High Commissioner of the Levant

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[edit]

Portrait	Name	Term of office			Notes
Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Notes
	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[edit]

Portrait	Name	Term of office			Notes
Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Notes
	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

References[edit]

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

World Statesmen – Syria

[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.

[1]

[2]

List of high commissioners of France in the Levant[edit]

List of general delegates of Free France in the Levant[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]