Talal Al-Fayez

Talal bin Fendi bin Abbas Al Fayez (Arabic: طلال الفايز, (c. 1835 – 1909) was a Beylerbey from the powerful Al-Fayez family. He led the Bani Sakher tribe from 1891 until his death in 1909.

Succession to power in 1891
Talal's succession to the paramount Sheikhdom of the Bani Sakher was likely an easy and well accepted transition as his brother and predecessor, Sattam bin Fendi's sons, were still too young and inexperienced by this point to be considered for the role. Talal was also backed by the Ottomans for the role and would enjoy great support from 1891 onwards until 1906.

Relations with the Ottomans
Talal generally had great relations with the Ottoman state and Vilayet of Damascus. In 1893, Talal and Sattam's eldest son Fayez were both invited to Constantinople to reconcile them after Fayez disputed his uncle's Sheikhdom. The Ottoman's were successful in the reconciliation, and Talal would go back to his tribe with the title of Pasha and the highest rank a member of the family got from the Ottomans which is Beylerbey (Lord of Lords or High Prince), similar in prestige to his father, Fendi bin Abbas's title as king. These cordial relations would continue until 1906. In 1906, tensions rose between Talal and the Ottomans as the introduction of the Hejaz Railway has threatened a valuable source of income for both Talal and his people as they were employed as protectors of the Hajj Caravan. Talal went to Damascus to protest the railway, the government agreed to continue the payments of protecting the caravan by simply shifting the responsibility to protecting the railway. However, when the railway was completed in 1908, the Ottomans withheld the promised subsidies and payments, they also stopped paying his own salary as a Pasha and a Beylerbey.

In early 1909, he was invited to Damascus by governor Shukri Pasha for reconciliation, however the Young Turks revolution left the governor with no instructions on what to do in this situation.

Death
On his way back from Damascus, Talal, was reportedly poisoned by the Ottomans and couldn't complete the journey to his lands. He would die in Damascus and was buried in the famous old neighborhood of Damascus, Al-Shaghur. He was succeeded by his nephew, Fawwaz bin Sattam Al-Fayez.