Baghdad in British Occupation - Mosque of Selim, Adrianople

This stamp represents a pivotal transitional period in Mesopotamian history, serving as a philatelic witness to the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the onset of British military administration. Originally issued by the Ottoman authorities featuring the grand Mosque of Selim at Adrianople, the illustration celebrates the zenith of Islamic architecture and the enduring religious heritage of the caliphate. However, the bold "BAGHDAD IN BRITISH OCCUPATION" overprint, applied following the city's capture in March 1917, transforms the piece into a symbol of shifting geopolitical power and colonial pragmatism. By surcharging the existing Turkish stock with Indian currency (annas and paras), the British forces integrated the local postal system into their imperial economic network, effectively bridging the cultural identity of the old regime with the administrative structures of the new military mandate.