Lieutenant Colonel Harold Fenton Jacob (1866–1936) was an officer in the British Army who spent the majority of his time in service in Yemen. First published in 1923, Kings of Arabia examines the history of Yemen from the 17th century to the aftermath of the First World War.
The book begins with an overview of the rise of Turkish control in Yemen and an examination of the first British encounters with the country leading up to their capture of Aden in 1839 AD. There then follows a sketch of the British methods of administration, and an explanation of the regime of Captain Haines and other Administrators. The British methods are contrasted with those of the Turks, whose political machinery played such a significant role in shaping the destiny of the Arabs.
The author next treats the British ascent to the hinterland and their subsequent retreat to Aden. The book concludes with the decline of Turkish influence, the events of the First World War, and the rise to power of the independent Arab Kings. With the latter parts of the book laced with Jacob’s own experiences of the events as they unfolded, Kings of Arabia is sure to prove invaluable to those seeking an insight into the British perspective of this key period of Yemen’s history.