History of Gaza

city in 1355, he noted that it was "large and populous, and has many mosques." The Mamluks contributed to Gazan architecture by building mosques, Islamic schools, hospitals, caravansaries, and public baths. They also allowed the Jews to return to the city, and the Mameluke period saw a flourishing Jewish community in the city. In 1481 traveller Meshulam of Voltura wrote "It is a good land, flourishing with fruit trees, the fruits of which are of excellent quality. There is bread and wine there, which only the Jews manufacture. It has a large population. There are 70 Jewish families and 4 families of Samaritans". Towards the end of the Mameluke period the Jewish community in Gaza was the third largest in Palestine, after the communities in Safad and Jerusalem.

Ottoman rule

In 1516 Gaza—at the time, a small town with an inactive port, ruined buildings and reduced trade—was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman army quickly and efficiently crushed a small-scale uprising, and the local population generally welcomed as fellow Sunni Muslims. The city was then made the capital of Sanjak Gaza, part of the larger Province of Damascus. The Ridwan family, named after governor Ridwan Pasha, was the first dynasty to govern Gaza and would continue to rule the city for over a century. Under Ahmad ibn Ridwan, the city became a cultural and religious center as a result of the partnership between the governor and prominent Islamic jurist Khayr al-Din al-Ramli, who was based in the nearby town of al-Ramla.

During the rule of Husayn Pasha, strife between the settled population and the nearby Bedouin tribes was dramatically reduced, allowing Gaza to peacefully prosper. The Ridwan period is described as a golden age for Gaza, a time when it served as the virtual "capital of Palestine." The Great Mosque was restored, and six other mosques constructed, while