Kingdom of Moab and the ancient Kingdom of Israel. Today the stone can be found in the Louvre Museum, Paris. [8]
20th Century
After Sattam's death in 1891, another succession crisis unfolded with Sattam's son Fayez bin Sattam vying to succeed his father, in opposition to his uncle Talal bin Fendi. Talal was eventually recognized as Sheikh of Sheikhs of the Beni Sakher. The Ottomans invited both Fayez and Talal to Istanbul to arbitrate a reconciliation which was successful. During his visit Talal was conferred the title of Pasha with a monthly salary and would later become Beylerbey. During his 18-year reign, Talal enjoyed friendly relations with the Ottomans his last years with strains over the construction of the Hijaz Railway which not only crossed through many of the family's private lands but would also destroy their income as protectors of Hajj Caravans and providers of camels and supplies. Talal negotiated with the Ottomans, where they agreed to keep paying for the Hajj Caravans, and also pay the tribe for the protection of the Hijaz Railway. By 1908, Talal stopped receiving payments from the Ottomans, and his trip to Damascus to complain coincided with the beginning of the Young Turk revolution.[9]
Beylerbey Talal Al-Fayez, 1907
Talal would be succeeded by Fawaz bin Sattam in 1909, Mithqal's older brother. Fawaz who was recognized by the Ottomans as Sheikh of Shiekhs and would act as an official representative of the empire, would face a rebellious Mithqal who challenged Ottoman authority over cultivated fertile lands. By then, the new Ottoman administration was enacting new conscription laws that even included tribesmen. Mithqal's dropped his claim over the land after peaceful negotiations between the two parties and a settlement of 200 ewes to Mithqal. By 1913, Mithqal would act as Fawaz's right-hand man and military commander and would enjoy a portion of the leadership of the Beni Sakher.
After Fawaz's death in 1917, his son Mashour who was had a Damascene education would succeed his father. Mashour was recognized by the Ottomans as Sheikh of Shiekhs, and Mithqal who was older was compensated by the Ottomans by the title of Pasha to become the last real Pasha in Jordan with a title sanctioned by the Sultan. In 1920, Mashour was recognized as the Governor of Jiza and would serve in the position till his death in a inter tribal battle in 1921. Mithqal who welcomed then Abdullah bin Hussein in Jiza, was recognized as Sheikh of Sheikhs of the Beni Sakher in the new Emirate of Transjordan with no opposition.[10]
In 1923, during the Adwan rebellion, Mithqal Al-Fayez led the Beni Sakher against the Adwan and in full support of Emir Abdullah, with the result being the defeat of the Adwan forces with some taken as prisoners and exiled.
21st Century - present
In 2004, H.E Faisal Al-Fayez becomes the Prime Minister of Jordan, and later in 2005, also becomes the Head of the Royal Hashemite Court.
In 2005, H.E Eid Al-Fayez becomes Minister of Interior after the 2005 Amman Bombings and would serve until 2009.
In 2008, H.E Amer Talal Al-Fayez became the Head of Royal Protocol at the Royal Hashemite Court and would stay until 2018.
In 2010, H.E Faisal Al-Fayez is elected the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Jordan.
Paramount Sheikh Mithqal Pasha Al-Fayez, 1925
In 2012, H.E Sami Al-Fayez holds one of the largest tribal conferences in Jordanian history to reaffirm and cement the tribe's support towards the Hashemite Monarchy during the Arab Spring.
Later in 2012, H.E Faisal Al-Fayez becomes the undisputed Paramount Sheikh of the Beni Sakher after the passing of his uncle Sami.
In 2016, H.E Faisal Al-Fayez became the President of the Jordanian Senate, to become the first person in Jordan's history to have been PM, President of the Senate and the Representatives, and Head of the Royal Court.
In 2018, a tribal conflict between the Al-Fayez and a tribe from Madaba causes nationwide unrest [11] but is soon resolved by tribal leaders.
In 2020, H.E Amer Talal Al-Fayez became President and Chairman of Al Abdali.
In 2021, H.E Faisal Al-Fayez is re-elected as the President of the Jordanian Senate.
Role in the founding of Modern Jordan
The Al-Fayez are frequently described as being central to the stability of the Jordanian state and the core of the support for the Hashemite Dynasty.[12] Mithqal was one of the first shaykhs in 1921 to meet Abdullah bin Al-Hussein in Ma'an. After their meeting, Mithqal invited him to Amman to establish the Transjordanian emirate there which is why Amman is the capital of Jordan today rather than the much larger cities of As-Salt or Irbid at the time.
Shortly afterwards, the nascent Emirate of Transjordan faced to military threats from the Wahhabi's in 1922 to the 1923 Adwan rebellion. Mithqal is credited to be the chief factor in protecting the new state from both of these conflicts by rebranding his own army made of many of his tribesmen into the newly formed Arab Army. Faced with similar wahhabi threats, Nuri Al Sha'lan, whos son Nawwaf is married to Mithqal's sister Jawaher, sent a letter to Mithqal and Emir Abdullah for permission to enter the country from the east. Ultimately, Mithqal and the new army successfully defended the emirate, with King Faisal Al Saud noting that "if it wasn't for Beni Sakher, our borders would reach Palestine".[2]
In the conflicts and wars following the birth of the state, the Al-Fayez played a major role in protecting the state and it's sovereignty.
Heads of the House
The Al-Fayez have customarily chosen a head of the house (Sheikh), usually not conforming to the Bedouin custom of conferring the role to the eldest son (Albikir) of the current head, but rather to the most competent and capable person of a given generation in the family. For example, Sattam was Fendi's third son, and Mithqal was Sattam's sixth son, and Akef was Mithqal's fourth son.[2] Note that the head of the Al-Fayez, would also be the head or co-head (with the head of the House of Khraisha) of the Bani Sakher clan as the Al-Fayez are the leading house in the clan.
^Alon, Yoav (2016). The Shaykh of Shaykhs: Mithqal al-Fayiz and Tribal Leadership in Modern Jordan. Stanford University Press. pp. 8–11. ISBN9780804799348.
^ abcAlon, Yoav. The Shaykh of Shaykhs: Mithqal Al-Fayiz and Tribal Leadership in Modern Jordan. Stanford University Press, 2016.
^Peake, Pasha. A History of Jordan and Its Tribes. University of Miami Press, 1958.
^Conder, C.R. Conder (1889). The Survey of Eastern Palestine. London: The Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. p. 295.
^Barbir, Karl (1980). Ottoman Rule in Damascus, 1708-1757. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 175–178.
^Guarmani, Carlo (1938). Northern Najd. London, England: The Argonaut Press. pp. 109–110.
^Walsh, Willaim (1872). The Moabite Stone. London: Porteous and Gibbs. pp. 8, 12.
^Musil, Alois (1907). Arabia Petraea Volume 3 (in German). Wien, A. Hölder. p. 115.
^Alon, Yoav (20 July 2016). The Shaykh of Shaykhs : Mithqal al-Fayiz and Tribal Leadership in Modern Jordan. Stanford University Press. ISBN978-0-8047-9934-8. OCLC1198931712.
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