Gertrude Bell was born on 14th July 1868 in Washington Hall, England, and she died on 12th July 1926 (aged 58 years) in Baghdad, Iraq. A British traveller, archaeologist and political officer Gertrude explored and mapped her extensive travels through Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and Arabia. Gertrude was also known as Britain’s Queen of the Desert. She played a major role in establishing the modern day Iraq and setting up its National Museum and was fluent in Persian and Arabic. Aged just 20, she was the first woman to achieve a first in history at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.
Do you know: Gertrude Bell’s writings about her experiences in the Middle East, especially Iraq, are studied and referred to even now by modern day policy-makers.
