Two September Weeks That Saved Damascus in 1918

If you have found this article useful and you think it is important that researchers across the world have access, please consider donating, to ensure that this valuable collection remains Open Access.

Arab Studies Quarterly is published by Pluto Journals, an Open Access publisher. This means that everyone has free and unlimited access to the full-text of all articles from our international collection of social science journals. Furthermore Pluto Journals authors don’t pay article processing charges (APCs).

scite_

Arab Studies Quarterly

Volume 37, Issue 4

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Two September Weeks That Saved Damascus in 1918

research-article

Author(s): Sami Moubayed

Publication date (Print): Fall 2015

Journal: Arab Studies Quarterly

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Damascus, World War I, Great Arab Revolt, T. E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, Emir Abdelkader El Djazairi, Emir Said El Djazairi, Hashemite Family, Sharif Hussein, Sharif Faisal, Damascus notables

Bookmark

Abstract

The final two weeks of September 1918 were crucial for the modern history of Damascus. They marked exodus of the Ottoman Turks and entry of the Allied Forces, yet they have received mediocre attention from World War I historians. Most literature on the Great War in the Middle East covers British strategies in the Arab Revolt and Hashemite ambitions, revolving around the characters of T. E. Lawrence and Sharif Faisal. Most cover the years 1916–18, or the British-backed Arab government that was established on October 1, 1918, the day Lawrence entered Damascus. Never has scholarly attention been given as to what happened inside the city itself during these two weeks that preceded October 1, or to the community leaders who teamed up to protect Damascus from uncontrollable chaos that threatened to tear the city apart. This article looks at the two weeks inside the city, namely through one protagonist, being the self-appointed governor of Damascus, Emir Said El Djazairi.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.13169

Journal ID (publisher-id): arabstudquar

Title: Arab Studies Quarterly

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 02713519

ISSN (Electronic): 20436920

Publication date (Print): Fall 2015

Volume: 37

Issue: 4

Pages: 367-385

Article

Publisher ID: arabstudquar.37.4.0367

DOI: 10.13169/arabstudquar.37.4.0367

SO-VID: 20c290d8-1102-4665-b658-6a1ff0c6e623

License:

All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

Notes

Nasuh Babil, Sahafa wa Siyasa fi Souria (London: Riad El-Rayyes, 1987), 16.
T. E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph (London: Jonathan Cape, 1935), 684.
Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 664.
Ibid., 573.
Malcolm Russell, The First Modern Arab State: Syria under Faysal I (Minneapolis, MN: Bibliotheca Islamica, 1985), 212.
Patrick Seale, The Struggle for Arab Independence (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010), 4–9.
Brigide Keenan, Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City (London: Thames & Hudson, 2000), 162.
Ibid.
Ibid, 162.
Interview with Emir Jaafar El Djazairi (Damascus, May 5, 2015).
Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 676.
Ibid., 676.
Fakhri Barudi, Muzakarat , vol. I (Beirut: Dar al-Hayat, 1951), 112–113.
Qadri Qalaji, Muzakarati an Al-Thawra al-Arabiya al-Kubra (Beirut: Shariket al-Matbu'at, 1998), 256.
Elizabeth Thompson, Colonial Citizens: Republican Rights, Paternal Privilege and Gender in French Syria and Lebanon (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000), 22.
Ibid.
Ibid.
FO 371/3384 (Gilbert Clayton to FO, #127, October 15, 1918).
Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 673.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Khaled Azm, Muzakarat , vol. I (Beirut: Al-Dar al-Mutahida, 1973), 1–2.
Said Emir Djazairi, Muzakarati an al-Qadaya al-Arabiya wa al-Alam al-Islami (Algiers: Dar al-Yakza al-Arabiya, 1968), 128.
Ibid.
Khayrieh Qasmieh, al-Hukuma al-Arabiya fi Dimashq (Beirut: Al-Mouassa al-Arabiya lil Dirasat, 1982), 47.
Ibid., 129.
Djazairi, Muzakarati , 129.
Mohammad Djemal Pasha, Kayfa Jalat Kuwat al-Uthmaniya an Bilad al-Arab (Beirut, 1932), 133.
Interview with Fateh El Djazairi (Damascus, March 11, 2015).
Ibid., 130.
Russell, The First Modern Arab State , 10.
Yusuf Hakim, Souria wa al-Hukm al-Faisali (Beirut: Dar Annahar, 1966), 38.
Ahmad Qadri, Muzakarati an al-Thawra al-Arabiya al-Kubra (Damascus: Ibn Zaydun, 1956), 73.
Ibid.
Sami Moubayed, Steel & Silk: Men and Women Who Shaped Syria (Seattle, WA: Cune Press, 2005), 319–320.
Ibid., 43–44.
Subhi Omari, Lawrence: Al-Hakika wa al-Ukzuba (London: Riad El-Rayyes, 1991), 188–190.
Ali Sultan, Tareekh Souria: Hukm Faisal Ibn al-Hussein (Damascus: Dar Tlass, 1996), 21.
Ali Allawi, Faisal of Iraq (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2014), 131.
Djazairi, Muzakarati , 100–103.
Allawi, Faisal I , 139.
Qasmieh, al-Hukuma al-Arabia fi Dimashq , 48.
al-Muqtabas (September 27, 1918).
Colette Khoury, Awraq Fares al-Khoury , vol. I (Damascus: Dar Tlass, 1997), 19.
al-Muqtabas (September 27, 1918).
Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 675.
Ibid.
Interview with Fateh El Djazairi (Damascus, March 11, 2015).
Djazairi, Muzakarati , 134.
Qutayba Shihabi, Sahet al-Marjeh (Damascus: Secretariat of the Damascus Capital of Arab Culture 2008 Celebrations, 2008), 123.
Interview with George Lathqani (Damascus, June 1, 1996).
Djazairi, Muzakarati , 188.
Khayrieh Qasmieh, Al-Rael al-Arabi al-Awal: Hayat wa Awraq Nabih wa Adel al-Azma (London: Riad El-Rayyes, 1991), 21.
Interview with Munir al-Ajlani, an MP and cabinet minister of the 1930s (Beirut, September 9, 1999).
Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 665.
Ibid.
Djazairi, Muzakarati , 137.
Ibid., 137.
Sultan, Tareekh Souria , 23.
Djazairi, Muzakarati , 139.
Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 675.
Djazairi, Muzakarati , 140.
P. S. Khoury, Syria and the French Mandate: The Politics of Arab Nationalism 1920–1945 (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987), 178.

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Nasuh Babil, Sahafa wa Siyasa fi Souria (London: Riad El-Rayyes, 1987), 16.

[2] T. E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph (London: Jonathan Cape, 1935), 684.

[3] Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 664.

[4] Ibid., 573.

[5] Malcolm Russell, The First Modern Arab State: Syria under Faysal I (Minneapolis, MN: Bibliotheca Islamica, 1985), 212.

[6] Patrick Seale, The Struggle for Arab Independence (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010), 4–9.

[7] Brigide Keenan, Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City (London: Thames & Hudson, 2000), 162.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid, 162.

[10] Interview with Emir Jaafar El Djazairi (Damascus, May 5, 2015).

[11] Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 676.

[12] Ibid., 676.

[13] Fakhri Barudi, Muzakarat , vol. I (Beirut: Dar al-Hayat, 1951), 112–113.

[14] Qadri Qalaji, Muzakarati an Al-Thawra al-Arabiya al-Kubra (Beirut: Shariket al-Matbu'at, 1998), 256.

[15] Elizabeth Thompson, Colonial Citizens: Republican Rights, Paternal Privilege and Gender in French Syria and Lebanon (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000), 22.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Ibid.

[18] FO 371/3384 (Gilbert Clayton to FO, #127, October 15, 1918).

[19] Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 673.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Ibid.

[23] Khaled Azm, Muzakarat , vol. I (Beirut: Al-Dar al-Mutahida, 1973), 1–2.

[24] Said Emir Djazairi, Muzakarati an al-Qadaya al-Arabiya wa al-Alam al-Islami (Algiers: Dar al-Yakza al-Arabiya, 1968), 128.

[25] Ibid.

[26] Khayrieh Qasmieh, al-Hukuma al-Arabiya fi Dimashq (Beirut: Al-Mouassa al-Arabiya lil Dirasat, 1982), 47.

[27] Ibid., 129.

[28] Djazairi, Muzakarati , 129.

[29] Mohammad Djemal Pasha, Kayfa Jalat Kuwat al-Uthmaniya an Bilad al-Arab (Beirut, 1932), 133.

[30] Interview with Fateh El Djazairi (Damascus, March 11, 2015).

[31] Ibid., 130.

[32] Russell, The First Modern Arab State , 10.

[33] Yusuf Hakim, Souria wa al-Hukm al-Faisali (Beirut: Dar Annahar, 1966), 38.

[34] Ahmad Qadri, Muzakarati an al-Thawra al-Arabiya al-Kubra (Damascus: Ibn Zaydun, 1956), 73.

[35] Ibid.

[36] Sami Moubayed, Steel & Silk: Men and Women Who Shaped Syria (Seattle, WA: Cune Press, 2005), 319–320.

[37] Ibid., 43–44.

[38] Subhi Omari, Lawrence: Al-Hakika wa al-Ukzuba (London: Riad El-Rayyes, 1991), 188–190.

[39] Ali Sultan, Tareekh Souria: Hukm Faisal Ibn al-Hussein (Damascus: Dar Tlass, 1996), 21.

[40] Ali Allawi, Faisal of Iraq (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2014), 131.

[41] Djazairi, Muzakarati , 100–103.

[42] Allawi, Faisal I , 139.

[43] Qasmieh, al-Hukuma al-Arabia fi Dimashq , 48.

[44] al-Muqtabas (September 27, 1918).

[45] Colette Khoury, Awraq Fares al-Khoury , vol. I (Damascus: Dar Tlass, 1997), 19.

[46] al-Muqtabas (September 27, 1918).

[47] Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 675.

[48] Ibid.

[49] Interview with Fateh El Djazairi (Damascus, March 11, 2015).

[50] Djazairi, Muzakarati , 134.

[51] Qutayba Shihabi, Sahet al-Marjeh (Damascus: Secretariat of the Damascus Capital of Arab Culture 2008 Celebrations, 2008), 123.

[52] Interview with George Lathqani (Damascus, June 1, 1996).

[53] Djazairi, Muzakarati , 188.

[54] Khayrieh Qasmieh, Al-Rael al-Arabi al-Awal: Hayat wa Awraq Nabih wa Adel al-Azma (London: Riad El-Rayyes, 1991), 21.

[55] Interview with Munir al-Ajlani, an MP and cabinet minister of the 1930s (Beirut, September 9, 1999).

[56] Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 665.

[57] Ibid.

[58] Djazairi, Muzakarati , 137.

[59] Ibid., 137.

[60] Sultan, Tareekh Souria , 23.

[61] Djazairi, Muzakarati , 139.

[62] Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , 675.

[63] Djazairi, Muzakarati , 140.

[64] P. S. Khoury, Syria and the French Mandate: The Politics of Arab Nationalism 1920–1945 (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987), 178.

Arab Studies Quarterly

Two September Weeks That Saved Damascus in 1918

Journal

Article

History

Categories

Comment on this article