Copyright by Lisa McCracken Lacy 2012 The Dissertation Committee for Lisa McCracken Lacy Certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Lady Anne Blunt and the English Idea of Liberty: In Arabia, Egypt, India, and the Empire Committee: William Roger Louis, Supervisor Barbara Harlow Abraham Marcus Gail Minault Denise Spellberg John O. Voll Lady Anne Blunt and the English Idea of Liberty: In Arabia, Egypt, India, and the Empire by Lisa McCracken Lacy, B.A., M.A. Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosphy The University of Texas at Austin May 2012 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to all of the members of my family—my husband, Tom, our children, Thomas, Melissa, and Stephen—who have individually and together demonstrated love and patience throughout the coursework, research, writing, and editing required to finish this degree and this dissertation. A dedication would not be complete without including my parents, (the late) Jarrell and Judith McCracken, who inspired in me a love for learning and for critical thinking, and who gave me the energy and perseverance to achieve a long-term goal. I appreciate all of you for your love and support –I could not have finished this dissertation, or the degree, without you. Acknowledgements “To the generous mind the heaviest debt is that of gratitude, when it is not in our power to repay it.”1 My debt of gratitude to many people is indeed a heavy one, and I am powerless to fully repay it. I use these acknowledgements as a forum for expressing my appreciation to those who facilitated and encouraged my graduate school education, culminating in this dissertation. The list of people who made this dissertation possible begins with my husband, Tom, and our family: Thomas, Melissa, and Stephen; my mother, Judith McCracken, and my late father, Jarrell McCracken. My parents encouraged critical thinking and intellectual inquiry from an early age; in ways too numerous to mention, all of my family contributed to this project with love, patience, understanding, and positive attitudes. In addition to family, my childhood neighbor and lifelong friend, Jan Witt, has welcomed me with open arms and an open heart, to her home in Austin when my studies and coursework kept me there for many days and nights. Jan’s hospitality provided unparalleled support and fellowship that helped facilitate my completion of this degree. My dear friend, Salma Ammouri, welcomed me initially as a new acquaintance who wanted to learn Arabic, and along the way became a dear friend—like a sister. She and her family have extended the warm hospitality and friendship that has made the Arab world legendary since long before the time of Lady Anne Blunt. Colbert C. “Cokie” and Milly Held encouraged me every step of the way with their warm hospitality, good tea, good cheer, and our mutual enthusiasm for Middle East history. British Artist Peter Upton made available to me his hospitality and vast knowledge of the Blunts and the 1 Benjamin Franklin, from Tryon Edwards, comp., The New Dictionary of Thoughts (London: Classic Publishing, 1938), 231. v Crabbet Stud. Professor Donna Landry provided knowledge, encouragement, a book, and articles along the way. Friends and family have indeed made this academic journey a rich and rewarding experience. My love for history began in high school with a series of great teachers: Mrs. Logan in Waco; Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Anderson at All Saints Episcopal School in Vicksburg, Mississippi; Dr. Michael White at McLennan Community College, who taught me to love history one summer rather than just “getting that course out of the way.” Baylor University reinforced and expanded my passion for history with a department that was legendary among history undergraduates during the decades between the 1960’s and the 1990’s. My master’s thesis adviser from Baylor, Professor Patricia Wallace, deserves special acknowledgement for the varied levels of inspiration she provided: demanding excellence in writing (sometimes achieved) and citing; expertise in advising and editing; undaunted guidance and encouragement in every possible academic manner. Patricia first encouraged me to seek the Ph.D., offered to read application essays, and kept up her vigilant support all along this path. The history department at the University of Texas, the Middle East historians, and the Center for British Studies, have all provided more support and encouragement than one could ever expect. Professor Roger Louis, my adviser, gave the gift of time, unparalleled intellectual expertise and guidance, and good cheer all along the way. His wife, Dagmar Louis, has been a source of generous friendship and hospitality that provided a source of encouragement in its own right. I appreciate both of the Louises for their generosity in hosting me for dinners, luncheons, and stimulating conversations, on many occasions throughout this degree path. They provided interesting experiences and engaging guests, all of which enriched each of us in attendance. With Professor Louis, I learned that understanding the British Empire, the Transfer of Power in India, and the vi British Empire in the Middle East, were important on many levels. Discovering the history of empire is to discover the importance of the interconnectedness of people historically, geographically, politically, and culturally. I entered the graduate program in history because I wanted to study and learn more about the Middle East. I am departing the program with a deeper, broader, sense of the historical context of the Middle East at critical moments in history. I am grateful to Professor Louis for pushing me to learn in ways I never imagined, and to improve at every level, from book reviews and research papers, to footnotes and the text of my dissertation. My dissertation committee, all of whom are gifted educators, has been unusually patient and supportive, as I have navigated through the myriad papers, research, and dissertation drafts that this process required. Denise Spellberg offered her time, encouragement, and expertise in the early years of my coursework and commuting to Austin. I am eternally grateful for her support, for making Islamic history one of my favorite subjects, and for always giving excellent advice. With her course on Islamic Spain, Professor Spellberg filled in historical gaps that made the historical context of the Islamic world relevant to nearly every other aspect of world history. Gail Minault taught me to love India, and she gave me the gift of time and expertise with my dissertation and providing excellent advice and editing. Professor Minault also had the rare gift of understanding the relevance of horses to history in the context of this dissertation. Barbara Harlow embraced this project without knowing me at all, and has proven to be one of the special educators one hopes to meet in an academic environment. Professor Harlow also provided a wealth of inspiring advice and knowledge that helped make my dissertation more interesting and readable. Abraham Marcus, the first professor I met at the University of Texas, has maintained his support and expertise throughout my coursework and writing process. Professor Marcus has always offered excellent vii constructive advice about my papers, and encouraged me to read important texts for greater understanding of Middle East history. Professor John Voll, esteemed educator, author, speaker, at Georgetown University, graciously agreed to serve on this committee. In spite of his own intense schedule and academic responsibilities at Georgetown, Professor Voll has been consistently accessible, and has offered ideas and sources as this dissertation progressed. His generosity with his time, expertise, and advice has been extraordinary. I owe Professor Voll a special debt of gratitude for his part in helping me complete this dissertation. To those who read my dissertation and chapter drafts along the way—my daughter, Melissa, my friend, Jan, and my colleague and friend, Dr. Roby Barrett—I appreciate the time and effort you gave to this project. My colleagues in the department of history who shared this process with me deserve special mention: Marian, Roby, Saad, Stephanie, Hervey, Gail, Lauren, and Amber; also Michael, Brandon, Adrian, Shereen, Kristi, Aarti, Greg, Bryan, Hanan, Bob, Mikki, Dan, Brett, Pinar, Ozgur, Kristin, Dan, and the list goes on. Thank you all for the friendship, ideas, editing, and the encouragement you provided. To my family, my colleagues, and to my committee, my debt of gratitude is infinite. Thank you all for your guidance, support, and patience throughout this process. I appreciate each of you for your part in advancing the teaching and researching of history in general, and to my dissertation project in particular. viii Lady Anne Blunt and the English Idea of Liberty: In Arabia, Egypt, India, and the Empire Lisa McCracken Lacy, Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin, 2012 Supervisor: William Roger Louis This dissertation explores a portion of the life, travels, and political activities of nineteenth century British traveler and Arabist, Lady Anne Blunt. Lady Anne held independent and, by the standards of the time, radical ideas about the need to respect Arab culture and to deal with the Arabs as equals. With an encompassing knowledge of the region, she challenged prevailing assumptions and exerted influence in high British political circles. Lady Anne’s aristocratic heritage as the granddaughter of celebrated poet Lord Byron, helped her gain access to the political circles that were gaining power in the Arab world Lady Anne’s journeys, through much of the Mediterranean region, North Africa, Syria, Arabia, Egypt, and Persia, became the basis for her broad knowledge of the Arab world. She pursued an intimate knowledge of Bedouin life in Arabia, the town Arab culture of Syria and Mesopotamia, and the politics of nationalism in Egypt.