Percy Sykes
Encyclopedia
Brigadier-General Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes KCIE
, CB
, CMG
(28 February 1867-11 June 1945) was a soldier, diplomat and scholar, with a considerable literary output. He wrote historical, geographical, and biographical works, as well as describing his travels in Persia
.
Sykes was born in Brompton, Kent
, England
the only son of Rev. William Sykes and his wife Mary Molesworth, and educated at Rugby School
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the 16th Lancers, but transferred to the 2nd Dragoon Guards
in 1888. He was posted to India and made several journeys through Persia and Baluchistan
. During the Second Boer War
he served in the Intelligence Department and commanded the Montgomery Imperial Yeomanry. The Royal Geographical Society
awarded him the Back grant in 1899 and the Patron's Gold Medal in 1902. In 1902 he transferred to the Indian Army
. Over the next few years he made extensive journeys in the Middle East and was appointed consul-general for Khūzestān
in 1906.
Towards the end of 1915, Percy Sykes was given the temporary rank of Brigadier-General and sent with the agreement of the Persian government at the head of a mission to raise a Persian force to counter the strong German influence in most of South Persia. His forces supported the Russians against the Turks and restored some order to the country. In 1917 his South Persia Rifles
, received recognition from the Persian government, but this was withdrawn in June when a new Government took office. This resulted in some local conflict until the war ended.
Sykes retired from the army in 1924, retaining the honorary rank of Brigadier-General. From 1932 until his death he was honorary secretary of the Royal Central Asian Society, now known as the Royal Society for Asian Affairs
. The society has in its gift an award called The Sir Percy Sykes Memorial Medal.
In 1902 he married Evelyn Seton, eldest daughter of Colonel Bruce Seton of the Royal Engineers and they had six children. His daughter Rachel married Sir Patrick Reilly
the diplomat. Sykes was the nephew of Richard Sykes the rugby player who founded towns in America and cousin of Sir Alan Sykes, 1st Baronet
MP for Knutsford, Cheshire.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(28 February 1867-11 June 1945) was a soldier, diplomat and scholar, with a considerable literary output. He wrote historical, geographical, and biographical works, as well as describing his travels in Persia
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
Sykes was born in Brompton, Kent
Brompton, Kent
Brompton is an ancient village near Chatham, in Medway, England. Its name means 'a farmstead where broom grows´. Today Brompton is a small residential area between Chatham Dockyard and Gillingham....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
the only son of Rev. William Sykes and his wife Mary Molesworth, and educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the 16th Lancers, but transferred to the 2nd Dragoon Guards
2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)
The 2nd Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685 by King James II. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards in 1959....
in 1888. He was posted to India and made several journeys through Persia and Baluchistan
Balochistan (region)
Balochistan or Baluchistan is an arid, mountainous region in the Iranian plateau in Southwest Asia; it includes part of southeastern Iran, western Pakistan, and southwestern Afghanistan. The area is named after the numerous Baloch tribes, Iranian peoples who moved into the area from the west...
. During the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
he served in the Intelligence Department and commanded the Montgomery Imperial Yeomanry. The Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
awarded him the Back grant in 1899 and the Patron's Gold Medal in 1902. In 1902 he transferred to the Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
. Over the next few years he made extensive journeys in the Middle East and was appointed consul-general for Khūzestān
Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq's Basra Province and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahwaz and covers an area of 63,238 km²...
in 1906.
Towards the end of 1915, Percy Sykes was given the temporary rank of Brigadier-General and sent with the agreement of the Persian government at the head of a mission to raise a Persian force to counter the strong German influence in most of South Persia. His forces supported the Russians against the Turks and restored some order to the country. In 1917 his South Persia Rifles
South Persia Rifles
The South Persia Rifles was a Persian military force recruited by the British in 1916 and under British command. They participated in the Persian Campaign of World War I.-History:...
, received recognition from the Persian government, but this was withdrawn in June when a new Government took office. This resulted in some local conflict until the war ended.
Sykes retired from the army in 1924, retaining the honorary rank of Brigadier-General. From 1932 until his death he was honorary secretary of the Royal Central Asian Society, now known as the Royal Society for Asian Affairs
Royal Society for Asian Affairs
The Royal Society for Asian Affairs is a learned society based in the United Kingdom, founded in 1901 to "promote greater knowledge and understanding of Central Asia and surrounding countries". The geographical extent of the Society's interest has since expanded to include the whole of Asia...
. The society has in its gift an award called The Sir Percy Sykes Memorial Medal.
In 1902 he married Evelyn Seton, eldest daughter of Colonel Bruce Seton of the Royal Engineers and they had six children. His daughter Rachel married Sir Patrick Reilly
Patrick Reilly
Sir Patrick Reilly, GCMG was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to the USSR and France.D'Arcy Patrick Reilly was at Ootacamund, India, the only son of Sir D'Arcy Reilly, Chief Justice of Mysore. He was educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford, where he was awarded BA in 1932...
the diplomat. Sykes was the nephew of Richard Sykes the rugby player who founded towns in America and cousin of Sir Alan Sykes, 1st Baronet
Sir Alan Sykes, 1st Baronet
Sir Alan John Sykes, 1st Baronet was an English businessman in the bleaching industry and Conservative politician in Cheshire....
MP for Knutsford, Cheshire.
Publications
- Ten Thousand Miles in Persia (John Murray - 1902)
- The Glory of the Shia World (MacMillan - 1910)
- Lectures delivered to the Persia Society, 1913-1914. (Morrison & Gibb - 1914)
- A History of Persia (MacMillan - 1915)
- Through Deserts and Oases of Central Asia (MacMillan - 1920)
- A History of Persia - 2nd edition (MacMillan - 1921)
- Persia (Oxford University Press - 1922)
- The Right Honourable Sir Mortimer Durand -a biography (Cassell & Co. - 1926)
- A History of Persia - 3rd edition (MacMillan - 1930)
- A History of Exploration (George Routledge & Sons - 1934)
- The Quest for Cathay (A. & C. Black - 1936)
- À La Recherche du Cathay (Payot, Paris - 1938)
- Explorers All, Famous Journeys in Asia (George Newnes - 1939)
- The Story of Exploration and Adventure. Edited by Sir Percy Sykes. (George Newnes - 1939)
- A History of Afghanistan (MacMillan - 1940)
- A History of Exploration (Routledge & Kegan Paul - 1949)
- A History of Persia ... 3rd edition, with supplementary essays. . (MacMillan - 1958)