In this episode (part of an ongoing series on colonialism in the Arab world,) we explore the pivotal Hussein-McMahon Correspondence. This series of letters exchanged during World War I between Sharif Hussein of Mecca and Sir Henry McMahon, the British High Commissioner in Egypt, played a crucial role in shaping the modern Middle East. We explore the context of the correspondence, set against the backdrop of the disintegrating Ottoman Empire and the rising aspirations of Arab nationalism.

References:

Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., Chapter 3, “The Historical Context” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004).

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