Archaeology, History and Culture
Jenin Governorate
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Jenin is one of the most ancient cities in Palestine. It's history goes back to 2450 BC, when it was built by the Canaanites, which makes Jenin almost as old as Jericho (8000 BC), Jerusalem, Nablus and Damascus. Jenin became part of the Islamic state in 638 AD. It was twice occupied by the crusaders, first in 1103 AD and after the liberation by Salah Addin Al Ayyoubi ('Salladin') in 1187 AD (in the famous battle of Hitteen) once more in 1229. It was liberated again in 1244 AD by king Al Salih Najm Addin Ayyoub.
After 1244, Jenin flourished economically because of its location on the trade route Egypt-Ajlun (Jordan)-Damascus, until a major earthquake completely destroyed the city.
Jenin, like other Islamic cities, came under the control of the Islamic Turkish state (being the successor of the Abbasi reign) in 1516 which lasted till 1918 (the end of the Turkish Islamic Caliph state).
The Biritish troops occupied Palestine in 1918. The British mandate started in 1922 and ended in 1948. During this period, Jenin along with other Palestine cities resisted the British troops bravely.