Post by lordroel on Mar 3, 2017 20:19:31 GMT
Map and Flags: Arab Kingdom of Syria
The Arab Kingdom of Syria (Arabic: المملكة العربية السورية, al-Mamlakah al-‘Arabīyah as-Sūrīyah) was the first modern Arab state to come into existence but only lasted a little over four months (March 8th to July 24th 1920), the kingdom was lead by Faisal ibn al-Hussein (1885-1933), King of Iraq from 1921 until his death.
Picture of King Faisal I of the Arab Kingdom of Syria
The picture below depicts King Faisal I, if you look at the flags, those are not Iraqi flags. One's first instinct is to assume that they are Jordanian flags, due to the seven-pointed stars in the triangular field. But the Jordanian flag's horizontal stripes are black-white-green with white in the middle; these have the white stripe at the bottom (they are in fact black-green-white). In fact, they predate the creation of [Trans-]Jordan. So what are the flags and why are they adorning a portrait of Faisal?
These are the flags of the Arab Kingdom of Syria, which crowned Faisal as its King in March of 1920 and collapsed under French conquest four months later. Here's the Royal Standard version of the flag:
History of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
After the fall of Damascus in World War I, General Allenby allowed Faisal's forces to proclaim an Arab state, though the Sykes-Picot agreement had reserved Syria as a French sphere of influence. Throughout 1919 Faisal, Britain, and France sparred over the future at the Paris Peace Conference, which Faisal attended. The US set up the King-Crane commission to determine the will of the inhabitants; and found they wanted independence. But the British and French cut a deal: Britain got the Mandate over Palestine/Jordan and added Mosul to Iraq, in return for unrestricted influence for France in Syria and Lebanon. Faisal was left hanging to cut whatever deal he could with the French. British forces, which had protected Faisal in Damascus, were to be withdrawn from Syria. In January 1920, Faisal negotiated an agreement with the French but had to scrap it when his Syrian nationalist supporters rejected it.
In March of 1920, the Syrian National Congress declared the Arab Kingdom of Syria, a constitutional monarchy with Faisal as King and Hashim al-Atassi as Prime Minister. Though it did not control all the territory, it claimed to embrace today's territories of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel/Palestine, and the Hatay and Cilician regions now part of Turkey. Meanwhile the San Remo conference confirmed Syria as a French Mandate.
Proposed border of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
The proposed territory of the kingdom as seen below reach beyond the borders of modern Syria, and included former Ottoman lands in northern Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Jordan.
The end of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
The Syrian Kingdom was more or less doomed from the start. The League of Nations, Britain and France had all aligned against it, and despite the King-Crane Commission, Faisal's hopes that the United States might come to his aid were disappointed; President Wilson's illness had left the US without clear leadership, and rejection of the League by the US had sent the US back into isolationism. Though it managed to issue some coinage, and remains a point of pride for Arab nationalists and supporters of the Hashemites, it was doomed.
The Franco-Syrian War of 1920 was the result. The French forces under Henri Gouraud met the Syrian Kingdom's Army under Defense Minister Gen. Yusuf al-Azma on July 23, 1920 at Maysalun west of Damascus. The French easily defeated the Syrians, and General al-Azma was killed. The next day the French besieged Damascus, which quickly fell.
Timeline of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
June 3rd 1919
Local nationalists puts together the Syrian Congress, which this day holds its first official session, electing Hashim al-Atassi to its president.
July 2nd 1919
The Syrian Congress passes several resolutions to form Syria into a fully independent constitutional monarchy with Faisal as king.
January 1920
Negotiations between Faisal and the French secure that France does not act military in Syria in exchange of France being the to supply advisers, counselors and technical experts to the Syrians.
March 8th 1920
The Syrian Congress assembles to declare Faisal king of Syria, and Hashim al-Atassi prime minister.
April 1920
The Syrian call for independence is rejected by France and the British, that demands the establishment of a French mandate of Syria.
July 14th 1920
French general, Henri Gouraud, presents Faisal with an ultimatum to surrender. Considering the difference in military power between Syria and France, Faisal accepts. Still, Gouraud conisders Faisal's surrrender as insufficient, and groups around Faisal rally to resist the French.
July 24th 1920
French and Syrian armies clash at Maysalun: Syrian military is heavily defeated, and the French march into Damascus.
The Arab Kingdom of Syria (Arabic: المملكة العربية السورية, al-Mamlakah al-‘Arabīyah as-Sūrīyah) was the first modern Arab state to come into existence but only lasted a little over four months (March 8th to July 24th 1920), the kingdom was lead by Faisal ibn al-Hussein (1885-1933), King of Iraq from 1921 until his death.
Picture of King Faisal I of the Arab Kingdom of Syria
The picture below depicts King Faisal I, if you look at the flags, those are not Iraqi flags. One's first instinct is to assume that they are Jordanian flags, due to the seven-pointed stars in the triangular field. But the Jordanian flag's horizontal stripes are black-white-green with white in the middle; these have the white stripe at the bottom (they are in fact black-green-white). In fact, they predate the creation of [Trans-]Jordan. So what are the flags and why are they adorning a portrait of Faisal?
These are the flags of the Arab Kingdom of Syria, which crowned Faisal as its King in March of 1920 and collapsed under French conquest four months later. Here's the Royal Standard version of the flag:
History of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
After the fall of Damascus in World War I, General Allenby allowed Faisal's forces to proclaim an Arab state, though the Sykes-Picot agreement had reserved Syria as a French sphere of influence. Throughout 1919 Faisal, Britain, and France sparred over the future at the Paris Peace Conference, which Faisal attended. The US set up the King-Crane commission to determine the will of the inhabitants; and found they wanted independence. But the British and French cut a deal: Britain got the Mandate over Palestine/Jordan and added Mosul to Iraq, in return for unrestricted influence for France in Syria and Lebanon. Faisal was left hanging to cut whatever deal he could with the French. British forces, which had protected Faisal in Damascus, were to be withdrawn from Syria. In January 1920, Faisal negotiated an agreement with the French but had to scrap it when his Syrian nationalist supporters rejected it.
In March of 1920, the Syrian National Congress declared the Arab Kingdom of Syria, a constitutional monarchy with Faisal as King and Hashim al-Atassi as Prime Minister. Though it did not control all the territory, it claimed to embrace today's territories of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel/Palestine, and the Hatay and Cilician regions now part of Turkey. Meanwhile the San Remo conference confirmed Syria as a French Mandate.
Proposed border of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
The proposed territory of the kingdom as seen below reach beyond the borders of modern Syria, and included former Ottoman lands in northern Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Jordan.
The end of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
The Syrian Kingdom was more or less doomed from the start. The League of Nations, Britain and France had all aligned against it, and despite the King-Crane Commission, Faisal's hopes that the United States might come to his aid were disappointed; President Wilson's illness had left the US without clear leadership, and rejection of the League by the US had sent the US back into isolationism. Though it managed to issue some coinage, and remains a point of pride for Arab nationalists and supporters of the Hashemites, it was doomed.
The Franco-Syrian War of 1920 was the result. The French forces under Henri Gouraud met the Syrian Kingdom's Army under Defense Minister Gen. Yusuf al-Azma on July 23, 1920 at Maysalun west of Damascus. The French easily defeated the Syrians, and General al-Azma was killed. The next day the French besieged Damascus, which quickly fell.
Timeline of the Syrian Arab Kingdom
June 3rd 1919
Local nationalists puts together the Syrian Congress, which this day holds its first official session, electing Hashim al-Atassi to its president.
July 2nd 1919
The Syrian Congress passes several resolutions to form Syria into a fully independent constitutional monarchy with Faisal as king.
January 1920
Negotiations between Faisal and the French secure that France does not act military in Syria in exchange of France being the to supply advisers, counselors and technical experts to the Syrians.
March 8th 1920
The Syrian Congress assembles to declare Faisal king of Syria, and Hashim al-Atassi prime minister.
April 1920
The Syrian call for independence is rejected by France and the British, that demands the establishment of a French mandate of Syria.
July 14th 1920
French general, Henri Gouraud, presents Faisal with an ultimatum to surrender. Considering the difference in military power between Syria and France, Faisal accepts. Still, Gouraud conisders Faisal's surrrender as insufficient, and groups around Faisal rally to resist the French.
July 24th 1920
French and Syrian armies clash at Maysalun: Syrian military is heavily defeated, and the French march into Damascus.