Why Did Never-Married Lawrence of Arabia Wear Bridegroom’s Robes?
Hint: The white silk and gold Arab robes were a gift
T.E. Lawrence’s life story lingers some 100 years after the Arab Revolt (1916–18) and is intertwined with legend and myth. He is remembered for leading Bedouin tribesmen on raids to dynamite Turkish trains in the desert. He was also an Oxford-trained archeologist, a diplomat and a gifted writer. Detractors call him a publicity-craving poser who claimed credit for Arab achievements. Some of Lawrence’s public story is true, some is not, and some is a matter of opinion. But the white silk robes were real, and the improbable story of their origin is true.
A Gift from Emir Feisal:
The white silk and gold-threaded robes were a gift from Emir Feisal, one of the leaders of the Arab Revolt and the future king of Iraq. A great aunt had gifted the robes to Feisal, perhaps with a particular bride in mind. But why did Feisal give them to Lawrence?
In 1916, Lawrence had traveled from Cairo, after talking his way onto a reconnaissance mission to assess the abilities of the Bedouin army — to see if they were capable of opening a second front with the Ottoman Army on the British flank. During this trip, he first met Emir Feisal at Rabugh, north of Jeddah. Lawrence was…
