IRAQ
See also CITY OF BAGHDAD
HOLY APOSTOLIC AND CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE EAST
ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY IN IRAQ 1871 - 1945
BRITISH MESOPOTAMIA 1914 - 1920
The territory of present-day Iraq was conquered by the Osmanli in the early 16th
century. On the eve of WWI it was divided into three Vilayet : Baghdad, Basra and
Mosul.
The British conquest started in 1914 when the town of Basra and part of the Vilayet
were occupied. As a result of fierce Osmanli resistance (1) it lasted however until
1917 - 1918 before the two other Vilayet could also be conquered.
By the Treaty of Sèvres of 1920 the Osmanli Empire formally ceded the three Vilayet
to the Allies who had already proclaimed them a mandated territory entrusted to the
British some months before (situation confirmed by the League of Nations in 1921)
(1) The major pre-1917 attempt to conquer Baghdad [Comm. : MajGen. Sir Charles
Vere Ferrers Townshend (1861- 1924)] ended with a defeat at Kut al-Amara in
1916.
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BRITISH MILITARY ADMINISTRATORS
Commanders of the British Forces operating in Mesopotamia
Commanders of the Indian Expeditionary Force "D"
(subordinated to India Command)
1914 - 1915 Gen. Sir Arthur Arnold Barret 1857 - 1926
Acting commander in Mesopotamia until the arrival of Barret
1914 BrigGen. Walter Sinclair
Delamain 1862 - 1932
1915 - 1916 Gen. Sir John Eccles Nixon 1857 - 1921
1916 LtGen. Sir Percy Henry Noel Lake 1855 - 1940
Chief Political Officer
1914 - 1916 Sir Percy Zachariah Cox,
Political Resident in the
Persian Gulf. 1864 - 1937
Commanders of the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force
(directly subordinated to the War Office)
1916 LtGen. Sir Percy Henry Noel Lake s.a.
1916 - 1917 MajGen. Sir Frederic Stanley Maude 1864 - 1917
1917 - 1919 LtGen. Sir William Raine Marshall 1865 - 1939
1919 - 1920 ...
1920 LtGen. Sir James Aylmer Lowthorpe Haldane 1862 - 1950
Civil Commissioners
1916 - 1918 Sir Percy Zachariah Cox s.a.
1918 - 1920 LtCol. Sir Arnold Talbot
Wilson* 1884 - 1940
KINGDOM OF IRAQ
In 1920 (after the quelling of an Iraqi revolt against the proclamation of British
mandatory rule over the region) British military government was ended and replaced
by that of an Iraqi Council of State under British supervision. (1)
This provisional regime lasted until the following year when Iraq was proclaimed a
Kingdom, which became a fully independent state in 1932 when the League of Nations
formally abolished the mandate statute and Iraq joined the League. (2)
(1) principal Coordinator of the rebel activities
1920 Mirza Muhammad Taqi Shirazi, Grand Mujtahid of Karbala,
principal Shi'a leader.
Formally the new Iraqi Council of State only had power over the former
Vilayet of Baghdad and Basra, Mosul remaining under direct British rule.
In practice however, Iraqi rule was also extended to that region.
(See here for more on the so called Mosul Question between 1920 and 1926).
(2) By then the U.K. had actually already replaced mandatory rule by a treaty
relationship. The most important of these treaties was the one signed in
1927 wereby Iraqi independence was recognized by the U.K.
(ratified in 1930 and accepted by the League of Nations in 1932)
The same treaty gave Great Britian however also the right to maintain air
bases in Iraq (Habbaniya near Baghdad and Shu'aiba near Basra) and to use
the country's facilities for military purposes.
Commanders of the British Forces in Iraq (until the events of 1941)
1932 - 1934 Air Vice Marsh. Sir Charles Stuart
Burnett 1882 - 1945
1934 - 1937 Air Vice Marsh. Sir William Gore
Sutherland Mitchell 1888 - 1944
1937 - 1939 Air Marsh. (1939) Sir Christopher
Lloyd Courtney 1890 - 1976
1939 - 1941 Air Vice Marsh. Harry George Smart 1891 -
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BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES
High Commissioners
Until 1925 : High Commissioners of Iraq and of the Vilayet of Mosul.
(Subordinated to the Middle East Department of the Colonial Office)
1920 - 1923 Sir Percy Zachariah Cox s.a.
1923 - 1928 Sir Henry Robert Conway Dobbs 1871 - 1934
1928 - 1929 Sir Gilbert Falkingham Clayton 1875 - 1929
1929 - 1932 Sir Francis Henry Humphrys 1879 - 1971
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HEADS OF STATE
Council of State
1920 - 1921 -Sayid 'Abd ar-Rahman al-Haydari al-
Gaylani, Naqib of Baghdad (Chairman) 18.. - 1927
-Haji 'Abd al-Ghani Kubba
-'Abd al-Jabbar al-Khayyat
-'Abd al-Latif al-Mandil
-'Abd al-Majid ash-Shawi
-'Abd ar-Rahman al-Haydari
-Ahmad Pasha as-Sani'
-Shaykh 'Ajil as-Samarmad
-Shaykh Dari as-Sa'dun
-Da'ud al-Yusifani
-Fakhri al-Jamil
-Gen. Izzat Pasha
-Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari 1887 - 1936
-Muhammad 'Ali Fazil
-Shaykh Muhammad as-Sayhud
-Sayid Muhammad Mahdi Tabataba'i
-Mustafa al-Alusi
-Haji Najm al-Badrawi
-Shaykh Salim al-Khayyun
-Sasun Effendi Hasqayl
-Sayid Talib Pasha an-Naqib
Kings
House of the Hashimi
1921 - 1933 Faysal I 1885 - 1933
1933 - 1939 Ghazi I, son 1912 - 1939
1939 - 1958 Faysal II, son 1935 - 1958
Regents during the minority of the King
1939 - 1941 FieldMarsh. 'Abd al-'Ilah,
nephew of King Faisal I,
fled into exile 1913 - 1958
1941 Sharif Sharaf ibn Rajih al-
Fawwaz al-Hashimi, during
the Government of National
Defence in apr - may (see
below) 1880 - 1955
1941 - 1953 FieldMarsh. 'Abd al-'Ilah (2x)
restored by the British
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MINISTERS
(CS) = a member of the Council of State 1920 - 1921
(ND) = a member of the Government of National Defence of 1941 (3)
(3) In apr 1941 - in an attempt to end British influence in Iraq and in the
rest of the Middle East - former prime minister Rashid 'Ali seized power
and established a Government of National Defence.
Despite German and Vichy French support he was however unable to maintain
himself against advancing British forces and by the end of may his regime
disappeared, being replaced by a pro British one.
As a consequence of these events Iraq was placed under British military
occupation for the rest of the duration of the war.
Commanders of the British Forces in occupation of Iraq
Commanders of Paiforce (Persia and Iraq Force)
(also in occupation of Iran - Subordinated to Indian Command until 1942, then
to Middle East Command)
1941 - 1942 LtGen. Sir Edward Pellew Quinan 1884 - 1960
1942 - 1943 Gen. Henry Maitland Wilson 1881 - 1964
1943 - 1944 LtGen. Sir Henry Royds Pownall 1887 - 1961
1944 - 1945 LtGen. Sir Arthur Francis Smith 1890 - 1977
(All ministers had British advisers until 1932)
Prime Ministers
1920 - 1922 Sayid 'Abd ar-Rahman al-Haydari al-
Gaylani, in his capacity of Chairman of the
Council of State until 1921 s.a.
1922 - 1923 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey as-Sa'dun 1... - 1929
1923 - 1924 Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari s.a.
1924 - 1925 Gen. Yasin Pasha al-Hashimi 1894 - 1937
1925 - 1926 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey al-Sa'dun (2x)
1926 - 1928 Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari (2x)
1928 - 1929 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey al-Sa'dun (3x)
1929 Sulayman Tawfiq Bey as-Suwaydi 1891 - 1968
1929 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey al-Sa'dun (4x)
1929 - 1930 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi 1882 - 1942
1930 - 1932 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said 1888 - 1958
1932 - 1933 Naji Bey Shawkat 1891 -
1933 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani 1892 - 1965
1933 - 1934 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i 1890 - 1959
1934 - 1935 Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi 1886 -
1935 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i (2x)
1935 - 1936 Gen. Yasin Pasha al-Hashimi (2x)
1936 - 1937 Hikmat Bey Sulayman 1889 -
1937 - 1938 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i (3x)
1938 - 1940 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (2x)
1940 - 1941 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani (2x)
1941 LtGen. Taha Pasha al-Hashimi 1888 -
1941 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani (3x), fled to
Germany (ND)
1941 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i (4x)
1941 - 1944 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (3x)
1944 - 1946 Hamdi al-Bajaji 1891 - 1948
Ministers of Foreign Affairs
1924 - 1930 the Prime Ministers s.a.
1930 - 1931 'Abd Allah Bey ad-Damluji
1931 - 1932 Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari (2x) s.a.
1932 - 1933 'Abd al-Qadir Rashid
1933 - 1934 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (2x) s.a.
1934 'Abd Allah Bey ad-Damluji (2x)
1934 Sulayman Tawfiq Bey as-Suwaydi s.a.
1934 - 1936 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (3x)
1936 - 1937 Naji al-Asil 1... - 1963
1937 - 1938 Sulayman Tawfiq Bey as-Suwaydi (2x)
1938 - 1939 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (4x)
1939 - 1940 'Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi s.a.
1940 - 1941 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (5x)
1941 'Ali Mahmud ash-Shaykh
1941 LtGen. Taha Pasha al-Hashimi s.a.
1941 Sukayman Tawfiq Bey as-Suwaydi (3x)
1941 Musa Bey ash-Shahbandar (ND) 1899 -
1941 'Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi (2x)
1941 - 1942 Sayid Salih Jabr* 1896 - 1957
1942 'Abd Allah Bey ad-Damluji* (3x)
1942 Da'ud Pasha al-Haydari* 1886 -
1942 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said* (6x)
1942 - 1943 'Abd al-'Ilah al-Hafiz
1943 Nasrat Bey al-Farisi
1943 Tahsin al-'Askari*
1943 - 1944 Mahmud Subih ad-Daftari
1944 - 1945 Arshad Pasha al-'Umari 1888 -
Ministers of Defence
1920 - 1922 Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari (CS) s.a.
1922 - 1924 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said s.a.
1924 Salih Bash 'Ayan
1924 - 1925 Gen. Yasin Pasha al-Hashimi s.a.
1925 - 1926 Sabih Bey Nasha't
1926 - 1929 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (2x)
1929 Amin Bey Zaki
1929 - 1930 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (3x)
1930 Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari (2x)
1930 - 1931 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (4x)
1931 Jamil Pasha ar-Rawi
1931 - 1932 Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari (3x)
1932 - 1933 Rashid Taha Bey al-Khawja 1884 -
1933 Jalal Bey Baban 1892 -
1933 - 1934 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (5x)
1934 Rashid Taha Bey al-Khawja (2x)
1934 - 1935 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i s.a.
1935 Rashid Taha Bey al-Khawja (3x)
1935 - 1936 Gen. Ja'far Pasha al-'Askari (4x)
1936 - 1937 Brig. 'Abd al-Latif Nuri
1937 - 1938 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i (2x)
1938 Subih Najib Bey al-'Izzi
1938 - 1941 LtGen. Taha Pasha al-Hashimi s.a.
1941 Naji Bey Shawkat (ND) s.a.
1941 Nazif ash-Shawi
1941 - 1944 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said* (6x)
1944 Tahsin 'Ali
1944 Sayid Salih Jabr* s.a.
1944 Arshad Pasha al-'Umari* s.a.
1944 - 1946 Gen. Ismail Namiq
Ministers of the Interior
1920 - 1921 Sayid Talib Pasha an-Naqib (CS) s.a.
1921 - 1922 Haji Hamzi Bey
1922 Tawfiq Bey al-Khalidi
1922 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey as-Sa'dun s.a.
1922 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi s.a.
1922 - 1923 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey as-Sa'dun (2x)
1923 - 1924 'Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi s.a.
1924 - 1925 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey as-Sa'dun (3x)
1925 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani s.a.
1925 - 1926 Hikmat Bey Sulayman s.a.
1926 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Qassab 1882 -
1926 - 1928 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani (2x)
1928 - 1929 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Qassab (2x)
1929 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi (2x)
1929 - 1930 Naji Bey Shawkat s.a.
1930 - 1931 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i s.a.
1931 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said s.a.
1931 Hamdi al-Bajaji s.a.
1931 - 1933 Naji Bey Shawkat (2x)
1933 Hikmat Bey Suleyman (2x)
1933 - 1934 Naji Bey Shawkat (3x)
1934 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i (2x)
1934 - 1935 'Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi (2x)
1935 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Qassab (3x)
1935 - 1936 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani (3x)
1936 - 1937 Hikmat Bey Sulayman (3x)
1937 - 1938 Mustafa Mahmud al-'Umari 1894 -
1938 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i (3x)
1938 -1939 Naji Bey Shawkat (4x)
1939 MajGen. Nuri Pasha as-Said (2x)
1939 - 1940 'Umar an-Nazmi
1940 - 1941 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani (4x)
1941 'Umar an-Nazmi (2x)
1941 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani (5x) (ND)
1941 Mustafa Mahmud al-'Umari (2x)
1941 - 1942 Sayid Salih Jabr s.a.
1942 - 1943 Tahsin al-'Askari s.a.
1943 Sayid Salih Jabr (2x)
1943 'Abd Allah al-Qassab 1894 -
1943 - 1944 'Umar an-Nazmi (2x)
1944 - 1946 Mustafa Mahmud al-'Umari (3x)
Ministers of Justice
1920 - 1921 Mustafa al-Alusi (CS) s.a.
1921 - 1922 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi s.a.
1922 ...
1922 Tawfiq Bey al-Khalidi s.a.
1922 'Abd al-Muhsin Bey as-Sa'dun
1922 - 1923 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi
1923 - 1924 ...
1924 - 1925 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani s.a.
1925 - 1926 Naji Bey Shawkat s.a.
1926 - 1928 Ra'uf Bey al-Jadirgi
1928 - 1929 Hikmat Bey Sulayman s.a.
1929 Da'ud Pasha al-Haydari s.a.
1929 Naji Bey Shawkat
1929 - 1930 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Qassab s.a.
1930 - 1931 Naji Bey Shawkat
1931 - 1932 Jamil Bey Baban
1932 - 1933 Jamil al-Wadi 1891 -
1933 Muhammad Bey Zaki al-Bashri 1894 -
1933 - 1935 Jamil Bey Baban (2x)
1935 Muhammad Bey Zaki al-Bashri (2x)
1935 - 1936 Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani* (2x)
1936 - 1937 Sayid Salih Jabr s.a.
1937 'Ali Mahmud ash-Shaykh
1937 - 1938 'Abbas Mahdi 1898 -
1938 Mustafa Mahmud al-'Umari s.a.
1938 - 1940 Mahmud Subih ad-Daftari
1940 - 1941 Naji Bey Shawkaarshad
1941 Yunis as-Saba'wi
1941 'Umar an-Nazmi s.a.
1941 Muhammad 'Ali Mahmud (ND)
1941 Ibrahim Kamal*
1941 Ja'far Himandi
1941 - 1942 Sadiq al-Bassam
1942 - 1943 Da'ud Pasha al-Haydari s.a.
1943 - 1946 Ahmad Mukhtar Baban 1900 - 1958
Ministers of Finances
1920 - 1923 Sasun Effendi Hasqayl (CS) s.a.
1923 - 1924 'Abd al-Mushin ash-Shelash 1882 -
1924 - 1925 Sasun Effendi Hasqayl (2x)
1925 - 1926 Ra'uf Bey al-Jadirgi s.a.
1926 - 1928 Gen. Yasin Pasha al-Hashimi s.a.
1928 - 1929 Yusif Effendi Ghanimah 1885 -
1929 - 1930 Gen. Yasin Pasha al-Hashimi (2x)
1930 'Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi s.a.
1931 Jamil Bey al-Midfa'i s.a.
1931 - 1932 Rustum Bey al-Haydari 1... - 1940
1932 - 1933 Nasrat Bey al-Farisi s.a.
1933 Gen. Yasin Pasha al-Hashimi (3x)
1933 - 1934 Nasrat Bey al-Farisi (2x)
1934 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi s.a.
1934 - 1935 Yusif Effendi Ghanimah (2x)
1935 - 1936 Ra'uf Bey al-Bahrani
1936 - 1937 Sayid Ja'far Abu at-Tumann
1937 Muhammad 'Ali Mahmud s.a.
1937 - 1938 Ibrahim Kamal s.a.
1938 - 1940 Rustum Bey al-Haydari (2x)
1940 Ra'uf Bey al-Bahrani (2x)
1940 - 1941 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi (2x)
1941 'Ali Mumtaz ad-Daftari
1941 Ibrahim Naji Bey as-Suwaydi (3x) (ND)
1941 Ibrahim Kamal s.a.
1941 'Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi (2x)
1941 - 1942 'Ali Mumtaz ad-Daftari (2x)
1942 - 1943 Sayid Salih Jabr s.a.
1943 Jalal Bey Baban s.a.
1943 'Abd al-'Ilah al-Hafiz s.a.
1943 - 1944 'Ali Mumtaz ad-Daftari (2x)
1944 - 1946 Sayid Salih Jabr (2x)
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