Summary
The Amir Faisal, son of King Hussein of Hejaz, who signed the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement of 3 January 1919 for the Arab Kingdom of Hejaz — conditionally, in his signed reservation — and who in March 1921 submitted, through General Hoddad Pasha, a memorandum to the Conference of Allied Powers asking that the Arabs’ Treaty of Sevres treatment be reconsidered and their independence and unity granted (Memorandum Submitted to the Conference of Allied Powers at the House of Commons, lines 75-95).
Details
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In the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement he acts “representing and acting on behalf of the Arab Kingdom of HEJAZ” (as printed), against Weizmann for the Zionist Organisation, and agrees nine articles on the Arab State and Palestine (Faisal-Weizmann Agreement (1919), line 77).
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His signed reservation, in translation, concurs only “Provided the Arabs obtain their independence as demanded in my Memorandum dated the 4th of January, 1919, to the Foreign Office of the Government of Great Britain”; on the slightest modification the agreement is void for him and he is not answerable in any way whatsoever (line 121). His signature is recorded as “FAISAL IBN HUSAIN (in Arabic)” (line 123).
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The 1921 memorandum, signed Faisal, speaks in his first person: his father King Hussein led the Arab revolt only after British pledges of independence within stated limits; Faisal asks the Conference, on his father’s behalf, to reconsider the Treaty of Sevres treatment and grant the independence and unity the Arabs fought for (lines 83-95).
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The UNISPAL headnote to the 1921 memorandum records that Faisal later became King of Iraq (line 77 of that file).
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Allenby’s assurance to Faisal of 19 October 1918 is Annex H of the 1939 committee report: military administration provisional, final settlement in accordance with the wishes of the peoples concerned (Report of a Committee set up to consider certain correspondence between Sir Henry McMahon and the Sharif of Mecca, lines 771-871).
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In the King-Crane Commission record, the Syrian Congress program asks a united independent Syria as a federal monarchy under Prince Feisal as king; the Commissioners’ 10 July 1919 telegram calls him a unique outstanding figure of enormous prestige in the Moslem world who should be encouraged and supported, and the Report’s complete petition table gives 1102 petitions (59 per cent) asking Emir Feisal as king, all but five of the 1107 petitions for a democratic kingdom doing so (Report of the American Section of the Inter-Allied Commission on Mandates in Turkey, lines 594-711, 2379-2630, 2946-2954).
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Recommendation 4 of the Report (part 2) recommends that Emir Feisal be made head of the new united Syrian State, as the Damascus Congress unanimously asked; he is described as “tolerant and wise, skillful in dealing with men, winning in manner, a man of sincerity, insight, and power”, a son of the Sherif of Mecca and a leader of the Arab uprising, with no stronger general appeal possible (Report of the American Section of the Inter-Allied Commission on Mandates in Turkey, lines 4111-4454 approx.).
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The Confidential Appendix (part 3) gives his position in detail as the Commission saw it: his agreement with Clemenceau to labour at allaying Arab feeling against the French, abandoned when he believed the French were playing false with him; his endeavour, shortly before the Commission reached Damascus, to obtain declarations in favour of a British mandate, and his failure; his agreements with the Druses and the Greek Orthodox, involving a request for a British mandate which those groups stood by while the Congress asked America first; and the suggestion that, despite telling the Commission America and England were equally satisfactory, he may prefer Britain in his inmost heart. The British Government is stated to allow his government $750,000 per month (£E 150,000, printed “LE”), of which he draws about 200,000 monthly for personal expenses, staff, propaganda and agents, the balance supporting an army of 7,000 and a gendarmerie of 4,500; his seven conditions promised to the Greek Orthodox for their support are listed, and it is proposed that as head of Syria he renounce all rights of inheritance of the crown of the Hejaz (Report of the American Section of the Inter-Allied Commission on Mandates in Turkey, lines 7909-8860 approx.).
Related pages
Faisal-Weizmann Agreement, Sherif Hussein of Mecca, Chaim Weizmann, Faisal-Weizmann Agreement (1919), Memorandum Submitted to the Conference of Allied Powers at the House of Commons, Edmund Allenby