Arab Revolt

Tag

(24)

1916

June

05
- Key eventStart of the Arab RevoltOn 5 June 1916 the sons of the Sharif of Mecca, Ali and Faisal, proclaimed near Medina the Arabs' independence from the Turks. Thus began the Arab Revolt.
06
- Attack on MedinaOn 6 June 1916 Faisal's Arabs attacked Medina. Fahreddin Pasha's garrison drove them off with artillery fire, and the torn-up Hejaz Railway was soon repaired.
09
- Arabs take JeddahOn 9 June 1916 Arabs of the Harb tribe attacked Jeddah and British warships shelled the port. The Turkish garrison surrendered only on 16 June.
10
- Outbreak of the revolt in MeccaAt dawn on 10 June 1916 Sharif Hussein's men attacked the Turkish garrison of Mecca. The city soon fell to them, but the fort and barracks held out until July.
27
- Proclamation of the Sharif of MeccaOn 27 June 1916 the Sharif of Mecca issued an appeal to the world's Muslims. He accused the Young Turks of godlessness and proclaimed the Hejaz independent.

July

27
- Arabs take YanbuOn 27 July 1916 the Turkish garrison of Yanbu, the old Red Sea port of Medina, surrendered to the Sharif's insurgents. Medina lost its nearest port.

September

22
- The Arabs take TaifOn 22 September 1916, after a three-month siege, the Turkish garrison of Ta'if surrendered to Emir Abdullah. Hejaz governor Ghalib Pasha was captured.

October

29
- Sharif of Mecca becomes king of the ArabsOn 29 October 1916 the ulema and notables of Mecca proclaimed Sharif Hussein king of the Arab countries. The Allies recognised him only as King of the Hejaz.

December

15
- Britain recognises Hussein as King of the HejazIn December 1916 Britain, France and Russia recognised Sharif Hussein as King of the Hejaz, but not as King of the Arabs, as he styled himself.

1917

January

23
- Arabs capture WejhOn 23 January 1917 Arab rebels and sailors landed near Wejh in the Hejaz and forced their way into the town. Faisal made the port the revolt's new base.

July

06
- Arabs capture AqabaOn 6 July 1917 the Arab rebels of Sharif Nasir, Auda Abu Tayi and Lawrence entered Aqaba from inland. The revolt gained a port near the Palestine front.

October

21
- Turks repulsed at PetraOn 21 October 1917 Turks from Ma'an attacked Arab regulars in Wadi Musa near Petra. They broke into the first line, but in the evening had to withdraw.

1918

January

February

04
- British assurances to HusseinIn February 1918 London answered King Hussein after the Turks exposed the Sykes–Picot Agreement, assuring him it would keep its pledge to liberate the Arabs.

September

29
- The Ma'an garrison surrendersOn 29 September 1918 at Ziza, south of Amman, the Turkish garrison of Ma'an, surrounded by Bedouin, surrendered to Australian light horsemen.

October

November

09
- Anglo-French DeclarationIn early November 1918 Britain and France declared that they sought the "complete liberation" of Syria and Mesopotamia and governments chosen by their peoples.