As part of his policy to strengthen trade and political relations with Tuscany, Fakhr-al-Din II concluded a secret agreement with Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, the two parties pledging to support each other against the Ottomans.
Informed of this agreement, the Ottoman ruler in Constantinople reacted violently and ordered Hafız Ahmed Pasha, governor of Damascus, to attack Fakhr-al-Din.
Realizing his inability to cope with the regular army of Hafız, the Lebanese ruler went to Tuscany in exile in 1613.
He returned to Lebanon in 1618, after his good friend Silihdar Mehmed Pasha became governor of Damascus.

Following his return from Tuscany, Fakhr-al-Din, realizing the need for a strong and disciplined armed force, channeled his financial resources into building a regular army.
This army proved itself in 1623, when Mustafa Pasha, the new governor of Damascus and the Harfush clan underestimated the capabilities of the Lebanese army, engaged it in battle and was decisively defeated at Anjar in the Biqa Valley.

In addition to building up the army, Fakhr-al-Din, who became acquainted with Italian culture during his stay in Tuscany, initiated measures to modernize the country.
After forming close ties with the dukes of Tuscany and Florence and establishing diplomatic relations with them, he brought in architects, irrigation engineers, and agricultural experts from Italy in an effort to promote prosperity in the country.
He also strengthened Lebanon's strategic position by expanding its territory, building forts as far away as Palmyra in Syria, and gaining control of Palestine.
Finally, the Ottoman sultan Murad IV of Constantinople, wanting to thwart Lebanon's progress toward complete independence, ordered Küçük Ahmet Pasha, then governor of Damascus, to attack the Lebanese ruler.
This time Fakhr ad Din was defeated, and he was executed in Constantinople in 1635.
As part of his policy to strengthen trade and political relations with Tuscany, Fakhr-al-Din II concluded a secret agreement with Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, the two parties pledging to support each other against the Ottomans. Informed of this agreement, the Ottoman ruler in Constantinople reacted violently and ordered Hafız Ahmed Pasha, governor of Damascus, to attack Fakhr-al-Din. Realizing his inability to cope with the regular army of Hafız, the Lebanese ruler went to Tuscany in exile in 1613. He returned to Lebanon in 1618, after his good friend Silihdar Mehmed Pasha became governor of Damascus. 
Following his return from Tuscany, Fakhr-al-Din, realizing the need for a strong and disciplined armed force, channeled his financial resources into building a regular army. This army proved itself in 1623, when Mustafa Pasha, the new governor of Damascus and the Harfush clan underestimated the capabilities of the Lebanese army, engaged it in battle and was decisively defeated at Anjar in the Biqa Valley. 
In addition to building up the army, Fakhr-al-Din, who became acquainted with Italian culture during his stay in Tuscany, initiated measures to modernize the country. After forming close ties with the dukes of Tuscany and Florence and establishing diplomatic relations with them, he brought in architects, irrigation engineers, and agricultural experts from Italy in an effort to promote prosperity in the country. He also strengthened Lebanon's strategic position by expanding its territory, building forts as far away as Palmyra in Syria, and gaining control of Palestine. Finally, the Ottoman sultan Murad IV of Constantinople, wanting to thwart Lebanon's progress toward complete independence, ordered Küçük Ahmet Pasha, then governor of Damascus, to attack the Lebanese ruler. This time Fakhr ad Din was defeated, and he was executed in Constantinople in 1635.
Ma'n dynasty