​​Sovereign Imperial & Royal House of Ghassan

In Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
Officially Recognized by the Government of the Lebanese Republic

His Imperial and Royal Highness Prince Sheikh Antonios El Chemor

The Honorary Founder of the modern Royal House of Ghassan and one of the Forefathers of the modern Ghassanids 

Born in 1910, Sheikh Antonios El Chemor spent his early years between Kferhata, his hometown, and his boarding school at the prestigious Aintoura, one of the best schools of that time in Lebanon.

Once school finished, he was sent to Marseille, France, to continue his education. Meeting with other Lebanese Fellows and discussing business in Africa, he decided to move to Lagos, Nigeria, and start his career in trading and commerce. He spent around 15 years successfully trading meat and clothes for the army.

Back in Lebanon in the mid-forties, he became involved in the political and social life in Beirut and Kferhata. The north was impoverished and lacked water, electricity, roads, and hospitals. The first project he invested in was creating a potable water grid for the region. He made a mega project with his money and distributed water to 48 villages, which is still used today.  He invested in roads for several villages, helped finance churches, mosques, hospitals, etc… and all these projects on a personal level. Cheikh Antonios had a perfect relationship with all political and business people in Lebanon and worldwide.

He married HRH Shariffa Laudy Chehab in 1953. HRH Princess Laudy Chehab Al-Chemor was a Princess and a Shariffa in her own right, descending from HRH Prince Bashir Chehab II "the Great," the Emir (or Prince) of Mount Lebanon from 1788 till 1840. She also descends from the Quraysh, related to the Hashemite Royal Family of Jordan and the Alouite Royal Family of Morrocco. Therefore, the Al-Chemor Family (Prince Gharios') is related by marriage to some of the more critical Arab Royal Families. 

The current Royal Sheikhs El Chemor of Kferhata, sons of HIRH Sheikh Antonios and HRH Shariffa Laudy Chehab:

HIRH Sheikh Selim El Chemor (1954)
HIRH Sheikh Michel El Chemor (1956)
HIRH Sheikh Khalil El Chemor (1960)

As for social life, his wife,  Princess Laudy, made a big difference in the North as she was directly involved in many humanitarian and tourism projects such as helping the Red Cross acquire different vaccines for the children, the Ehden Festivals as president, Tripoli old city as president of tourism in the North and she was the one how brought the Nazareth sisters school to Kferzaina for girls. All these projects were executed with the help and blessing of her late husband.

The family is known in Lebanon for the El Chemor palace in Kferhata, a landmark in northern Lebanon.
 
Sheikh Antonios spent most of his life helping the poor, the unprivileged, and the people in need at all levels, creating small businesses for them or helping them find work in Lebanon and abroad in the private and governmental sectors.

Unfortunately, life was not fair to him as he died at a young age in 1971, leaving behind a long and lasting legacy that is still remembered to this day.

He is revered and recognized as the Honorary Founder of the modern Royal House of Ghassan for his unprecedented humanitarian legacy and dedication to studying and promoting the Royal family's heritage. His oldest son, HIRH Prince Sheikh Selim El Chemor, is the current Honorary Head of the Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan.

HIRH Sheikh Antonios El Chemor