Editing History of Jordan (section)

=== Majali rise to power in Al-Karak ===
Upon Jalal's arrival, Al-Karak was dominated by two influential factions: the Imamiya, descendants of Turkish officials, and the Amr, who traced their lineage back to Banu Oqbah of [[Harb (tribe)|Harb]], a participant in the historic defeat at [[Battle of Mu'tah|Mu'tah in 629]]. The Majali remained relatively obscure until Salim, Jalal's grandson, rose to prominence as the Chief of the tribe. Salim was instrumental in leveraging the internal strife between the Imamiya and the Amr. Around the year 1700, Salim, sensing an opportunity, allied with the Amr to confront the Imamiya during a large feast at the Bairam festival. An ambush was organized near the west gate of Al-Karak; the signal for attack—a white flag—was raised if the feast included an ox, indicating the presence of numerous Imamiya leaders. When this signal was confirmed, Salim and his 25 men launched a decisive attack, annihilating the Imamiya's presence in Al-Karak.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Peake |first=Frederick |title=A history of Jordan and its Tribes |publisher=University of Miami Press |year=1958 |location=Miami, United States |publication-date=1958 |pages=188–189}}</ref>

The leadership of Al-Karak then passed to Muhammed Ibn Salim, and then to Hamad, who engaged
[[File:Jordan Kerak Castle 2531.jpg|thumb|The Kerak Castle, used by the Majalis for centuries]]
the Amr over land disputes near Mezar. Using traditional boundary-setting techniques, Hamad managed to expand Majali territory significantly, a crucial step in securing the tribe's future prosperity. Salim ibn Muhammed succeeded his brother Hamad and sought the support of neighboring tribes such as the Bani Hamida, the Hajaya, and the Bani Sakhr, with which Salim successfully expelled the Amr from Al-Karak. However, the victory was bittersweet as the allied tribes demanded their share of the spoils, leading to continued strife and tributes imposed on various groups within the region, with the Bani Sakher levying khawa on most of the tribes in Al-Karak.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Peake |first=Frederick |title=A history of Jordan and its Tribes |publisher=University of Miami Press |year=1958 |location=Miami, United States |publication-date=1958 |pages=189–190}}</ref>

Khalil Majali, succeeding Salim around 1760. The Majali's dominance was challenged during a severe famine of 1779 when Khalil, who controlled the local grain supplies planned to leverage the famine to acquire land from desperate locals . However, his plans were disrupted when Salim's grandson Yusef ibn Sulayman Majali, responding to the community's urgent needs, led a grain caravan from Jerusalem back to Al-Karak. Despite attempts by Khalil to intercept and rob the caravan, Yusef's diplomatic skills ensured its safe passage, which earned him great favor with the local Al-Karaki people.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Peake |first=Frederick |title=A history of Jordan and its Tribes |publisher=University of Miami Press |year=1958 |location=Miami, United States |publication-date=1958 |pages=190–191}}</ref>

Khalil's death soon after marked another pivotal moment for the Majali. Yusef, who was very popular in Al-Karak was elected head of the tribe. He invited the Amr back to Al-Karak in 1804 to strategically incite conflict with the Bani Hamida, ultimately leading to the Amr's expulsion once again. Yusef then incited the Al-Karaki's to attack the Bani Hamida, blaming them for the misfortunes and wars of the region. After a successful attack, Yusef seized the fertile lands north of Al-Karak for himself, securing Majali power and riches in Al Al-Karak.<ref name=":4" />