'The Muntafik. Al Sa'dun, Bani Malik, Ajwad, Bani Sa'id, Bani Huchaim' [‎5v] (15/196)

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took refuge with the Dhaflr, while his brother Nasir was in 1866 granted the
lease of the Shaikhship, having outbid Shaikh Eahad. Shaikh Nasir was
received into special favour by the Turks and he seems to have fallen under the
influence of the Great Wali. of Baghdad, Mid-hat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who about 1871
induced him_ to abandon the position taken up by Shaikh Pahad and
Shaikh Mansur and to welcome Ottomanizing influences among the Muntafik.
This was the first downward step, and Nasir Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , great as his name is (he
founded Nasiriyah), seems really to have been the betrayer of the Muntafik to
the Turks. An attempt at a regular Turkish land settlement was made. The
Sa’dim were bribed into accepting the change, by being converted into regular
landowners from their position as tribute-receiving ^ chiefs. The tribes” lost
their status as landowners and became tenants, and the whole of the arable
laud of Nasiriyah and Suq al Shuyukh was parcelled out, by Tapu registra
tion, then for the first time introduced, between the Sa*dun and the Turkish
Crown.
In 1872, Shaikh Nasir was employed by the Turks in settling the
newly conquered districts of Hasa and Qatif, and as a reward for these services
he was appointed Wali of the newly constituted Wilayat of Basrah in 1875.
He proved too powerful, however, owing to the conjunction of the Waliship
with the Chiefship of the Muntafik, and was exiled to Constantinople about
1877.
In 1881, while Nasir was a prisoner in Constantinople, the whole of the
Muntafik tiibes lose in rebellion, partly it seems owing to collisions between
them and the Turkish troops stationed at the newly built cantonment of
Nasiriyah, and partly because attempts were being made by the Turks to
enforce the new land settlement and to make the tribesmen pay landlord’s dues
to the Turkish Crown and to the Sa’dun. This rebellion was never properlv
put down, but the Turks seem to have given up collecting the new land taxes
and to have given considerable power to Falih Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , eldest son of the deported
Isasir, who thereupon resumed to some extent the Ottomanizing policy of his
ici l n er •
In the meanwhile the Muntafik became divided in allegiance between
fea dun I ash a, son of Shaikh Mansur (who was thus nephew of Nasir and first
cousin of Falih), and Falih himself. Apparently at the time Falih was
regarded as the Ottomanizer and Sa’dun as the exponent of the old tribal
principles. Sa’dun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , in consequence of his hostility to Turkish influence
was at this time a friend of the Shaikh of Kuwait. He maintained himself
?g a ; 1 ^ iahh mainly by plunder and robbery. He first came into prominence
m 1900, when he raided Ibn Eashid in order to please the Shaikh of Kuwait
Ibn Bashid threatened reprisals on Kuwait, and marched to attack Kuwait
tG 7* m 17 ' -n 11 ? was .confronted by the forces of Shaikh Mubarak of Kuwait and
of Sa dun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , with some Turkish troops, and was finally persuaded to with
draw, on the promise that Sa’dun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. would be hunted down. Sa’dun Pa<dn
thought that he had been deserted by Mubarak in the course of these neeotia-
^nno 1 and hG a 1 nd Mubar , ak s,3em never to have beeu on good terms again In
iOOS he caused a great disturbance among the Muntafik by practising extortion
on the Jazirah tribes, presumably those which owed allegiance to Shaikh Falih
A small Turkish force was sent against him and together with the Colonel wn«
massacred by him at Shatrah, but in 1904, he was taken back into favour of
cue lurKs.
Between 1904 and 1908 the Muntafik continued to divide their alleeiance
between the two cousins, Sa’dun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and Falih. In the spring of 1908 Fahh
died,_leaving no son of any age or force of character to succeed him so that
Sa dun become clearly predominant in the tribe. In 1908 Sa’dun seized the
opportunity of the revolution and came out as a strong supporter of the Com
mittce of Union and Progress. He was therefore favoured by the oflicMs'
while Fahh s family was thrust into the shade. Sa’dun’s championin-of the
cause of the Committee gradually brought him into conflict with Saivid Talih
of Basrah, who, after flirting with the party of Union and Progress, had be<uin
to promote the opposing Arab movement. Confident in the support of Ue
Union and Progress officials, Sa’dun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. began to exercise great tyrannv
among the Muntafik ; he put many of the minor Shaikhs to death, and ex-tended