!['A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎66v] (137/738)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000239.0x0001e0/IOR_L_MIL_17_16_15_0139.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎66v] (137/738)")
'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [66v] (137/738)
The record is made up of 1 volume (365 folios). It was created in 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
126
MILITARY HISTORY
The Arab victory placed rural Palestine at the mercy of the
invaders and they were encouraged to further enterprises.
The tribes of Arabia were united in a measure by their recent
conversion to Islam and were therefore in a position to form
a common plan and to co-operate in the execution of it.
Early in 635 they advanced towards Damascus, driving Greek
forces before them. Engagements were fought at Beisan
(January 635) and at Merj es-Suffar (February 635) on the
way. The surrender of Damascus in the beginning of
September was an act of the inhabitants who began to see
that the Arabs were an alternative to the hated Byzantine
governors.
Heraclius now made his one great effort to save Syria.
In the summer of 636 an army of imperial mercenaries and
Armenians and Arabs (drawn from the settled tribes of Syria)
advanced through the Biqa‘ and past Baniyas and across the
Jordan, south of Lake Huleh. They cut the communication
between Damascus and Arabia. But the Arabs had already
abandoned Damascus and had taken their position on a strong
line of defence, just south of the River Yarmuk. The opposing
armies seem to have faced one another on opposite sides of
the Yarmuk for some weeks. Futile negotiations were
carried on. Perhaps both sides awaited reinforcements and
feared to risk attack. Apparently the Greeks at length took
the offensive. The Arab victory was of supreme importance
for the future of Islam and therefore for the history of the
world. Unfortunately the course of the battle cannot be
ascertained in detail. Certainly the Moslems were not greatly
superior in point of numbers. During one phase of the
struggle the Greeks appear to have been within sight of
victory. But the composite character of their army was
a disadvantage. Their leaders were at variance and perhaps
their full force was not employed. Although most of the
Arabs fought on foot they had a distinguished cavalry leader
(Khalid ibn Walid), who seems to have dealt the decisive
blow. A sand-storm blowing in the faces of the Greeks may
have turned the scale against them (August 20, 636).
About this item
- Content
Admiralty handbook regarding Syria (including Palestine) 'to as far north as the River Orontes and a line Antioch-Aleppo-Meskeneh. For details of the part of Syria beyond this line reference must be made to the Handbook of Asia Minor , Vol. iv, Part 2 (C.B. 847 C).'
'Contents. Chapters:
- I. Boundaries and Physical Survey, p 9 (folio 7)
- II. Climate, p 24 (folio 14v)
- III. Minerals, Flora and Fauna, p 93 (folio 50)
- IV. Military History, p 109 (folio 58)
- V. Inhabitants, p 175 (folio 91)
- VI. Turkish Administration, p 236 (folio 121v)
- VII. Agriculture, p 252 (folio 129v)
- VIII. Industry and Trade, p 276 (folio 141v)
- IX. Currency, Weights and Measures, p 318 (folio 162v)
- X. Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 325 (folio 166)
- XI. Country East of Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 344 (folio 175v)
- XII. Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, and Damascus Plain, p 357 (folio 182)
- XIII. River Systems of Northern Syria, p 395 (folio 201)
- XIV. Judea and the Southern Desert, p 427 (folio 217)
- XV. Samaria (including Carmel), p 472 (folio 239v)
- XVI. Galilee, p 515 (folio 261)
- XVII. Haurān and Jaulān, p 556 (folio 281v)
- XVIII. 'Ajlūn and Northern Belqa, p 580 (folio 293v)
- XIX. Southern Belqa and Ardh el-Kerak, p 612 (folio 309v)
- XX. El-Jibāl and Esh-Shera, p 636 (folio 321v)
- XXI. The Ghōr (Jordan and the Dead Sea); and Wādi 'Arabah, p 645 (folio 326)
- Appendix: Conventional Spellings, p 668 (folio 337v)
- Index, p 669 (folio 338)
- Plates, p 725' [missing]
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (365 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume contains a contents page (folio 6) and an index (folios 338-365).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 367; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume originally contained fourteen plates showing maps, bound into the back of the volume. These are now missing; details of the plates can be found at folio 5v.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [66v] (137/738), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100033282269.0x00008a> [accessed 19 December 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100033282269.0x00008a
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100033282269.0x00008a">'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎66v] (137/738)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100033282269.0x00008a"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000239.0x0001e0/IOR_L_MIL_17_16_15_0139.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000239.0x0001e0/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15
- Title
- 'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:366v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence