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Papers on British policy and the Arab movement [7r] (15/380)
The record is made up of 1 file (187 folios). It was created in 1 Jul 1916-7 Dec 1918. It was written in English and French. 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.
13
On the 29th October, 1916, however, the “ Ministers, Notables, Inhabitants and
^^Jlema of Mecca ” presented an address to Sherif Husein, in which they declared after
a long preamble :—
“ We proclaim His Majesty our Seyyid and Lord, Husein bin Ali, Kinr/ of the
Arabs, to rule us according to the law of God and His Prophet, and we swear to
you the oath of loyalty and obedience, secretly and openly ; and in addition we
consider you as a tinal religious authority, which fact we have agreed upon pending
the decision of the Moslem World regarding the Caliphate.” 30
Sherif Husein declared on his part:—
“ This sentiment of loyalty does not belong only to the inhabitants of this
country, but the Arabs of Syria and Irak likewise are yearning to be united with
us and to restore their freedom and glory. T have received messages from their
notables to this effect."
On the same day Sherif Abdullah telegraphed as follows to Sir H. McMahon and
to the Governments of all Allied and Neutral countries :—
“ Je suis trks heureux de vous informer que les notables, les ulemas du pays
et toutes les classes de la population, s’etant reunis aujourd’hui, out k ITinanimite
reconnu Sa Majeste le Grand Cherif Hussein-ben-Aly ‘Roi de la nation arabe.'
Sa Majeste devient de ce fait Sou v era in des Arabes, etant donne que le pays est
penetre de sa capacity diplomatique, de sa parfaite loyaute envers sa patrie, et de
son desir sincere de repandre les bienfaits de I’instruction et de la justice dans
toutes les regions arabes delivr^es du joug de la bande Union et Progres.
“ La nation arabe a tout lieu d’esperer que vous la reconnaitrez meinbre actif
dans la societe des nations, et connue telle. Pile le prouvera dans I’avenir.
“ Avec I’appui du Tout-Puissant, veuillez agreer, etc.
(Sign^) “Le Ministre des Affaires Etrangeres du Gouvernement arabe,
le Cherif Abdullah.” 0,1
Sherif Husein was duly crowned “ King of the Arabs at Mecca, on the 4th
November, 1916, 3 ~ and there was a simultaneous ceremony at Jeddah, which was not,
however, attended by the French and British representatives. 33
On the 2nd November, 191(3, in his telegram No. 961 to the Foreign Office, Sir H.
McMahon suggested that, in view of our treaties recognising the independence of other
Arab Chiefs, we could only recognise Sherif Husein as “ King (Malik) ef the Hejaz V' 1
On the 3rd November, 1916, the Foreign Office telegraphed to Sir H. McMahon
(No. 880) that the Sherif might be congratulated but not yet accorded recognition, and
that the French Government desired to conform their action to that of His Majesty’s
Government. 35
On the 6th November, 1916, the Foreign Office telegraphed to Sir li. Wingate
(Khartoum) the following instructions for a replv to Sherii Abdullah on behalf of the
Governments of Great Britain, France and Russia:— 3H
“ His Majesty’s Government and the Governments of France and Russia,
though they regard, and will continue to regard, His Highness as the titular head
of the Arab peoples in their revolt against Turkish misrule, and are glad further to
recognise him ns the lawful and de facto ruler of the Hejaz, are unable to
recognise the assumption by him of any sovereign title which might provoke
disunion among Arabs at the present moment and thus prejudice the final
political settlement of Arabia on a satisfactory basis. 1 hat settlement, to be
durable, must be come to with the general assent of other Arab rulers, of which at
present there is no evidence, and must follow, rather than precede, military
success.’’
On the 9th November, 1916, Sir H. McMahon telegraphed to the Foreign Office
(No. 991) demurring to the expression “titular head” ; and the French Government
proposed the substitution for the words “Arab race” of the words “population
of Arabia/’ 37
30 249121/H!. (Translation from “ El Qibla,” the 30th October, DIG.) The Address is also translated
in Colonel Wilson’s despatch. No. 12, of the 31st October, 191(3, to Sir II. McMahon (233117/1(3). f or the
ceremony, compare Colonel iiremoud’s account derived from Moslem otlicers of the French Mission who
were present (220734/1(3). « 217652/1G. *8 222840/16. 33 242008/16. 34 220330/16.
220832/16. See also 222021/16. 36 221869/16. 3 ? 227374/16 and 228960/1(3.
[883] E
/S'!
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence, memoranda, maps, manuscript notes, and other papers relating to the political and territorial settlement of parts of the Middle East following the First World War. Many of the papers were collected for the attention of the Middle East Committee (later named the Eastern Committee, following the mergence of the Foreign Office's Russia Committee and the interdepartmental Persia Committee) of the War Cabinet. Contributors include officials from the War Office, Foreign Office, Admiralty, and 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. , as well as indivduals such as Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence. Correspondence comes from representatives of the French and Italian governments as well as British officials in Cairo and other parts of the Middle East.
The papers deal with plans for the region presuming and following an Allied victory in the First World War and take into consideration the imperial ambitions of the victorious European Powers (France, Italy, Russia, Britain, and the United States) and the multitudinous commitments made by the British to various groups. The plans are based on evolving agreements rooted in the Sykes-Picot, or Asia Minor, Agreement between the British and French of 1916. Regions under consideration include the Hejaz (sometimes written Hedjaz), Syria, Northern Iraq, Southern Iraq, Palestine, Armenia, Turkey, the Idrisi state, Yemen, Persia, and Afghanistan. Various matters are covered in the file, but particular focus is given to plans for the Sherifian family of the Hejaz, led by King Husein [Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī], which impacted upon policy in Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and the Arabian Peninsula. Other matters include the situation between Jews and Arabs in Palestine, wartime commitments to ruling shaikhs in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , the French position in the region, and desiderata of the Government of India for any peace settlement.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (187 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order from the front to the back.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front first page with 1, and terminates at the inside back last page with 187; 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.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/277
- Title
- Papers on British policy and the Arab movement
- Pages
- 1ar:1av, 1r:14r, 14r:14v, 14v, 22r:59v, 62r:98r, 99v:120v, 125r:133v, 136r:165r, 166r:167r, 167av, 168r:173r, 175r:176v, 178r:187v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence