Musa Agha al-Hasi

Musa Agha came from Faiyum in Upper Egypt.[1] He hailed from the Bedouin Hanadi tribe.[2] When the Ottoman commander Jezzar Pasha stayed in Egypt in the late 18th century, he developed a close association with the Ainawiyeh tribe of the Damanhur region near the Nile Delta. On Jezzar's return to Palestine to end the autonomous rule of Zahir al-Umar and his sons on behalf of the Sublime Porte, he took with him a contingent of Ainawiyeh tribesmen and gave them the honorary name of 'Arab al-Hawwara, which was meant to associate them with the well-known, but unrelated, Upper Egyptian tribe, who were "distinguished ... in bravery, horsemanship and equipments", according to Macalister and Masterman.[1]

Following his death in 1804, Jezzar, who had become the Acre-based governor of Sidon Eyalet, was succeeded by Suleiman Pasha al-Adil.[1] In 1811, Musa moved to Gaza in Palestine.[3] Musa sought to enjoy the favor Suleiman and his predecessor gave to the Hawwara tribesmen and requested military service. Suleiman made him a commander of the Hawwara horsemen and his successor Abdullah Pasha promoted Musa to be in charge of an even larger Hawwara contingent.[1] Along with his co-commander, Ali Abu Zayd Agha, Musa was in charge of 400 horsemen.[4] According to the Macalister and Masterman, Musa "was famed for his bravery and generosity."[1]

According to Macalister and Masterman, Musa died during Abdullah Pasha's siege of Sanur.[1] However, according to historian Alexander Schölch, he died in Gaza in 1830.[2] Musa left three sons, Ali, Aqil, and Salih. Aqil succeeded his father as the Hawwara's commander.[1]