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'A Précis of the Relations of the British Government with the Tribes and Shaikhs of 'Arabistan By Lieutenant A T Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan' [‎11r] (26/143)

The record is made up of 1 volume (68 folios). It was created in 1912. It was written in English and Farsi. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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7
CHAPTER IE
The Ka’ab, the Shaikh of Mohammerah and Fallahiyeh : Tribal Politics,
Relations with Persian Government : Internal and Political His
tory of the Province from Early Times to Death of Haji Jabir.
Basrah 1 was taken by Turkish troops in 1527 (A. H. 935) in the reign
o*f Sultan Sulaiman-bin-Salim from the Arab Mughamis-al-Muntafik.
Sultan Muhammad-bin-Murad whose reign commenced about 1591, reigned
nine years. In his reign, Afrasiab Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , governed Basrah, having ejected
the Turkish Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ’Ali. He reduced the territory of Qubban, 2 then held
by a Turk, named Bakhtash Aqa, the scourge of his neighbours. He also
conquered the Governor of Doraq and Saiyid Mubarak Khan, Prince of
Hawizeh. The first named he besieged and obliged to surrender with the bare
promise of his life. He reduced all the islands of the lower river, and after
compelling the Prince of Hawizeh 3 to restore the territory on the left bank
of the Euphrates dependent on Basrah, which he had usurped, he refused
the future payment of a tribute formerly remitted to the Persians of that
district. He died about 1601 (A. H. 1012) and was succeeded by his son ’Ali
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who encouraged art and extended his dominions.
Shah Abbas attacked Basrah sending an army under Imam Qull Khan,
Governor of Farsistan (who also conquered the Ka’ab) : but Basrah withstood
the siege; on hearing of the death of Shah ’Abbas in 1625 (A. H. 1036) the
army hastily retreated abandoning many guns and much property.
On 1st Shawwal 1049 (1638) in a Treaty between Turkey and Persia for
the delimitation of the frontier the independence of the Ka’ab w r as recognized
(vide Hertslet’s “ Persian Treaties,” 1891, p. 139, footnote).
’Ali Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. died about 1646 and was succeeded by Husain Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , 4 whose
violence and injustice estranged his subjects. His uncles, sons of Afrasiab,
named Ahmed Aqa and Fathi Baig, rose against him and with the permis
sion of the Porte attacked him with an army under Murtaza Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of
Baghdad, who having taken Basrah, killed Ahmad Aqa and Fathi Baig.
This so incensed the people that they, ejected Murtaza Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and sent for
Husain, who was living at Behhahan. Husain was more oppressive than
ever, but patronized literature and paid heavy bribes to the Sultan. In
1652, however, he captured Lahsa and killed many of its inhabitants.
Muhammad Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , son of ’Ali Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , having complained to the Porte, a large
army under Ibrahim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , was despatched to Basrah and the Turks were
henceforward strong in the land. In 1657, they reached Basrah, which was
taken. Husain fled to Doraq and thence to Shiraz; failing to obtain assist
ance from Sulaiman, he continued his journey to India with his son, ’All Baig,
and eventually took service under the Rajah of Ujjain, in whose service he
fought and died. His wives were brought thither from Doraq and his
descendants are said to be still living at Ujjain.
No further details of Ka’ab are available until 1690, and the bulk of
our information from 1690 onward is obtained from a native history which
was translated by Mr. McDouall, and which is summarized at the end of this
chapter. Additional details have been obtained from the works of Mignan,
Stocqueler, Loftus, Hunt, Ainsworth and Layard. 5 6
These works show the Ka’ab to have been a strong Arab tribe with no
predilections for either Persian o r Turkish rule, fighting Persians or Turks
1 From Mi^nan’s extract from the work of Fathullabibn Alwan-al-Ka’ab.
1 For a further account of Qubban see Rawlinson’s memo, on Turko-Persian frontier, 1814.
* Hawizah was at this time capital of the Persian province of Khuzistan.
4 It is perhaps this man who gave the name “ A1 Husain Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , according to native tradition, to the
progenitors of the Muhaisin tribe {vide Gazetteer of Persia, J. G. Lorimer, C.I.E., p. 1258).
6 Efforts made to obtain a copy of the “ History of Modem Basrah ” by Fathulla-ibn-Alwan-al-Ka’ab, the
sole member of that tribe who has distinguished himself in literary arts, have been unavailing. It was written
about 1667—see Mignan, “ Travels in Chaldea," 1827, p. 239 and p. 269 et seq.

About this item

Content

This volume consists of a précis issued by the Government of India which provides comprehensive details regarding the history of relations between the British Government and the tribes and rulers of 'Arabistan. The volume is divided into eleven sections as follows:

  • I. British Interests in 'Arabistan;
  • II. 'Arabistan: Internal Politics up to the death of Haji Jabir and genealogical table of Shaikhs of Mohammerah, 1527-1881;
  • III. Shaikh Miz'als's rule, 1882-1897;
  • IV. Shaikh Khaz'al's rule, 1897-1910;
  • V. Shaikh Khaz'al and the Persian Customs;
  • VI. Shaikh Khaz'al: Political Relations with British Government;
  • VII. Piracies;
  • VIII. Turko-Persian Frontier Question;
  • IX. Shaikh of Mohammerah and Turks;
  • X. Irrigation in 'Arabistan;
  • XI. Acquisition and Tenure of Land in 'Arabistan with Annexes.

Between folios 51-70, the volume contains a number of appendices including copies of various relevant agreements. On folios 69-70, the volume contains the Persian text of a concession granted to the Nasiri Company for running ships from Ahwaz to Shushtar.

The volume was compiled by Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wilson, Acting Consul for 'Arabistan. The printing statement reads, 'Calcutta: Superintendent Government Printing, 1912'

Extent and format
1 volume (68 folios)
Arrangement

The volume opens with a contents page (folio 4) followed by a prefatory note (folio 5), a list of relevant officials (folio 6), a schedule of appendices (folio 7), eleven chapters of text (folios 8-50) and ends with sixteen appendices (folios 51-70).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 70; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An original printed pagination sequence is present in parallel between ff 8-65.

Written in
English and Farsi in Latin and Arabic script
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'A Précis of the Relations of the British Government with the Tribes and Shaikhs of 'Arabistan By Lieutenant A T Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan' [‎11r] (26/143), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/70, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100034861789.0x00001b> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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