Editing Mecca (section)

====Hashemite revolt and subsequent control by the Sharifate of Mecca====

In [[World War I]], the Ottoman Empire was at war with the [[Allies of World War I|Allies]]. It had successfully repulsed an attack on [[Istanbul]] in the [[Gallipoli campaign]] and on Baghdad in the [[Siege of Kut]]. The British intelligence officer [[T. E. Lawrence]] conspired with the Ottoman governor, [[Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca|Hussain bin Ali]], the Sharif of Mecca to revolt against the Ottoman Empire and it was the first city captured by his forces in the [[Battle of Mecca (1916)|1916 Battle of Mecca]]. Sharif's revolt proved a turning point of the war on the eastern front. Hussein declared a new state, the [[Kingdom of Hejaz]], declaring himself the Sharif of the state and Mecca his capital. News reports in November 1916 via contact in [[Cairo]] with returning [[Hajj]] pilgrims, stated that with the Ottoman Turkish authorities gone, the Hajj of 1916 was free of the previous massive extortion and monetary demands made by the Turks who were agents of the Ottoman government.<ref>''[[Daily Telegraph]]'' Saturday 25 November 1916, reprinted in ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'' Friday 25 November 2016 issue (p. 36)</ref>