The Proclamation of Baghdad: Difference between revisions

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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>
Line 83: Line 80:
and Germany; so indeed are the noble Arabs,
and Germany; so indeed are the noble Arabs,
the Lords of Koweyt, Nejd, and Asir.&nbsp;<br><br>
the Lords of Koweyt, Nejd, and Asir.&nbsp;<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.&nbsp;<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.&nbsp;<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.&nbsp;
 
            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.&nbsp;
<hr>
<hr>


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

Revision as of 18:06, 30 April 2007

19 March 1917

Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude

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. 

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