Al-ʽAhd, or the Covenant Society, ( / ) was a political group organized in 1913, mainly by

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

i officers serving in the

Ottoman military The Military of the Ottoman Empire () was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in 1299 and dissolved in 1922. Army The Military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years ...

.Ghareeb, Edmund A. ''Historical Dictionary of Iraq'', pp. 59-60. Scarecrow Press, 2004, Most of these officers would serve in Sharif Husayn's army during the

Arab Revolt The Arab Revolt ( ), also known as the Great Arab Revolt ( ), was an armed uprising by the Hashemite-led Arabs of the Hejaz against the Ottoman Empire amidst the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. On the basis of the McMahon–Hussein Co ...

and later in Faisal's

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

n army. It called for the independence of Iraq, with Amir Abdullah, son of Sharif Husayn, as king and Prince Zayd as his deputy; and the eventual union of Iraq with Syria. Later on, it sought economic and technical support from Britain as long as this aid did not hamper or undermine true freedom. The group held its first meetings in

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

and then established a number of branches in other Arab areas, including Iraq, notably in

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

and

Mosul Mosul ( ; , , ; ; ; ) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. It is the second largest city in Iraq overall after the capital Baghdad. Situated on the banks of Tigris, the city encloses the ruins of the ...

. It published a magazine, ''Al-Lisan''. Its Iraqi members included

Yasin al-Hashimi Yasin al-Hashimi (born Yasin Hilmi Salman; ‎; 1884 – 21 January 1937) was an Iraqi military officer and politician who twice served as Prime Minister of Iraq. Like many of Iraq's early leaders, al-Hashimi served as a military officer duri ...

Nuri as-Said Nuri Pasha al-Said Al-Qaraghuli CH (; December 1888 – 15 July 1958) was an Iraqi politician and statesman who served eight terms as Prime Minister of Iraq. He served in various key cabinet and governmental positions in Iraq during its Briti ...

Jafar al-Askari Ja'far Pasha al-Askari (, ; 15 September 1885 – 29 October 1936) was an Iraqi politician who served twice as Prime Minister of Iraq in 1923–1924 and again in 1926–1927. Al-Askari served in the Ottoman Army during World War I until he was ...

, and

Jamil al-Midfai Jamil Al Midfai (Arabic: جميل المدفعي; (1958 – 1890)) was an Iraqi politician. He served as the country's prime minister on five separate occasions. Biography Born in the town of Mosul, Midfai served in the Ottoman army during ...

'Aziz 'Ali al-Misri Aziz Ali al-Misri (; ', known in Egypt as ', ''Abdelaziz Zakaria Ali''; 1879 – 15 June 1965) was an Egyptian Ottoman military officer of Circassian descent, and prominent political activist and member of the CUP. During the Second Mashrutiya p ...

was one of its Egyptian members. It also gained the support of Talib al-Naqib, who provided financial as well as moral support for its activities.

Muhammed Sharif al-Faruqi Lieutenant Muhammed Sharif al-Faruqi (1891 - 1920; Arabic: محمد شريف الفاروقي) was an Arab Ottoman staff officer from Mosul. He was stationed in Damascus and played a pivotal role in the events leading up to the Arab Revolt. He was ...

, an officer whose talks with the British partially led to the British support of the

, claimed to be a member of al-ʽAhd, however studies later showed that this was not true.''

A Peace To End All Peace ''A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East'' (also subtitled ''Creating the Modern Middle East, 1914–1922'') is a 1989 history book written by Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction fina ...

'',

David Fromkin David Henry Fromkin (August 27, 1932 June 11, 2017) was an American historian, best known for his interpretive account of the Middle East, '' A Peace to End All Peace'' (1989), in which he recounts the role European powers played between 1914 a ...

, Avon Books, New York, 1990 Following the ouster of Faisal's Arab government from Syria in 1920, the group transferred its headquarters to

Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...

and

Deir ez-Zor Deir ez-Zor () is the largest city in eastern Syria and the seventh largest in the country. Located on the banks of the Euphrates to the northeast of the capital Damascus, Deir ez-Zor is the capital of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. In the 2018 ...

to continue to seek the establishment of an Arab government for Iraq. However, Faisal's collapse had greatly weakened the group, and its activities ceased soon after. The party was re-established in 1930 after

Nuri al-Said Nuri Pasha al-Said Al-Qaraghuli CH (; December 1888 – 15 July 1958) was an Iraqi politician and statesman who served eight terms as Prime Minister of Iraq. He served in various key cabinet and governmental positions in Iraq during its Briti ...

concluded the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930, which prompted a larger political reorganization in the country. Keeping in line with its original values, it promoted good relations with the British but also end the Mandate of Iraq to an end and bring about true independence. After true independence was achieved in 1932, the party was dissolved yet again. Independent Iraq: A Study In Iraqi Politics Since 1932, pp. 31, Majid Khadduri

References

{{reflist Politics of Iraq Military history of Iraq Organizations established in 1913 1913 establishments in the Ottoman Empire Arab nationalism in the Ottoman Empire 1910s in Ottoman Syria

See also

References