Abstract
This chapter examines and contrasts the absorption and disciplining of three demographic and ethnic groups within Transjordan’s territory as it was being forged. The interwar Middle East mandate states provide a particularly clear example of this territorialisation, conceptualisation and enforcement of state authority and space in a quick, almost ‘prefab’, manner. This chapter thus traces the history of the Bedouin tribal groups, the Hashemite ruling elite who became absorbed into the British-created state apparatus, and the Circassians, who found themselves recruited into state activities. In the examination of these groups, there emerges some degree of confirmation of the importance of political calculus and other elements of sociopolitical and economic analysis that were ‘in play’ as the Transjordanian state space was being conceived and enforced.
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Notes
- 1.
Air Staff Headquarters Palestine, “The Garrison in Palestine. Memorandum by Air Staff” (28 May 1930), [TNA/AIR/9/19].
- 2.
“Enclosure Y”, (n.d.), [The National Archives of the United Kingdom, Kew, London (TNA)/AIR/5/723].
- 3.
Aref Al-Aref Diary entries for 17 and 22 September 1926 [St. Antony’s College Middle East Centre Oxford (MEC)/Archives/GB165-0016].
- 4.
E. R. L. Cornwallis, Squadron Leader, Air Staff Command Headquarters Palestine, “Summary of Intelligence Palestine and Transjordan” (13 August 1926), [TNA/AIR/5/723].
- 5.
King Husayn Ibn Sharif, undated note to his son Zayd [King’s College London Liddell-Hart Centre for Military Archives/Joyce Papers/Akaba/I/Q/8/2].
- 6.
“Monthly Summary of Intelligence. Transjordan [hereafter MSI-T]—October 1927” (5 October 1927), [TNA/AIR/23/408].
- 7.
“MSI-T—July 1928” (5 August 1928), [TNA/AIR/23/409].
- 8.
“MSI-T—July 1928” (5 August 1928), [TNA/AIR/23/409].
- 9.
Ibid.
- 10.
Aeronautics, Amman, to Air Ministry, London (18 September 1929), [TNA/AIR/23/83].
- 11.
“Report On Operation Carried Out Against the Sharafat, Uzeimat, and Mesaid [sic.] Sections of Arab El Jebel Tribe on 13th March 1929” [TNA/AIR/23/83].
- 12.
Ibid.
- 13.
“Syrian-Transjordanian Relations: Degree of Control Over the Actions of King Abdullah by H.M.G.” (30 May 1948), [TNA/FO 371/75285].
- 14.
British Resident Kirkbride to Burrows, Eastern Department Foreign & Commonwealth Office (21 October 1948), [TNA/FO 371/68864].
- 15.
Ibid.
- 16.
Peake Pasha, “A History of Transjordan” (n.d.), [MEC Oxford/Glubb Collection/1986 Accession/Box 7].
- 17.
“Report on the Political Situation for the month of November 1933” (4 December 1933), [TNA/CO/831/23/11].
- 18.
Ibid.
- 19.
Uriel Dann, “The Background to the Beginnings of the Arab Legion” (n.d.), [MEC Oxford/Monckton Collection/Box 1].
- 20.
Mumford, “[Untitled Memoirs] (n.d.), [MEC Oxford/Mumford Collection].
- 21.
“Transjordan Frontier Force. Annual Report, 1939” (n.d.), [TNA/WO/208/1557A].
- 22.
“Report Advocating the Use of the Circassians in the Middle East” (1942), [TNA/WO/201/746].
- 23.
Captain P. Domville, “Circassians for Persia” (5 October 1942), [TNA/WO/201/746].
- 24.
Flight Lieutenant for Group Captain Commanding, Royal Air Force, Transjordan & Palestine, “Transjordan Monthly Intelligence Report” (5 January 1926), [The National Archives of the United Kingdom (TNA)/AIR/5/723].
- 25.
Flight Lieutenant for Group Captain Commanding, Royal Air Force, Transjordan & Palestine, “Transjordan Monthly Intelligence Report” (5 January 1926), [The National Archives of the United Kingdom (TNA)/AIR/5/723].
- 26.
“Monthly Summary of Intelligence. Transjordan—November 1927” (3 December 1927), [TNA/AIR/23/408].
- 27.
“Precis of the Correspondence Relative to the Proposal to Arbitrate in Raiding Claims Lodged by Transjordan and Nejd” (c.1931), [TNA/AIR/9/61].
- 28.
F.G. Peake, Officer Commanding, Arab Legion to British Resident, Amman (27 March 1928), [TNA/AIR/23/83].
- 29.
“Extract from Report No. CD/1/408, dated 25.7.26, received from the Special Service Officer, Basrah” [TNA/AIR/23/83].
- 30.
“[Transjordan Intelligence Report] For Period Ending 23.10.1937” (23 October 1937), [TNA/AIR/23/788].
- 31.
“Precis of Correspondence with Regard to the Improvement of the Intelligence System in Transjordan and Establishment of Civil Administration East of the Hejaz Railway” (c.1931), [TNA/AIR/9/61].
- 32.
Ibid.
- 33.
P.H.L. Playfair to Air Chief Marshal Sir J. M. Salmond (29 March 1930), [TNA/AIR/9/19].
- 34.
Air Commodore Freeman to Air Force Headquarters Palestine (19 February 1931), [TNA/AIR/9/19].
- 35.
E. R. L. Cornwallis, Squadron Leader, Air Staff Command Headquarters Palestine, “Summary of Intelligence Palestine and Transjordan” (13 August 1926), [TNA/AIR/5/723].
- 36.
“Notes on the value of the air route between Cairo and Baghdad for strategic and other purposes” (c.1920), [TNA/AIR/9/19].
- 37.
Untitled Memo (c.1931), [TNA/AIR/9/61].
- 38.
Untitled Memo (c.1931), [TNA/AIR/9/61].
- 39.
Playfair to Salmond [TNA/AIR/9/19].
- 40.
Ibid.
- 41.
Air Staff Headquarters Palestine to C.A.S., London (22 January 1931), [TNA/AIR/9/19].
- 42.
Norman M. Maclennan, “An Observation on the General Health Conditions on Certain Bedouin Tribes in Trans-Jordan” (15 November 1934), [TNA/CO/1073/286].
- 43.
Ibid.
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Ouahes, I. (2021). Minoritisation and the State-Societal Balance of Forces in Transjordan (1920–1946): British, Bedouin, Hashemite and Circassian Relations. In: Maggiolini, P., Ouahes, I. (eds) Minorities and State-Building in the Middle East. Minorities in West Asia and North Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54399-0_3
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