Thomas Edward Lawrence, more widely known as T. E. Lawrence or Lawrence of Arabia, played a pivotal role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. His vast array of activities, coupled with his exceptional writing ability, catapulted him into international fame.

Lawrence was born in August 1888, the result of a liaison between Sarah Junner, a governess, and Sir Thomas Chapman, an Anglo-Irish aristocrat. In 1896, after moving to Oxford, Lawrence pursued history at Jesus College, Oxford. His early career saw him employed as an archaeologist for the British Museum, focusing on Ottoman Syria's Carchemish site.

With the outbreak of World War I, Lawrence volunteered for the British Army, where he was stationed at the Arab Bureau intelligence unit in Egypt. His involvement in the Arab Revolt, particularly his collaboration with Emir Faisal, and his leadership in critical battles, notably the capture of Damascus, underscored his significant contribution to the war effort.

Post-war, Lawrence joined the British Foreign Office and later retreated from public life, spending his later years in the Royal Air Force (RAF), where he wrote his autobiographical account Seven Pillars of Wisdom and other works. His life was marked by friendships with notable figures and contributions to literature and the RAF.

Lawrence's legacy is intertwined with the journalistic coverage of the Arab revolt by Lowell Thomas and his own literary works. He died in May 1935, following a motorcycle accident. His life and legacy continue to be celebrated in literature and film.