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Both the British and the Turks tried to persuade Hussein to fight on their side.
The British were successful, and Hussein agreed to wage war against the Turks in return for the British guaranteeing Arab independence.
Hussein's son, Abdullah, was courted by the British in Cairo in early 1914 which resulted in a busy exchange of letters between the Grand Sharif and Sir Henry McMahon, the British High Commissioner in Egypt.
In December 1915, he was told he "may rest assured that Great Britain has no intention of concluding any peace in terms of which the freedom of the Arab people from German and Turkish domination does not form an essential condition". He took Britain at their word.
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Europe | Ottoman
Empire | Egypt | Mecca
| Arab Revolt | Palestine
| Syria | Modern
Middle East
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Hussein told his
son Feisal, "a British promise is like gold. No matter
how hard you rub it, it still shines".
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