Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell,CBE(14 July 1868– 12 July 1926) was an English writer, traveller, political officer, administrator, spy and archaeologist who explored, mapped, and became highly influential to British imperial policy-making due to her knowledge and contacts, built up through extensive travels inGreater Syria,Mesopotamia,Asia Minor, andArabia. Along withT. E. Lawrence, Bell helped support the Hashemite dynasties in what is todayJordanas well as inIraq.[2]
She played a major role in establishing and helping administer the modern state of Iraq, utilising her unique perspective from her travels and relations with tribal leaders throughout the Middle East. During her lifetime she was highly esteemed and trusted by British officials and given an immense amount of power for a woman at the time[why?]. She has been described as "one of the few representatives of His Majesty's Government remembered by the Arabs with anything resembling affection".[3]
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