This collection, from the British Online Archives, is drawn from the personal papers of Mark Sykes (1879-1919), a politician and diplomatic advisor known for his role in the partition of the Middle East around the period of the First World War. In addition to the partition, the papers focus on Sykes’ experience in military intelligence and diplomacy in the Middle East, both before and during the First World War. This includes touching on historic events like the Armenian genocide as well as international debates around Zionism and the creation of a Jewish homeland. Sykes' notebooks also offer insight into the experience of an aristocratic traveler in the Middle East during the early 20th century.

The collection includes 4 volumes:

• Foreign affairs and travel, 1888-1919


• Papers regarding the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the Zionist movement, and British policy in Islamic countries, 1914-1918


• Papers of Sir Mark Sykes formerly on display at Sledmere House, 1915-1917


• Miscellaneous other papers