The Proclamation of Baghdad - Revision history

Bkimberl at 23:09, 7 July 2009

2009-07-07T23:09:26Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:09, 7 July 2009
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		+	<p align="right"> [[Main_Page \| WWI Document Archive ]] > [[1917 Documents]] > '''The Proclamation of Baghdad''' </p><hr>
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	<font size =4> 19 March 1917</font>		<font size =4> 19 March 1917</font>

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	the aspirations of your race.		the aspirations of your race.
	<hr>		<hr>
−		+	<p align="right"> [[Main_Page \| WWI Document Archive ]] > [[1917 Documents]] > '''The Proclamation of Baghdad''' </p><hr>
−	<~~center~~>~~Return to '''~~[[1917 Documents]]'''</center>	+	<center></center>

Hirgen at 00:06, 1 May 2007

2007-05-01T00:06:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:06, 1 May 2007
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−		+	<font size =4> 19 March 1917</font>
−	<h2> 19 March 1917~~: <br>The Proclamation of Baghdad~~</h2>	+

	<h3>Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude</h3>		<h3>Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude</h3>
−
−

	<hr>		<hr>
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	and Germany; so indeed are the noble Arabs,		and Germany; so indeed are the noble Arabs,
	the Lords of Koweyt, Nejd, and Asir. <br><br>		the Lords of Koweyt, Nejd, and Asir. <br><br>
		+	Many noble Arabs have perished in the cause
		+	of Arab freedom, at the hands of those alien
		+	rulers, the Turks, who oppressed them. It
		+	is the determination of the Government of
		+	Great Britain and the great Powers allied
		+	to Great Britain that these noble Arabs shall
		+	not have suffered in vain. It is the hope
		+	and desire of the British people and the
		+	nations in alliance with them that the Arab
		+	race may rise once more to greatness and
		+	renown among the peoples of the earth, and
		+	that it shall bind itself together to this
		+	end in unity and concord. <br><br>

−	~~Many noble Arabs have perished in the cause~~	+	O people of Baghdad remember
−		+	that for 26
−	~~of Arab freedom, at the hands of those alien~~	+	generations you have suffered
−		+	under strange
−	~~rulers, the Turks, who oppressed them. It~~	+	tyrants who have ever endeavoured
−		+	to set
−	~~is the determination of the Government of~~	+	on Arab house against another
−		+	in order that
−	~~Great Britain and the great Powers allied~~	+	they might profit by your dissensions.
−		+	This
−	~~to Great Britain that these noble Arabs shall~~	+	policy is abhorrent to Great
−		+	Britain and
−	~~not have suffered in vain. It is the hope~~	+	her Allies, for there can be
−		+	neither peace
−	~~and desire of the British people and the~~	+	nor prosperity where there is
−		+	enmity and
−	~~nations in alliance with them that the Arab~~	+	misgovernment. Therefore I am
−		+	commanded to
−	~~race may rise once more to greatness and~~	+	invite you, through your nobles
−		+	and elders
−	~~renown among the peoples of the earth, and~~	+	and representatives, to participate
−		+	in the
−	~~that it shall bind itself together to this~~	+	management of your civil affairs
−		+	in collaboration
−	~~end in unity and concord. <br>~~	+	with the political representatives
−		+	of Great
−	~~<br>~~	+	Britain who accompany the British
−		+	Army, so
−	O people of Baghdad remember	+	that you may be united with your
−		+	kinsmen
−	that for 26	+	in North, East, South, and West
−		+	in realising
−	generations you have suffered	+	the aspirations of your race.
−		+
−	under strange	+
−		+
−	tyrants who have ever endeavoured	+
−		+
−	to set	+
−		+
−	on Arab house against another	+
−		+
−	in order that	+
−		+
−	they might profit by your dissensions.	+
−		+
−	This	+
−		+
−	policy is abhorrent to Great	+
−		+
−	Britain and	+
−		+
−	her Allies, for there can be	+
−		+
−	neither peace	+
−		+
−	nor prosperity where there is	+
−		+
−	enmity and	+
−		+
−	misgovernment. Therefore I am	+
−		+
−	commanded to	+
−		+
−	invite you, through your nobles	+
−		+
−	and elders	+
−		+
−	and representatives, to participate	+
−		+
−	in the	+
−		+
−	management of your civil affairs	+
−		+
−	in collaboration	+
−		+
−	with the political representatives	+
−		+
−	of Great	+
−		+
−	Britain who accompany the British	+
−		+
−	Army, so	+
−		+
−	that you may be united with your	+
−		+
−	kinsmen	+
−		+
−	in North, East, South, and West	+
−		+
−	in realising	+
−		+
−	the aspirations of your race.	+
	<hr>		<hr>

−	<~~address~~>Return to '''[[1917 Documents]]'''</center>	+	<center>Return to '''[[1917 Documents]]'''</center>

Hirgen at 00:02, 1 May 2007

2007-05-01T00:02:20Z

New page

<h2> 19 March 1917: The Proclamation of Baghdad</h2>

<h3>Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude</h3>

<hr>
The following proclamation was issued to the inhabitants of Baghdad on March 19, 1917, by Lieut. General Sir Stanley Maude, shortly after the occupation of the city by British forces. 

To the People of Baghdad Vilayet:  
In the name of my King, and in the name of the peoples over whom he rules, I address you as follow:-  

Our military operations have as their object
the defeat of the enemy, and the driving
of him from these territories. In order to
complete this task, I am charged with absolute
and supreme control of all regions in which
British troops operate; but our armies do
not come into your cities and lands as conquerors
or enemies, but as liberators. Since the
days of Halaka your city and your lands have
been subject to the tyranny of strangers,
your palaces have fallen into ruins, your
gardens have sunk in desolation, and your
forefathers and yourselves have groaned in
bondage. Your sons have been carried off
to wars not of your seeking, your wealth
has been stripped from you by unjust men
and squandered in distant places.  

Since the days of Midhat, the Turks have
talked of reforms, yet do not the ruins and
wastes of today testify the vanity of those
promises?  

It is the wish not only of my King and his
peoples, but it is also the wish of the great
nations with whom he is in alliance, that
you should prosper even as in the past, when
your lands were fertile, when your ancestors
gave to the world literature, science, and
art, and when Baghdad city was one of the
wonders of the world.  

Between your people and the dominions of
my King there has been a close bond of interest.
For 200 years have the merchants of Baghdad
and Great Britain traded together in mutual
profit and friendship. On the other hand,
the Germans and the Turks, who have despoiled
you and yours, have for 20 years made Baghdad
a centre of power from which to assail the
power of the British and the Allies of the
British in Persia and Arabia. Therefore the
British Government cannot remain indifferent
as to what takes place in your country now
or in the future, for in duty to the interests
of the British people and their Allies, the
British Government cannot risk that being
done in Baghdad again which has been done
by the Turks and Germans during the war.  

But you people of Baghdad, whose commercial
prosperity and whose safety from oppression
and invasion must ever be a matter of the
closest concern to the British Government,
are not to understand that it is the wish
of the British Government to impose upon
you alien institutions. It is the hope of
the British Government that the aspirations
of your philosophers and writers shall be
realised and that once again the people of
Baghdad shall flourish, enjoying their wealth
and substance under institutions which are
in consonance with their sacred laws and
their racial ideals. In Hedjaz the Arabs
have expelled the Turks and Germans who oppressed
them and proclaimed the Sherif Hussein as
their King, and his Lordship rules in independence
and freedom, and is the ally of the nations
who are fighting against the power of Turkey
and Germany; so indeed are the noble Arabs,
the Lords of Koweyt, Nejd, and Asir.  

Many noble Arabs have perished in the cause

of Arab freedom, at the hands of those alien

rulers, the Turks, who oppressed them. It

is the determination of the Government of

Great Britain and the great Powers allied

to Great Britain that these noble Arabs shall

not have suffered in vain. It is the hope

and desire of the British people and the

nations in alliance with them that the Arab

race may rise once more to greatness and

renown among the peoples of the earth, and

that it shall bind itself together to this

end in unity and concord.  

 

O people of Baghdad remember

that for 26

generations you have suffered

under strange

tyrants who have ever endeavoured

to set

on Arab house against another

in order that

they might profit by your dissensions.

This

policy is abhorrent to Great

Britain and

her Allies, for there can be

neither peace

nor prosperity where there is

enmity and

misgovernment. Therefore I am

commanded to

invite you, through your nobles

and elders

and representatives, to participate

in the

management of your civil affairs

in collaboration

with the political representatives

of Great

Britain who accompany the British

Army, so

that you may be united with your

kinsmen

in North, East, South, and West

in realising

the aspirations of your race. 
<hr>

<address>Return to '''[[1917 Documents]]'''</center>