Gertrude Bell played a major role in the formation of the state of Iraq after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. She was a unique specialist in the Middle East and was involved in espionage for British military intelligence. For her work, this amazing woman was awarded the rank of officer, and this was the first such case in the history of Great Britain.
Childhood and youth
Gertrude Bell was born on July 14, 1868 in the English County of Duram, on the Washington Hall family estate. Her father, Thomas Hugh Bell, was a large steel tycoon and a fairly influential politician. In addition, he held the title of baronet. That is, Gertrude's family was not only very wealthy, but also noble. As for the mother, she died when the girl was three years old.
Five years later, Hugo Bell married Florence Olife. This woman has always loved her stepdaughter like her own daughter, and Gertrude's childhood was quite happy and carefree.
Until the age of 15, the girl studied at home, and then became a student at one of the London schools. There, a history teacher advised Gertrude to pursue higher education, and she followed this advice - she entered Oxford. By the age of twenty, she had a diploma from this most prestigious institution in the direction of "Contemporary History".
After that, together with her uncle Frank Lassel, a prominent British diplomat, she traveled to Bucharest and Constantinople (Istanbul). Oriental customs made a really deep impression on Gertrude.
Returning to London, the girl began to lead an active social life. She wanted to find herself a husband, but for the next three years she never met anyone suitable.
Affair with Henry Cadogan
In 1892, Gertrude decided to go to the East again - to Tehran. In this city, she perfectly mastered the Farsi language and met many representatives of the local colonial administration.
At the same time, Bell fell in love with the charming diplomat Henry Cadogan. But he was relatively poor and Gertrude's parents were categorically against such a marriage. They asked their daughter to return back to England, and she did not dare to disobey them. And Henry was given a condition: he had to improve his financial situation in order to marry Gertrude.
But the young people failed to get married: in the summer of 1893, Henry Cadogan suddenly fell ill with cholera and died. And in the future, Gertrude was unlucky in her personal life - she never married, and she also had no children.
Bell's travels in the Middle East and exploration
By 1896 Bell, in addition to Farsi, had also learned Arabic. And three years later, in the winter of 1899, Gertrude ended up in Jerusalem. It was from here that in the spring of 1900 her caravan headed to desert Arabia. During this trip, Gertrude met many leaders of the local tribes, visited Jebel and Transjordan, as well as the Salhad fortress, located in the territory controlled by the Druze.
In late 1911, Bell embarked on a new expedition across the Euphrates and Babylonia. She visited Baghdad and talked here with a promising Oxford student who was soon destined to become very famous - Thomas Lawrence (as a result, he received the nickname "Lawrence of Arabia").
When World War I broke out, the Admiralty of the British Intelligence Service in Cairo needed help in dealing with the Arabs. Her brilliant knowledge of the language and customs of the local tribes made Gertrude a very valuable figure. In 1915, she became an unofficial intelligence officer.
Bell did not have much authority among the military, but among specialists in the Middle East, she was unmatched. And in the end, her knowledge and professionalism was appreciated by the British commander-in-chief in Mesopotamia - he awarded her the rank of major and the title of "Middle East Secretary".
Gertrude Bell, along with the already mentioned Thomas Lawrence, had a chance to play a significant role in the events of the so-called Great Arab Uprising of 1916-1918. This uprising eventually led to the emergence of several independent states in the Middle East. Bell's main task was to win local influencers over to the side of the UK, and in general, she did it.
Gertrude Bell and the formation of the Iraqi state
After the final collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Gertrude Bell was asked to analyze the situation in Mesopotamia and suggest possible options for governing Iraq. As a result, she put forward the idea of creating a formally independent state under the leadership of King Faisal I ibn Hussein, one of the main instigators of the uprising against the Turks.
It was Bell's support that helped Faisal I of the Hashemite clan come to power in Iraq. In addition, Gertrude took part in defining the boundaries of this new state.
Before Faisal I became king, she, as a confidant, traveled with him around the country, introducing him to the leaders of the local tribes. Faisal was a reserved person and knew how to manipulate people. But Gertrude got along well enough with him, friendly relations were established between them.
last years of life
In 1919, at the Paris Peace Conference, Gertrude Bell made a presentation on the Arab world. Most British politicians believed that the Arabs were unable to independently govern their lands, but Gertrude was of the opposite opinion.
In 1921, a conference was held in Cairo to discuss the future of the Middle East. Colonial Secretary Winston Churchill (then he held just such a position) invited forty leading experts, among them only one woman - Gertrude Bell.
From 1923 on, her influence in Iraq began to wane. And British intelligence no longer needed her services. She stayed to live in Baghdad, where she was mainly engaged in the creation of the Iraqi National Museum.
In 1925, Gertrude visited London for the last time, where she fell ill with pneumonia. Doctors recommended that she stay in foggy Albion, but she did not listen to them - she decided to return to her beloved Baghdad. It was in this city on July 12, 1926, a couple of days before her 58th birthday, that Gertrude was found dead in bed by her maid. An empty bottle of sleeping pills was found on a table nearby. To this day, there is debate about what it was - suicide or accidental overdose.
