In the 18th century, the northern district of Safad is the centre of Palestine's lucrative cotton trade. At the peak of Safad's cotton boom, a small conflict over farming rights becomes the genesis story of modern Palestine's founding father. Join me as I take you through the rise and fall of the most important Palestinian you've probably never heard of.

“The inhabitants [of Nablus] are most proud of it, and think there is no place in the world equal to it.” These words were spoken by a priest traveling through the holy land in the Ottoman era. Between the 16th - 18th centuries, Nablus was unquestionably the economic heart of Ottoman Palestine. Join me as I discuss the unique social arrangements that made this city so special.

This episode is part one of a three part series covering early Ottoman Palestine (16th - 18th centuries). In the 16th century a new power came to rule over Palestine. From the onset, this new dynasty would face unique challenges. Join me as I take you through early Ottoman Palestine and introduce you the families that ruled the holy city of Jerusalem.

Where does the name Palestine come from? Who are the Palestinians? Are they "Arabs" who migrated over from neighboring countries, or are they they indigenous inhabitants of this hotly contested land? In this opening episode, I scratch the surface on these important questions.