Protectorate of the Holy See facts for kids
For nearly 400 years, France had a special role in the Ottoman Empire. This was called the French Protectorate of Jerusalem. It was part of a system known as capitulations, which gave special rights to foreign countries.
In 1914, when the First World War began, Turkey ended these special rights. After this, France tried to get its special role back and wanted parts of Palestine. However, France's influence in Palestine mostly ended in 1918 when Britain took control. The last parts of France's special protection over "Latin" Christians (a type of Christian) in the former Ottoman Empire officially ended with the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. This marked the end of France's special standing in the region. Still, thanks to the Holy See (the Pope's government), France kept some special religious honors in Palestine until 1924.
France was not happy about losing its special status in the Middle East. It still takes a special interest in the area, especially regarding French claims in Jerusalem.
A Long History of Special Rights
In 1535, a powerful Ottoman ruler named Suleiman the Magnificent gave rights to Francis I, the King of France. France was known as the "Elder Daughter of the Church." These rights allowed France to protect its people living in the Ottoman Empire.
By 1740, these protections grew. They covered all Christian clergy (religious leaders) who followed the Latin rite and lived in the Middle East, no matter their nationality. These special legal rights also started to apply to Orthodox Christians. This system became known as the French Protectorate of Jerusalem. Through these "capitulations," France gained religious freedom for its people from the Ottoman Empire. This formed the legal basis for France's special protectorate system.
On September 9, 1914, when war broke out in Europe, the Ottoman government officially ended the capitulations system on its own.
The End of the Protectorate
At the San Remo conference in April 1920, the League of Nations decided that Great Britain would be in charge of the Mandate for Palestine. France wanted to keep its religious protectorate in Palestine, but Italy and Great Britain disagreed. France lost its special religious protection. However, because of the Holy See, France continued to have some special religious honors in Palestine until 1924, when these honors were also stopped.
The exact borders of all territories, including the British Mandate for Palestine, were not set at that time. They were to be decided later by the main Allied Powers. During this period, Britain controlled Palestine. France was given control of Syria and Lebanon, which became the French Mandate.
See also
- French claims in Jerusalem
- Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire
