Why was Sir Richard Burton dismissed from his diplomatic post in Damascus?

Sir Richard Burton’s dismissal from his post as consul in Damascus in August 1871 was the result of a combination of factors. While he was initially successful in the role, his tenure was undermined by local Muslim intrigue and the proselytizing indiscretions of his wife, Isabel Burton, who was a Roman Catholic.1

These complications led to his humiliating removal from the diplomatic position, an event later documented by his wife in her book, Inner Life of Syria.1