author
Aubrey Herbert
1880–1923
A restless traveler, politician, and writer, he became best known in Britain’s public life for his deep commitment to Albania and its independence. His adventurous career, cut short in 1923, has given him a lasting reputation as one of the most unusual figures of his age.
1 Audiobook
Mons, Anzac and Kut
by Aubrey Herbert
About the author
Born at Highclere Castle in 1880, Aubrey Herbert was a British Conservative politician, diplomat, traveler, intelligence officer, and author. He studied at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, and later served as a Member of Parliament from 1911 until his death.
He is especially remembered for his strong support of Albania during the last years of the Ottoman Empire and the aftermath of the First World War. His travels, languages, and diplomatic connections made him an unusual public figure, and later writers helped keep his legend alive, including the often-repeated link between Herbert and John Buchan’s famous character Sandy Arbuthnot.
Herbert also lived with severe eyesight problems and became almost blind relatively young, yet remained active in politics and public life. He died in 1923 at the age of 43, leaving behind a life that combined privilege, service, political intrigue, and genuine personal courage.