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Notes, letters and memoranda, April to December 1915

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  • Metadata Key Metadata Values
    Title The Collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the Partition of the Middle East, 1879-1919
    Rights Images © 2009 published by Microform Academic Publishers with permission of Sir Tatton Sykes & Hull University Archives
    Description

    This collection is drawn from the personal papers of Mark Sykes (1879-1919), a politician and diplomatic advisor famous for his role in the partition of the Middle East around the period of the First World War. He is best known for his role in the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916, which was a secret treaty between European powers that divided up the Ottoman Empire in the face of its impending collapse.

    In addition to material related to the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the papers focus on Sykes’ experience in military intelligence and diplomacy in the Middle East, both before and during the First World War. This includes touching on such historic events like the Armenian genocide as well as international debates around Zionism and the creation of a Jewish homeland. As an avid explorer, of a more personal nature are his notebooks, which offer an insight into the experience of an aristocratic traveler in the Middle East during the early 20th century.
    ISBN 9781851171507
    Contributor Hull University Archives
    Type jpg
    Format jpg
    Identifier https://britishonlinearchives.com/collections/13/the-collapse-of-the-ottoman-empire-and-the-partition-of-the-middle-east-1879-1919
    Source
    Creator
    Language
    Publisher Microform Academic Publishers
    Coverage 1879-1919
    Created On 23rd April, 2009 - 2:27pm
    Last Updated 9th May, 2024 - 12:31pm
  • Metadata Key Metadata Values
    Title Papers regarding the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the Zionist movement, and British policy in Islamic countries, 1914-1918
    Rights Images © 2009 published by Microform Academic Publishers with permission of Sir Tatton Sykes & Hull University Archives
    Description Two versions of an undated but contemporary list of the first 112 items in this series can be found in DDSY(2)/11/113.
    ISBN DDSY2-11
    Contributor Hull University Archives
    Type jpg
    Format
    Identifier https://britishonlinearchives.com/collections/547/volumes/53/papers-regarding-the-sykes-picot-agreement-the-zionist-movement-and-british-policy-in-islamic-countries-1914-1918
    Source
    Creator
    Language eng
    Publisher Microform Academic Publishers
    Coverage 1914-1918
    Created On 23rd April, 2009 - 2:33pm
    Last Updated 23rd April, 2009 - 2:33pm
  • Metadata Key Metadata Values
    Title Notes, letters and memoranda, April to December 1915
    Rights Images © 2009 published by Microform Academic Publishers with permission of Sir Tatton Sykes & Hull University Archives
    Archive Reference
    Shelfmark
    Description DDSY(2)/11/1. Note by the India Office on Arabia, 26 April 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/2: Arrangement concluded in 1914 between the Ottoman Government and the Powers in regard to the administration of the Armenian vilayets, 30 April 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/3: Note by Sykes on the proposed maintenance of a Turkish empire in Asia without spheres of influence, 3 May 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/4: Note on the Khalifate [i.e. Caliphate], by Sykes (see also DDSY(2)/4/85), 25 May 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/5: 'Nos droits en Syrie et en Palestine', by Etienne Flandin, being an extract in French from La revue hébdomadaire, 5 June 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/6: Memorandum by Sir Valentine Chirol (enclosure in Mark Sykes's despatch No.9 of 7 July) about Baghdad railway; Asiatic Turkey; Khalifate; extension of British Territory, July 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/7: Despatch [by Sykes?] from Aden about military situation; Turkish prisoners; public feeling in Aden; Imam Yahya; Sheikh Idris; Arab Caliphate; policy, 23 July 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/8: Memorandum on Indian Muslims, 11 October 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/9: Printed Letter from Sykes, SS Khyber, Red Sea to Major General C.E. Callwell DMO, with his impressions gained on his tour of the Eastern theatre (see also DDSY(2)/4/141), 15 November 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/10: Letter from G.F. Clayton, Cairo to Sykes, with a copy of his letter to Parker (10 December 1915) about forward policy and Near Eastern Bureau; views on F. George-Picot; Arab movement, 13 December 1915.
    ISBN DDSY2-11-001
    Contributor Hull University Archives
    Type jpg
    Format jpg
    Identifier https://britishonlinearchives.com/documents/547/notes-letters-and-memoranda-april-to-december-1915
    Source Papers regarding the Sykes-Picot Agreement, etc.
    Creator
    Language eng
    Publisher Microform Academic Publishers
    Coverage 1915-1915
    Created On 23rd April, 2009 - 2:33pm
    Last Updated 7th May, 2024 - 4:19pm
  • Metadata Key Metadata Values
    Title img 1: DDSY(2)/11/1
    Rights Images © 2009 published by Microform Academic Publishers with permission of Sir Tatton Sykes & Hull University Archives
    Archive Reference
    Shelfmark
    Description DDSY(2)/11/1. Note by the India Office on Arabia, 26 April 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/2: Arrangement concluded in 1914 between the Ottoman Government and the Powers in regard to the administration of the Armenian vilayets, 30 April 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/3: Note by Sykes on the proposed maintenance of a Turkish empire in Asia without spheres of influence, 3 May 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/4: Note on the Khalifate [i.e. Caliphate], by Sykes (see also DDSY(2)/4/85), 25 May 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/5: 'Nos droits en Syrie et en Palestine', by Etienne Flandin, being an extract in French from La revue hébdomadaire, 5 June 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/6: Memorandum by Sir Valentine Chirol (enclosure in Mark Sykes's despatch No.9 of 7 July) about Baghdad railway; Asiatic Turkey; Khalifate; extension of British Territory, July 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/7: Despatch [by Sykes?] from Aden about military situation; Turkish prisoners; public feeling in Aden; Imam Yahya; Sheikh Idris; Arab Caliphate; policy, 23 July 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/8: Memorandum on Indian Muslims, 11 October 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/9: Printed Letter from Sykes, SS Khyber, Red Sea to Major General C.E. Callwell DMO, with his impressions gained on his tour of the Eastern theatre (see also DDSY(2)/4/141), 15 November 1915.-- DDSY(2)/11/10: Letter from G.F. Clayton, Cairo to Sykes, with a copy of his letter to Parker (10 December 1915) about forward policy and Near Eastern Bureau; views on F. George-Picot; Arab movement, 13 December 1915.
    text Su [This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 2, WHITEHALL GARDENS, S.W. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE ENQUIRY. IF "Arabia" is to be, even nominally, a part of the Turkish Empire, it is necessary to consider very carefully what it consists of, and to what we are already As regards Arabia, as a whole, it should be noted that in dealing with a captured 'Politically in present and recent history Arabia is not constituted as an autonomous and sovereign State, although ethnographically and juridically the existence of an Arab nation must be recognised. The vast country is a part of the Ottoman Empire, and is subject to the sovereignty and laws of that Empire. Therefore the flag which Arab merchant vessels are entitled to fly is substantially only the Ottoman flag, so that when a vessel is incorrectly described as being under the Arab flag, it merely means that she is under the Arabo-Turkish flag, It seemed dangerous to allow this proposition to pass, and the British Ambassador at Rome was instructed to inform the Italian Government that His Majesty's Govern- ment could not agree to the point of view of the Court "as regards the significance of the Arab flag, or as to the political status of Arabia as a whole." The Italian We do not therefore recognise that Arabia as a whole is part of the Ottoman Empire. Nor, indeed, do the Turks claim it. In the Anglo-Turkish Convention, signed on the 9th March, 1914, ratifying the Aden boundary delimitation of 1905, it is laid down that la frontière des territoires ottomans" follows a prolongation of the north-western boundary of Aden into the desert of Ruba-al-Khali, where, on parallel This convention was to form part of the settlement rendered abortive by the The area thus excluded from Ottoman territory comprises the Katr peninsula; the Trucial Chiefs, with whom we have protectorate treaties; Oman, the independence of which is jointly guaranteed by France and ourselves; and the Hadramant, the inhabitants of which our consular officers have been instructed to recognise as British- Turning now to the portion north of the line above described, and beginning at the extreme north-east, we were prepared, as part of the general settlement with Turkey last year, to recognise Koweit as an autonomous kaza of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks undertaking not to interfere in its external or internal affairs (including the succession), and not to station troops in it. We undertook not to declare a protectorate over it. One of the considerations which we offered the Sheikh in November last as the price of his support was that Koweit should be recognised as an independent principality under British protection." It will therefore be necessary that Turkey should cede Koweit to Sheikh Mubarak and his successors. As part of the same settlement the sanjaks of Nejd and El Hasa were tacitly recognised as part of the Ottoman Empire, and its limits were defined to the north by the line forming the southern boundary of Koweit, and to the south by the line drawn south from the Gulf of Ojair to the desert of Ruba-al-Khali. The El Hasa sanjak was in more or less effective Turkish occupation at the time of the settlement; but shortly afterwards (in the spring of last year) the Amir of Nejd (" Bin Saud") rose against the Turks and ejected them from El Hasa, whither they have never returned. Some kind of an arrangemont was patched up between them, but after the outbreak of war with Turkey the Amir threw over the Turks, and not only refused take part in the expedition against Egypt, but also prevented the Amir of Hail Bin Rashid") from doing so. In return for his support we are negotiating a treaty His Majesty's Government recognise him as the "independent Ruler of Nejd, Su 2. / GSB 1 CONFIDENTIAL. committed. dhow in 1913 an Italian Prize Court held that- Government took note of this declaration. To THE HULL NOTE BY THE INDIA OFFICE ON ARABIA. i.e., that she belonged to the part of that Empire which is Arabia." 20°, it meets a line drawn due south from the Gulf of Ojair. Katif, and Hasa, and guarantee the succession to his dynasty." COMMITTEE OF UNIVERSITY 2 1/1 outbreak of war. protected persons. with him embodying the following terms:- [563]
    ISBN DDSY2-11-001
    Contributor Hull University Archives
    Type jpg
    Format jpg
    Identifier https://britishonlinearchives.com/documents/547/notes-letters-and-memoranda-april-to-december-1915
    Source Papers regarding the Sykes-Picot Agreement, etc.
    Creator
    Language eng
    Publisher Microform Academic Publishers
    Coverage 1915-1915
    Created On 23rd April, 2009 - 2:33pm
    Last Updated 7th May, 2024 - 4:19pm
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Licensed to access Notes, letters and memoranda, April to December 1915

1915   1915
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Licensed to access Notes, letters and memoranda, June 1916 to January 1917

1916   1917
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Licensed to access Miscellaneous papers, February 1917

1917   1917
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Licensed to access Form of proclamation to people of Baghdad, March 1917

1917   1917
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Licensed to access Foreign affairs and travel, 1888-1919

1888   1919
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Licensed to access Papers regarding the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the Zionist movement, and British policy in Islamic countries, 1914-1918

1914   1918
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Licensed to access Papers of Sir Mark Sykes formerly on display at Sledmere House, 1915-1917

1915   1917
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1890   1919
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