Around 1697, when the Shihab family succeeded their Ma'ani relatives for leadership of Mount Lebanon, their governor for Safad, Emir Mansur, appointed Zaydan's son, Umar al-Zaydani, as multazem of Safad and its vicinity. In 1701, Sheikh Umar became governor of Safad as a result of Emir Mansur's death. He remained in the position until his death in 1706. His son Sa'd al-Umar succeeded him as head of the clan, although his younger brother Zahir al-Umar was ceded control over the iltizam (tax farms) that the clan held, giving him great influence over the Zayadina. The Zayadina under Zahir's command successfully defended the village of Bi'ina from the forces of Sidon's governor sometime between 1713 and 1718, earning him prestige among the local inhabitants. In the 1720s, the Zayadina fortified Deir Hanna and turned it into their rural stronghold.