Edmund Allenby ALS Re: King Faisal I of Iraq's 1st State Visit to England, 3 Months Before His Death

A 2pp autograph letter signed by Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby (1861-1936), as "Allenby" on the second page. Dated July 5, [n.y.] but almost certainly 1933. Written on both sides of a single leaf of stationery embossed with Allenby's London address, "24 Wetherby Gardens / S.W. 5." along the top recto. Expected wear including a light horizontal transmittal fold, and a partially rusted paper clip impression found on both sides at the top. Else near fine. 5.125" x 7." Accompanied by an original catalog description from Historicana: Rare Books, Manuscripts, Historic Art (Burlingame, California), as well as a high-quality photocopy of the letter.

Edmund Allenby advises an unidentified correspondent named Miss Ross about how to contact King Faisal I of Iraq (1885-1933) during the latter's first state visit to England. In full:

"5th July

Dear Miss Ross,

Many thanks for your letter of 4th July. My Wife + I had a very pleasant trip to Palestine; + were interested to see the great progress that the Country has made.

I think that you should write to Lieut. Colonel Sir Francis Humphrys; C/O the Iraqi Legation, 22, Queen's Gate S.W. He is our Minister in Iraq; + is now in England with King Feisal [sic].

Tell him that you know the Emir Abdullah; and I think he may be able to arrange for an interview with King Feisal [sic]. Mention my name, too, if you wish.

Yrs sincerely -

Allenby."

This fascinating letter actually mentions two royal brothers, King Faisal I of Iraq, and his older brother Abdullah I of Jordan (1882-1951), referred to as "Emir Abdullah." Both Faisal and Abdullah were sons of Hussein bin Ali, the Grand Emir and Sharif of Mecca, and his first wife Abdiyah bint Abdullah; through this august lineage, the brothers were direct descendants of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. King Faisal I ruled the newly formed kingdom of Iraq from its inception in 1921 until his death in September 1933. Faisal's older brother Abdullah I of Jordan (1882-1951) led the kingdom of Jordan, first as the Emir of Transjordan from 1921-1946, and later as King of Jordan from 1946 until his assassination in 1951.

Allenby's letter is also remarkable because it mentions that Faisal is currently in England, enabling us to pinpoint a precise historical time. King Faisal's first and only state visit to England took place between June and July 1933, only three months before Faisal's death in Bern, Switzerland on September 8, 1933. While in England, Faisal met with British King George V and other members of the royal family, such as Edward, Prince of Wales and the Dukes of Gloucester and York. He also attended a tennis match in the royal box at Wimbledon on July 8, 1933!

Field Marshall Allenby had known Faisal since World War I when Allenby commanded the Egyptian Expeditionary Force during the conquest of Palestine. The then Prince Faisal, along with T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia), commanded a corps of Arabic irregulars fighting Ottomans in modern-day Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The paths of Allenby and Faisal might have crossed again during the intervening years, as Allenby served as High Commissioner for Egypt and Sudan from 1919-1925.

During World War I and its immediate aftermath, Faisal advocated for the unification of Arab peoples under a single government. Not only did Faisal hope to reunite Shiite and Sunni Muslims, bridging the differences in their religious doctrine, but he also envisioned a society where Arabs could coexist peacefully with the region's Jewish population. Faisal's plans for Arab nationalism and ethnic and religious tolerance were soon derailed. But during this brief, idealistic period, these goals seemed attainable in a historically destabilized and divided region.

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Humphrys (1879-1971) served as the 1st British Ambassador to Iraq between 1932 and his retirement in 1935. The Oxford graduate and military veteran had previous civil service experience in India and Afghanistan.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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