1614 the Kashlak Incident
In 1614, under ruthless Ottoman control, Douma's inhabitants suffered from hunger and poverty. The people had to pay high taxes to the Ottaman Wali (governor), Youssef Bacha Seifa. Seifa's tax collector, an army general named Kashlak, was responsible for collecting taxes, repressing revolts, and ensuring by any means that no one dare challenge Ottoman rule.
At the time, another Chalhoub, also named Prince Hanna, led Douma. Prince Hanna had a beautiful daughter named Hawla. When Kashlak came to Douma, he saw Hawla and wanted to take her for a wife. Prince Hanna was not pleased. Prince Hanna refused to allow his daughter to be taken by Kashlak. He wisely requested that Kashlak give him a few days to prepare a wedding feast for them.
Before Kashlak returned, Prince Hanna convened with the town elders to decide on a plan of action. They wanted to get rid of the oppressive Kashlak forever. On the marked day, Prince Hanna invited Kashlak and his forty soldiers to a great lunch. Behind each one of them stood a man holding a towel under which he hid a hatchet. Known for their hospitality, Arabs never harm a guest. Prince Hanna ordered the food without salt because according to Arab traditions, one can not kill someone having had salt and bread with them. When there is no salt on the food, the food is ruined and there is no hospitality pact with the guest. Kashlak started eating after taking Prince Hanna's permission. He asked the Prince where is the salt, the Prince said "Allah" (God), which was the signal for his men, who answered "Awn Allah" (God's help), and hit the soldiers with the hatchets beheading them. To hide the evidence, the villagers buried the bodies, along with their horses, high up in the mountains above Douma. The site is now called Jwar el Khail (The Place of the Horses.)
After some time, the Wali sent soldiers searching for Kashlak and interrogating his absence. They were told of the incident by some of Prince Hanna's enemies. The Wali was furious and vowed revenge on the people of Chalhoubs. The Chalhoub family separated and fled to various locations in Lebanon and Syria. Some went to Beirut, others to the regions of Jbeil (Byblos), Keserwan, Metn, Chouf, Aley, Bekaa, South Lebanon, North Lebanon and some parts of Syria. To hide their identities, many Chalhoubs had to change their family name, and at times assumed the religion of the people in the towns in which they settled. New families were created, known by the first name of their father, including Ayoub, Hanna, Nassif, Fares, Saab, Bachour, Nakrour (Syria), Al Moukawwem, Kassouf, Kiameh, Saad, Samia, Yaacoub, Khoury, etc.
