The struggle for power in Arabia : Ibn Saud, Hussein and Great Britain, 1914-1924

In June 1916 outside the Grand Mosque at Mecca, the Arab Revolt was proclaimed by the Sharif of Mecca, Hussein ibn Ali, with Britain's full backing of his authority and leadership. Ten years later, on the very same spot, Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud was inaugurated as the Sultan of Najd and King of the Hijaz. In this book the authority of these two leaders, Hussein of the Hijaz and Ibn Saud of Najd, is examined and related to Britain's role in the region during the Great War. The author argues that foreign intervention may affect the political structure of a country, but cannot for long sustain its leader in power if the leader does not have a supportive political base with its operating machinery. In the setting of Arabia in the early twentieth century one key requisite in gaining power was the leader's ability to mobilize the various social groups to work for the interest of the state. Ibn Saud successfully induced his social groups to identify their interests with those of his religio-political state, whereas Hussein alienated his social groups by neglecting his religious role as Sharif and adopting pan-Arabism as his state's ideology. In the contest for power between these two leaders, Ibn Saud's political strategy triumphed and established him as the master of the whole of Arabia. Drawing on a wealth of documentary sources, Dr Haifa Alangari provides a highly original comparative study of the struggle for power in Arabia against major political forces that reshaped Arabia and the map of the Middle East. Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Part 1. The Nature and Foundation of Authority 1. The foundation of Ibn Saud’s authority 1902-13 2. The foundation of Sharif Hussein’s authority 1908-13 Part II. Authority and Foreign Intervention in Arabia During World War I 3. The effect of the Arab revolt on the authority of Sharif Hussein 4. The cohesion of Ibn Saud’s authority 1914-19 Part III. The Postwar Contest For Authority 1919-24 5. The final struggle for power: Ibn Saud’s success in Hijaz and the end of Sharif Hussein’s rule Conclusion Appendix: British officials frequently referred to in the text Bibliography Index This is a study of the struggle for power in Arabia. It examines the comparative leaderships of Ibn Saud and Sharif Hussein against the backdrop of British intervention.