in 1916, with the encouragement and support of britain (which was fighting the ottomans in world war i), the sharif of mecca, hussein bin ali, led a pan-arab revolt against the ottoman empire to create a united arab state. although the arab revolt of 1916 to 1918 failed in its objective, the allied victory in world war i resulted in the end of ottoman suzerainty and control in arabia and hussein bin ali became king of hejaz.