The general public has no idea that the Middle East had a long reigning mighty Christian dynasty that flourished until very recently.
The Ghassanid Kings ruled several Middle Eastern regions, from 220 CE until the mid 18th century, a duration of over 1500 years. As the oldest active Christian Royal House in the world, they ruled over the largest territory for the longest period; more than any other Arab Dynasty.
The Ghassanid Kings’ lawful heirs are theSheikhs El Chemor of Lebanon. Many were forced to move to the Americas and change their last names after being persecuted by the Ottoman Empire. But many never stopped using their titles and have recently been internationally recognized.
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Around 300 years ago, His Beatitude Estephan II Boutros El Douaihy, Maronite Patriarch (1630-1704) and one of the most respected Lebanese historians, mentioned the ruling Sheikhs El Chemor in his chronicles about the Maronite history. In 1948, Father Ignatios Tannos El Khoury, one of the most acclaimed and respected Maronite historians of the 20th century, published a historical scientific research about the family called “Sheikhs El Chemor rulers of Akoura (1211-1633) and rulers of Zgharta-Zawyie (1641-1747)”. In this study, Father El Khoury states about the origins of the family El Chemor as being princes from the Ghassanid Royal Family and descending from the last King of Ghassan. That being the reason why they were respected by the Maronites as princes and sovereign rulers. Even regardless of the Ghassanid claim, the El Chemor family is undoubtedly a princely family since their titles didn’t come from any higher authority (prince, King nor emperor). They were sovereign and therefore royal, differently than many Sheikhs in Lebanon who got their titles from the princes that ruled Lebanon as “Ottoman puppets”. Not even those princes were technically sovereign since their power emanated conditionally and exclusively from the Ottoman empire. He also states that the Gharios (Guerios) family from Jbeil and Chiyah in Lebanon was originated from the El Chemor family.
The accounts about the El Chemor/Gharios (Guerios) family were never contested in over 300 years. Not even one line was written against the documents, books or even about the authors. On the contrary, patriarch Douaihy was Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI in 1998and is in the process of becoming a saint. Father Ignatios had published several historical books published not only in Lebanon but also in Europe and 6 years after the El Chemor scientific study was laureated by the French Government with their highest academic Order, the “Ordre des Palmes académiques (Order of Academic Palms)” in the rank of officer, the second highest. This honor is even higher in precedence than the well known “Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters)”.
Father Ignatios Khoury has over 35 (thirty five) academic publicationsplus several peer revised articles and scholarly essays published in renowned magazines and newspapers in Lebanon, other Middle Eastern countries and Europe.
Please, click below to read his academic biography and publications (Original in Arabic)
Please CLICK HERE for an official 2014’s article (in Arabic) from the Lebanese Government News’s Agency (Lebanese Republic – Ministry of Information) quoting the book about the El Chemor princely family (recognizing the titles and citing some family members) and validating Father Ignatios as an official source.
Please, click below of the English legal translation of the article
Recently, Professor Dr. Abbot Antoine Daou, one of the top modern Maronite historians, have confirmed the aforementioned statements in a sworn affidavit. Prof. Dr. Daou is not only an acclaimed Maronite historian and author of the book “History of the Maronites” (Beirut, 1970) amongst many others, but was graduated by the Pontifical Angelicum University in Rome with Doctorates in Theology and Canon law. He is a siting professor of the La Sagesse University in Lebanon and is the Abbot of the Antoinine Maronite Order. He also serves as the Secretary of the Commission of the Lebanese Bishops’ Conference for Dialogue with Islam.
Prof. Dr. Abbot Daou categorically states that the book about the El Chemor family by Father Ignatios “has been considered as an essential reference of Maronite’s and Lebanon history’s references” and that “no book or criticism has been issued by the Maronite church opposing this chronicling.” About Father Ignatios he states “a well-known historian and writer”.
Please, click here to access the document and the sworn legal translation in English:
“Mariam TV” is a satellite channel from Tele Lumiere. It is a live tribune that transmits the voice of women to the whole world and encourages the development of societies. It’s devoted to broadcasting programs that raise awareness and spread education. It is called “Mariam” since “Mariam”, the Holy Mother of God and the Divine Mercy on earth, gathers around her Christians and Muslims.
The Lebanese branch of the Royal House of Ghassanhad its third Christmas Charity Event in Furn El Chebbak, Lebanon. In partnership with the Amicale des Freres Association the Royal House has distributed food and gifts to the elderly people forgotten by their own families.
To be abandoned and have no home is one the saddest situations one can experience. That’s a lot for an adult to process. That is even worse for a child. The Lebanese branch of the Royal House of Ghassan visited the Lebanese United Center for Child Protection in the Fanar region to bring some joy to those forgotten children in the Holiday’s time. The mission was lead by the Executive President of the Royal House of Ghassan in Lebanon, Dr. Elie Gharios. Our very special thanks to Mrs. Joyce Mansour and Mr. Petro Al Achkar for all the help.
On the 9th of August, HIRH Prince Gharios El Chemor of Ghassan Al-Numan VIII has received the title of “Honorary President” of the Lebanese Cultural Association of Campos in Brazil (Associação Cultural Líbano – Goytacá) for his services rendered to the Lebanese and Arab community in the world. The Association is recognized by the Lebanese Government.
HIRH Prince Gharios El Chemor with His Excellency Mor Filiksinos Yusuf Çetin in Istanbul
The Syrian (Syriac) Orthodox Church was the original denomination of the Ghassanids until the 7th Century. With the fall of the first Ghassanid State in Syria and Jordan, many Ghassanids fled to today’s Lebanon and also to the Byzantine empire (today’s Turkey). The Royal family ended up adhering to the mainstream Orthodox denomination living in the Byzantine Empire. In the 9th century, the second Ghassanid ruling happened with emperor Nikephoros I in 802 CE. In Mount Lebanon, the family kept the Syriac Orthodox roots. However, the monks of Mar Maroun (Saint Maroun) monastery decided in the 7th century to create a new Patriarchate and that was how the Ghassanids became Maronite. Because of the obedience of the Maronites to the Pope in Rome and the absence of a Maronite church in Curitiba (Brazil) where Prince Gharios’ family was settled in exile, he ended up becoming Roman Catholic.
As part of a very successful trip to Istanbul, HIRH Prince Gharios El Chemor and his delegation have visited the Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan and Patriarchal Vicar for Istanbul and Ankara His Excellency Mor Filiksinos Yusuf Çetin. In the end of the audience, Prince Gharios was Blessed by the Metropolitan in his mission protecting the Christians in the Middle East.
HIRH Prince Gharios and delegation being Blessed by the Metropolitan
More information about the Royal House of Ghassan HERE
THE ROYAL HERALD 