8 ▁on ward , ▁the ▁cit adel ▁was ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁Jan iss aries — O tt oman ▁inf antry ▁units . ▁In ▁ 1 7 3 8 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 6 , ▁they ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁conflicts ▁with ▁the ▁govern ors ▁of ▁Dam asc us ; ▁the ▁Jan iss aries ▁tempor arily ▁lost ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁cit adel ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 6 . ▁The ▁north ▁gate ▁of ▁the ▁cit adel ▁col lapsed ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 2 , ▁and ▁sust ained ▁heavy ▁damage ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁severe ▁earth qu ake ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 9 . ▁According ▁to ▁contemporary ▁accounts , ▁both ▁the ▁western ▁and ▁southern ▁walls ▁col lapsed , ▁but ▁the ▁damage ▁was ▁quickly ▁rep a ired ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 1 . ▁ ▁When ▁Ali ▁Bey ▁of ▁Egypt , ▁who ▁opposed ▁Ott oman ▁over l ord ship , ▁inv aded ▁Sy ria ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 1 , ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Dam asc us ▁surrender ed ▁to ▁him ▁without ▁a ▁fight , ▁except ▁for ▁the ▁cit adel . ▁Ali ▁Bey ▁with d rew ▁after ▁a ▁short ▁sie ge . ▁Two ▁further ▁sie ges ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 7 ▁and ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁both ▁successful ▁and ▁both ▁initi ated ▁because ▁the ▁cit adel ' s ▁g arrison ▁had ▁revol ted ▁against ▁the ▁governor ▁of ▁Dam asc us . ▁The ▁last ▁sie ge ▁of ▁the ▁cit adel ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 1 . ▁In