▁an ▁army ▁and ▁met ▁the ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁strong ▁French ▁forces ▁under ▁General ▁Mar iano ▁Go y bet ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁M ays al oun . ▁The ▁French ▁won ▁the ▁battle ▁and ▁Az me h ▁died ▁on ▁the ▁battle field ▁along ▁with ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁troops , ▁with ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁defect ing . ▁Dam asc us ▁was ▁captured ▁with ▁little ▁local ▁resistance ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁ ▁French ▁Mand ate ▁for ▁Sy ria ▁and ▁the ▁Leb anon ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁following ▁the ▁Franco - S y rian ▁War ▁France ▁was ▁assigned ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations ▁mand ate ▁of ▁Sy ria ▁and ▁Leb anon , ▁starting ▁from ▁ 2 9 ▁September . ▁ ▁The ▁mand ate ▁region ▁was ▁sub div ided ▁into ▁six ▁states . ▁The ▁states ▁of ▁Dam asc us , ▁Ale ppo , ▁A law ites , ▁J ab al ▁Dru ze , ▁the ▁autonom ous ▁San jak ▁of ▁Alexand rett a , ▁and ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁Leb anon . ▁The ▁drawing ▁of ▁those ▁states ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁sect arian ▁dem ograph ics ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁and ▁was ▁meant ▁to ▁prevent ▁any ▁un ified ▁national ist ▁revol ts . ▁However , ▁nearly ▁all ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁sect s ▁were ▁host ile ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁mand ate ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁division ▁it ▁created . ▁ ▁Great ▁Sy rian ▁Revol t ▁▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 3