TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Revolt · 1916
Sharif Hussein, Emir of Mecca, declared his support for the Ottomans early in the First World War while, through his son Abdullah, conducting the negotiations with the British known as the McMahon–Hussein correspondence (1915–1916). Exploiting the tension created when Cemal Pasha had a number of Arabs executed for treason, he launched the revolt in Mecca in June 1916. Jeddah fell on 16 June and Taif on 17 September; the main towns of the Hejaz except Medina passed into rebel hands. In November 1916 Hussein proclaimed himself king of the Arab lands. Medina, defended by Fahreddin Pasha, remained under Ottoman rule until January 1919.
| Date | June 1916 – 1918 |
|---|---|
| Location | Hejaz (Mecca, Jeddah, Taif, Medina) |
| Result | Jeddah (16 June) and Taif (17 September 1916) fell and the main towns of the Hejaz except Medina passed to the rebels; Medina stayed Ottoman until January 1919 |
| Territorial changes | The Hejaz was lost in 1916 |
| Belligerents | Ottoman Empire (Mehmed V) | Arab forces of Sharif Hussein Britain (supporter) |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Cemal Pasha Fahreddin Pasha (Medina) | Sharif Hussein Emir Faisal Emir Abdullah |
Took place during the reign of Mehmed V (1909–1918). Mehmed V
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
By the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 1,282,000 km² in 1916; at the start of Mehmed V's reign they measured 2,996,000 km², at its end 742,000 km².
During Mehmed V (1909–1918) the atlas records 3 regions gained and 16 regions lost.
Regions gained: Kars–Ardahan–Artvin (1918), Batumi (Adjara) (1918), Akhaltsikhe (Childir) (1918).
Regions lost: Tripolitania (1912), Benghazi–Barca (1912), Fezzan (1912), Macedonia (Skopje–Bitola) (1912), Thessaloniki–Chalkidiki–Mount Athos (1912), Kosovo (1912), Southern and Central Albania (Vlorë–Berat–Elbasan) (1912), Aegean Islands (Lesbos–Lemnos–Samos) (1912), and 8 more.
The first Ottoman sultan whose powers were limited by the constitution; real power lay with the Committee of Union and Progress. In nine years the African and Balkan territories were lost and the empire entered the First World War.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “Şerîf Hüseyin” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.