"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٤‎٠‎٩] (١٧٨٢/٥٥٢)

409
similar episodes, of which the last occurred so lately as 1895. Afterwards
Hazam, where some of the Ya'arabi family had their abode, shut its
gates against the Imam; and, his artillery having proved incapable of
reducinsr the fort, that place also was lost to him. « , u
A second and more successful rebellion on the part of Saif and 0 f C0 £ aif re ™ d
Sultan took place at this juncture, in December 1781. The brothers seized gultan, 1781-
the forts of Jalali and Mirani at Masqat, and were eventually permitted *-•
to retain them, on condition that Saif should accompany Ins father as a
hostage. This arrangement, brought about by the mediation of the
Qadhis of Rustaq, lasted for one year only, at the end of which time
Ahmad, having repented of the compromise, made Saif a close prisoner
and prepared to bombard the forts. A fresh accommodation then took
place, in accordance with which Saif was set at liberty, Ahmad was
placed in possession of Fort Mirani, and Fort Jalali was handed over un
conditionally to Saif and Sultan. In the following year, however, Saif
and Sultan kidnapped their brother Sa'id at Barkah and retired with
him to Fort Jalali at Masqat; no reason for their action is suggested
by the native historian, but jealousy of Sa'id, whose succession may have
been desired by the Imam, possibly supplied the motive. The Imam
immediately marched from Rustaq and took up a position on Masqat
Island, cannonaded Fort Jalali from Fort Mnani and also from the open
sea to eastward, and finally caused an unsuccessful assault to be made
by his troops on a breach that had been opened in the western face
of the besieged work. Unappeased by the accidental escape of Sa'id from
the fortress, the Imam continued his operations with vigoui , but, inte
gence having been received of the investment of Rustaq in us a sence
by Ibn-Rahmah-a chief, it would appear, of the region now known as
Trucial 'Oman,-he once more forgave his sons and raised t ie siege.
Ibn-Rahmah did not await the Imam's return to Rustaq, u imme
diately withdrew to his own country.
Internal political position at the Imam Ahmad s death,
The Imam Ahmad died in the end of 1788, at Rnstaq and
buried there on the weet side of the fort. Before his death, peihaps
early in his reign, he had contracted a matrimonial alliance with the
Ya'arahi family, by taking to wife a daughter of the late mam ai - m-
Sulten. Ahmad is described as having ruled the whole of Oman 10m
Ja'alan to Baraimi; but it seems that at the time of Ins death neither
the districts of Dhahirah and Jau, nor the important strongholds o