British Occupation of Iraq – Baghdad Provisional

This stamp captures a dramatic historical turning point, featuring a bold "BRITISH OCCUPATION BAGHDAD" overprint on a standard Ottoman pictorial stamp. The underlying image depicts the Maiden's Tower (Leander's Tower) in Istanbul, a classic symbol of Ottoman heritage and the Bosphorus. The application of the English surcharge reflects the military reality of the First World War, specifically the capture of Baghdad by British forces in March 1917. By overprinting the existing Turkish stamps, the British administration asserted immediate administrative and political control over the region’s communication networks. This artifact represents the collapse of Ottoman provincial rule and the transition of Iraq toward a British Mandate, serving as a functional tool of the occupying army while symbolizing the seismic shifts in Middle Eastern borders.