The kingdom was established by combining three Ottoman provinces — Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra — into one state, despite significant ethnic and religious diversity. Baghdad is a mere baby, too, when compared with Uruk, another ancient Mesopotamian urban settlement, which lays claim to being one of the world’s earliest cities and which was, sometime around 3,200BC, the largest urban centre on earth with a population estimated at up to 80,000. Some think the Arabic title for Babylonia, al-Iraq, is derived from its name. We know a huge amount about the city’s meticulous and inspired planning thanks to detailed records of its construction.
We are told, for instance, that when Mansur was hunting for his new capital, sailing up and down the Tigris to find a suitable site, he was initially advised of the favourable location and climate by a community of Nestorian monks who long predated Muslims in the area. The British played a central role in Iraq’s early governance, infrastructure development, and oil industry, which often caused tension among nationalist movements seeking independence.
