Yusuf al-Azma

Yusuf al-Azma was born in 1883 CE in the Muhajirin quarter of Damascus, into a prominent Arab-Syrian family from Bashout. He studied at the Ottoman Military Academy in Istanbul and served in the Ottoman army, taking part in World War I.

He joined the Great Arab Revolt (1916–1918) on Sharif Hussein's side, and took part in the liberation of Damascus. When the Arab Kingdom of Syria was established in 1920, King Faisal I appointed him Defence Minister in his last government (May 1920).

On 24 July 1920 he confronted the invading French forces at the Battle of Maysalun (west of Damascus). The Syrian army was heavily outnumbered — sources say he had only 3,500 effective troops against 12,000 French soldiers — and most were lightly armed, in contrast to French artillery.

Yusuf al-Azma refused to surrender. He stood in the front lines carrying his sword (according to many accounts), and was killed in the battle along with most of his officers. The French entered Damascus the next day.

Yusuf al-Azma is considered the symbol of sacrifice for Syrian independence. Streets in Damascus and several other Arab cities are named after him, and his name lives in national memory as the first modern Syrian military martyr.