What are Druze beliefs?

Druze believe in theophany and reincarnation. Druze believe that at the end of the cycle of rebirth, which is achieved through successive reincarnations, the soul is united with the Cosmic Mind (al-ʻaql al-kullī). Even though the faith originally developed out of Isma’ilism, Druze do not identify as Muslims.

Who is the founder of Druze religion?

al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh
The Druze faith originated in Egypt as an offshoot of Ismaʿīlī Shīʿism when, during the reign of the sixth Fāṭimid caliph, the eccentric al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh (ruled 996–1021), some Ismaʿīlī theologians began to organize a movement proclaiming al-Ḥākim a divine figure.

Was the Maronite-Druze conflict a religious war?

The Maronite-Druze conflict in 1840–60 was an outgrowth of the Maronite Christian independence movement, directed against the Druze, Druze feudalism, and the Ottoman-Turks. The civil war was not therefore a religious war, except in Damascus, where it spread and where the vastly non-Druze population was anti-Christian.

What is the relationship between the Druze and Christians like?

The relationship between the Druze and Christians has been characterized by harmony and coexistence, with amicable relations between the two groups prevailing throughout history, with the exception of some periods, including 1860 Mount Lebanon civil war. Fakhr-al-Din II (1572 – 1635) was a Druze prince and a leader of the Mount Lebanon Emirate.

What caused the Lebanese Civil War of 1860?

In 1860 a civil war between Druze and Maronites erupted in the Ottoman Mutasarrifate of Mount Lebanon, which had been divided between them in 1842. The war resulted in the massacre of about 10,000 Christians and at least 6,000 Druzes.

How many Maronite Christians died in the Lebanese Civil War?

According to some estimates about 11,000 Lebanese Christians (including Maronites) were killed; over 4,000 died from hunger and disease as a result of the war. After the 1860 massacres, many Maronites fled to Egypt.