The Promised Land

Napoleon's landing in Egypt in 1798 was a historical turning point for the British Empire. With the route to India under threat, attention quickly turned to the Middle East. These lands, stretching from the Nile to the Persian Gulf, were no longer just on maps but on the agenda of politicians in London and ambassadors in Istanbul.

Jonathan Parry narrates the half-century period from the Napoleonic Wars to the Crimean War from a British perspective. The complex relationships the British established with Arabs, Kurds, Christians, and Jews in this region, where Ottoman rule was weakening, stand out. Trade routes, steamships, and a fascination with biblical and ancient history shaped these policies.

"The Promised Lands" offers a powerful historical narrative not of the Middle East itself, but of how the British perceived the Middle East. It examines this period, evolving around diplomacy, religion, race, and history, in all its aspects.