XXX Международный конгресс ИИСАА. 19–21 июня 2019 г. Т. 1

Источниковедение и историография Арабских стран к 150-летию академика В. В. Бартольда (1869–1930). Ч. 1 99 only strengthened these states determined and sustained interests in the region. As the war developed, the main task for British and French military and political leaders was to weaken the German-Ottoman alliance. They started implementing their plans by looking for allies within the Arab world. In that period Hashemite family was one of the important and prominent families of the Arab world. The family was headed by Hussein ibn Ali — a central figure in the Arab nationalist movement at that time. In 1908 the Ottomans appointed him as the Sharif and Emir of Mecca and he was responsible for the protection of Islam’s shrines in the Hejaz, thus gradually he became a spiritual leader of Muslims. It was this family that emerged as the major player in this delicate and complex political scene of the region. Another reason for Hashemite family’s importance in the Arab world related to their being descendant of Prophet Muhammad. From the first decades of 20th century, Hashemite clan took advantage over other clans in the region. The Hashemites held power in Syria until 1920, in Saudi Arabia — until 1924, in Iraq—until the 1950s and currently, they remain the royal family in Jordan. The Ottoman Empire’s entry to the First WorldWar gave Hashemites an impetus for their major international involvement. Aware of the Britain and French interests to weaken the Ottoman governance from the East and for accomplishment of their intention Hashemite family began to approach British authorities. Maintaining historical legitimacy and being politically ambitious the family established a league with the British. Yet, the intention didn’t confine to weakening the Ottomans within the Empire. The balance of power was unsettled in the Arabian Peninsula, and there were many tribes competing for authority, so the situation let the Hashemites acknowledge the local political realities. Thus, relations of Hussein with the United Kingdom was substantial for both asserting their leadership claims to the great Ottoman Empire and sustaining in competition against other Arab tribes. From July 1915 to March 1916 Husain ibnAli and Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry McMahon, the British high commissioner in Egypt exchanged a series of letters (about 8–10 letters) known in history as Correspondence concerning determination of the political status of lands under the Ottoman control. Correspondence also expressed the British involvement in the Middle East which can be considered very controversial. Obviously, Hussein —McMahon Correspondence was a remedy for both sides to find a common ground for an alliance against the Ottomans. There were two main aspects which can characterize Correspondence. One was British intention to encourage the Arabs to rebel against the Ottoman Empire. The second was an Arab request to the British government to support Arabs in their efforts to gain independence for Arab speaking lands of the Ottoman Empire currently known as Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, the West Bank, Gaza, and Saudi Arabia. Representing all the Arab speaking nations Hussein spoke for independence for the entire of Arab lands till the east of Egypt. But there was the French factor that McMahon couldn’t forget. Thus, there were some areas that were in the French