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Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [97r] (198/982)
The record is made up of 1 volume (487 folios). It was created in 4 Nov 1932-14 Jan 1937. 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
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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
E ASTERN (Iraq).
CONFIDENTIAL.
[E 5171/172/93]
August 17,
47
Mr. Bateman to Mr. Eden.—(Received A uaust 17.)
(No. 392.) I ! 9dG |
Sir, Bagdad, July 29, 1936.
WITH reference to my telegram N a 186 of the 22 nd Jn iv. I have the honour
to report that Saiyid Mahmud, Naqib-m-AslTraf of Bagdad and trustee of the
Qadiriyah Awqaf, died in Bagdad in the early morning of the 21 st July after a
long illness.
2. At the funeral, which took place at 5 o’clock in the evening of the same
day, King Ghazi was represented by the Master of Ceremonies. Most of the
Cabinet Ministers and many members of the Diplomatic Corps attended.
3 . On the 27th July Royal Iradahs were issued appointing Saiyid Asim-al-
Qilani as Naqib-al-Ashraf of Bagdad, and Saiyid Rasliid Ali-al-Gilani trustee
of the Qadiriyah Awqaf (i.e., the endowments of the shrine and mosque of
Sheikh Abdul Qadir-al-Gilani in Bagdad).
4. Asim is the eldest surviving brother of the late Saiyid Mahmud, and
Rashid Ali, who belongs to a junior branch of the family, is the present Minister
of the Interior. . ...
5 . Both of these appointments are likely to give rise to criticism.
Saiyid Asim is a respected and venerable man, who, although of no great talent,
will probably fill adequately the post of Naqib; but there is little doubt that the
late Naqib’s son—Saiyid Muhammad Jamal-al-Din—-had hoped to succeed his
father. For the past twenty years he has lived in India, where he has kept alive
the influence of the Gilani family in Baluchistan and in the Chitial Valley. He
has I am told, married a daughter of the ruling Mehtar of Chitral. Two months
ago hearing of Saivid Mahmud’s illness, he came to Bagdad, and is now no doubt,
aggrieved that he lias not been appointed to step into his father s shoes. I or
this reason it is not improbable that he may encourage m India criticism of is
uncle’s appointment. I am assured, however, that there is no m ®
Shara or Civil Law which makes the post of Naqib hereditary, and that the
Government have full right to appoint whomsoever
6 . But the feature of the new arrangements which is likely to arouse most
comment is the separation of the functions of Naqib from tho f f ^
of the Qadiriyah endowments. Phis, I am informed, has iaiely, ’ PP ,
before The strict legality of the innovation is perhaps open to some doubt, but
Can ’ 1 a ^ d fSreKNa ql b-Sa lyld Abdul Rahman—-an
effort was made by a group of the Gilam family to take the administration oUhe
endowments out of the hands of \ s . ? u0 . c f 1 W f® “^at tiSe the High
leader of this movement ^ question of the succession might
Isfamtc^counkle^anTpartiOTlarlyAn IndiVhe /^g-^g^utra^to
Secret A ’ t0 the
Secretary of State for the Colonies, da e ii tendered similar advice to the
8 . His Majesty’s yovenrment also formal y te^ — ^ to ^ ^
late King Feisal (see telegram 01 Secretary m ow
Commissioner No. 280 of the 3rd u gT® ’ , •}' • too ear ly to give a definite
9. In present circumstances, althor g ments wi ^ lead to an y se rious
opinion, I do not anticipate that ^ a BP i re sent being shorn of the
developments in Iraq. Though Saiyid^Asim ^ t Se “he b forfe of character
trusteeship of the Qadiriyah en ^^ j g indeed, almost certain that
necessary to Twlment ^as a condition of’his appointment as Naqib.
his consent to this arrangemen w
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence and memoranda regarding relations between HM Government ( HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. ) and Iraq following independence, and private arrangements for the supply of information to HM Ambassador in Baghdad from British advisers to the Iraqi Government. The records also document the reaction of the 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. and Foreign Office to political developments within Iraq, and their concerns over the possible impact on British and Indian commercial interests in Iraq.
The following events are documented in the file:
- 1932. Opening of the Iraqi parliament, formation (and change) of cabinets, arrangements for conservancy of the Shatt al-Arab.
- 1933. The death of King Faisal [Fayṣal bin 'Alī al-Hāshimī], the accession and policy of King Ghazi [Ghāzī bin Fayṣal al-Hāshimī], cabinet crises, and protests against the continued relationship between HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. and the Government of Iraq.
- 1934. Political appointments and commercial development.
- 1935. Opposition group activities in Iraq, tribal revolts in the Middle Euphrates area, cabinet crises, Yezidi disturbances in Mosul, and discussion of the Assyrian question.
- 1936. The controversy surrounding the marriage of Princess Asa [Azza] to a Christian porter in Athens, and the proposals of the Iraqi cabinet that she be murdered, or the marriage annulled; suppression of tribal activity in the Rumaitha district; the coup d'état, and instigation of a new cabinet under Hikmat Suleiman.
The bulk of the volume consists of correspondence between the Foreign Secretary and HM Minister in Baghdad. A number of communications and official statements from the Government and King of Iraq are also present. The volume also contains the following items of particular interest:
- Record of a conversation between Sir Francis Humphrys and Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Al Hashimi, ff 426-427.
- English translation of a letter of condolence from Amir Abdullah I bin al-Hussein, King of Jordan, to King Ghazi, ff 403-406.
- Notes on the economic benefits accruing to Britain in Iraq, ff 357-359, 367-369.
- Memorandum regarding the commercial interests of the British India in Iraq, with a list of commercial enterprises, ff 346-351.
- Letter from Humphrys to King Ghazi regarding the continuation of private arrangements to ensure the transfer of information between the Government of Iraq and HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. , f 312; with corresponding letter from King Ghazi to Humphrys, f 298.
- Communication sent by Archibald Clark Kerr to the Foreign Secretary (Viscount Eden), on the coup and its aftermath, ff 26-30.
The volume includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 4-5).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (487 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 489; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 4-486; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2860
- Title
- Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:10r, 12r:17r, 19r:27r, 29r:34v, 36r:82v, 84r:100v, 103r:147v, 149r:208v, 210r:225v, 227r:249v, 251r:274v, 276r:287v, 289r:297v, 299r:306v, 308r:317v, 319r:331v, 333r:363r, 365r:379v, 381r:381v, 383r:387v, 389r:402v, 407r:421v, 423r:427v, 430r:462v, 464r:470v, 472r:482v, 487r:488v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence