Mardas Family History & Genealogy

Summary

The history of the Mardas family is long and complex (see "History) but according to one branch of the family, it has its beginnings in northern Syria.  The Mardas family can be found today in Lebanon, Syria, Europe and South America. Do you have more information about the Mardas family?  Please add it to this page!

History

This is one possibilitiy for the history of the origin of the Mardas family (the family story of one branch of this family):
The Mardas family were members of the Banu Kilabi, an Arab tribe that had been present in northern Syria for several centuries. Like the other Arabs of the region, the Mardas were Shi'a Muslims, although as a result of the expansion of the Seljuk Turks into the area they were constrained to convert to Sunnism.
Unlike other Arab tribes of Syria that managed to establish their autonomy or independence in the late 10th/early 11th centuries, the Mardas focused their energies on urban development. As a result, Aleppo prospered during their reign. The Mardas demonstrated a high degree of tolerance to Christians, favoring Christian merchants in their territories and employing several as viziers. This policy, no doubt influenced by comparatively good relations with the Christian Byzantine Empire, often upset the Muslim population.
The early history of the Mardas dynasty is characterized by constant pressure from both the Byzantines and the Fatimids of Egypt. By mixing diplomacy (the Mardas were vassals of both the Byzantines and Fatimids several times) and military force, the Mardas were able to survive against these two powers.
Militarily, the Mardas had the advantage of light Arab cavalry, and several Arab groups in the region, such as the Numayrids of Harran and their own Kilabi brethren, provided valuable assistance. Later on, the Seljuks supplanted the Byzantines and Fatimids as their primary antagonist; the Turks' light cavalry was superior to their own and the Mardas had a much more difficult time dealing with them. The Mardas had resorted to recruiting Turkish mercenaries into their armies, although this caused its own problems, as the Turks began to acquire an increased role in the government.
Note: The Mardas family is found in a large numbers in the following countries: Lebanon, Syria, and some parts of Europe and South america. The history of the Mardas family is long and complex (see "History) but according to one branch of the family, it has its beginnings in northern Syria.  The Mardas family can be found today in Lebanon, Syria, Europe and South America. Do you have more information about the Mardas family?  Please add it to this page!

Name Origin

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Spellings & Pronunciations

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Nationality & Ethnicity

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Famous People named Mardas

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Early Mardases

These are the earliest records we have of the Mardas family.