High Commissioner of the Levant

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Pine Residence, Horsh district, Beirut

The high commissioner of France in the Levant (French: haut-commissaire de France au Levant; Arabic: المندوب السامي الفرنسي على سورية ولبنان), named after 1941 the general delegate of Free France in the Levant[1] (French: délégué général de la France libre au Levant[2]), was the highest ranking authority representing France (and Free France during World War II) in the French-mandated countries of Syria and Lebanon. Its office was based in the Pine Residence in Beirut, Lebanon (present-day official residence of the French ambassador in Lebanon).

List of high commissioners of France in the Levant

Portrait Name Term of office Notes
Took office Left office Time in office
Henri Gouraud 9 October 1919 23 November 1922 3 years, 45 days
Robert de Caix 23 November 1922 19 April 1923 147 days Acting
Maxime Weygand 19 April 1923 29 November 1924 1 year, 224 days
Maurice Sarrail 29 November 1924 23 December 1925 1 year, 24 days
Henry de Jouvenel 23 December 1925 23 June 1926 182 days
Henri Ponsot August 1926 13 July 1933 6 years, 11 months
Damien de Martel 16 July 1933 January 1939 5 years, 5 months
Gabriel Puaux January 1939 November 1940 1 year, 10 months
Jean Chiappe 24 November 1940 27 November 1940 3 days Died on flight to take office.
Henri Dentz 6 December 1940 14 July 1941 220 days Dentz was repatriated to Metropolitan France following the Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre.

List of general delegates of Free France in the Levant

Portrait Name Term of office Notes
Took office Left office Time in office
Georges Catroux 24 June 1941 7 June 1943 1 year, 348 days Catroux was also Chief of Free French Forces in Levant states.
Jean Helleu 7 June 1943 23 November 1943 169 days
Yves Chataigneau 23 November 1943 23 January 1944 61 days
Paul Beynet 23 January 1944 1 September 1946 2 years, 221 days

See also

References

  1. ^ Holt, P. M.; Lambton, Ann K. S.; Lewis, Bernard (1977). The Cambridge History of Islam. Cambridge University Press. p. 580. ISBN 9780521291361.
  2. ^ Malsagne, Stéphane (2011). Fouad Chéhab. p. 79.