From empire to orient : travellers to the Middle East, 1830-1926

From Empire to Orient offers an alternative perspective on Britain's late imperial period by looking at the lives and the writings of the men who chose to defy the conventional social and political attitudes of the British ruling classes towards the Near East. Between the Greek revolt in 1830 and the fall of the Caliphate in 1924 a different kind of voice was heard that was both anti-Imperialist and pro-Islamic. Geoffrey Nash places David Urquhart's passionate belief in the ideal of municipal government in Turkey, W.S. Blunt's enthusiasm for the Egyptian reformers of the Azhar, E.G. Browne's zeal for the Persian revolution and Marmaduke Pickthall's pained advocacy of the cause of the Young Turks into their political and historical context and into the context of their writings. The author argues that the actions of these men represented a distinctive identification with the Islamic world and of the involvement of the West in its politics. By condemning Britain's manoeuvres and choice of allies in the Near East, each of these writers embellished a narrative of betrayal and a breach with the British educated classes'view of the Islamic East. Through the lives and writings of these men who identified so passionately with the Islamic world, Nash offers a fascinating perspective on Britain's late imperial period. From Empire To Orient Offers An Alternative Perspective On Britain's Late Imperial Period By Looking At The Lives And Writings Of The Men Who Defied The Conventional Attitudes Of Their Day. Members Of The British Ruling Class Began Travelling To The Near East In Unprecedented Numbers Between The Greek Revolt In 1830 And The Fall Of The Caliphate In 1924. Since The Publication Of Edward Said's Orientalism, This Historical Encounter Has Been Viewed In The Context Of The West's Political And Cultural Domination Over The East. What Has Rarely Received Attention Is The Impact Of The East Upon The West In This Period. Geoffrey Nash Discusses Those Who Were So Profoundly Affected By Their Travels That Their Cultural Allegiances Shifted And They Came To Oppose Western Imperialism. Drawing Together An Apparently Diverse Collection Of Characters Such As The Eccentric Politician/diplomat David Urquhart, Who Fought In The Greek War Of Independence, Or The Renegade Orientalist Eg Browne, Who Zealously Supported The Persian Revolution, Nash Discerns A Genuine Discourse Of Dissent.--jacket. Britain, Islam And Empire : Some Dissenting Voices -- David Urquhart And The Patronage Of The East -- W.s. Blunt : From Oriental Traveller To Anti-imperialist Agitator -- Lord Curzon And Britain's Empire In The East -- Edward Granville Browne And The Persian 'awakening' -- Marmaduke Pickthall And The Governance Of Islam. Geoffrey P. Nash. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [235]-245) And Index. From Empire to Orient offers an alternative perspective on Britain's late imperial period by looking at the lives and writings of the men who defied the conventional attitudes of their day. Members of the British ruling class began travelling to the Near East in unprecedented numbers between the Greek revolt in 1830 and the fall of the Caliphate in 1924. Since the publication of Edward Said's Orientalism, this historical encounter has been viewed in the context of the West's political and cultural domination over the East. What has rarely received attention is the impact of the East upon the West in this period. Geoffrey Nash discusses those who were so profoundly affected by their travels that their cultural allegiances shifted and they came to oppose Western imperialism.Drawing together an apparently diverse collection of characters such as the eccentric politician/diplomat David Urquhart, who fought in the Greek war of independence, or the renegade Orientalist EG Browne, who zealously supported the Persian revolution, Nash discerns a genuine discourse of dissent. This discourse involved not only a profound identification with the Islamic world but also a rejection of imperial Britain, from those at the very heart of its establishment. A vivid mixture of travel-writing, cultural history, and international politics, Nash's compendium of cross cultural encounters not only deepens our understanding of the Orientalism debate, it reappraises what it means to be Occidental.