THE BANNER OF KING FAISAL

Faisal I bin Hussein bin Ali al-hashemi flirted with both the Ottomans and the Allies during the First World War with a view to creating an independent Arab state in the Middle East. After the war Faisal was proclaimed King of Syria in March 1920 which spooked France who were increasing their influence in the region – especially as Faisal’s ‘Greater Syria’ included what is now Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon. A brief Franco-syrian War ended in July 1920 with Faisal’s ejection from the country (where he was offered the throne of British-held Iraq instead) and the capture of his standard.