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'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎44r] (87/96)

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The record is made up of 1 file (46 folios). It was created in 27 Jun 1947-19 Jul 1948. It was written in English. 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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15
absorption, not of annihilation, and that many
persons belonging to the Beni Rashid, or connected
with them, passed into his entourage. Two lads who
are being brought up with his younger children and
are included in the list of his sons are said to be the
children of a Rashid lady, whom Ibn Sa’ud married
after their birth. Their names are—
(1) Sultan and
(2) Mish’al —
the latter of which corresponds with that of an infant
child of the last ruling ibn Rashid, as given in the
1917 volume of Personalities in Arabia. Two other
persons have come to notice, who are said to be
related to the Beni Rashid, viz.: —
(3) Mansur ibn 'Asaf, who is said to have been
taken into Ibn Sa'ud’s service and to have served
for a term as Governor of Tebuk; and his brother—
(4) Ndsir ibn ’Asaf, who also served Ibn Sa’ud,
but was reported to have deserted into Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan
in 1931.
As the information about this family is so meagre,
it is worth noting that the following members of it
accompanied Ibn Sa’ud from Riyadh to Jedda in
March 1934: —
(5) Muhammad ibn Talal (a daughter of his was
married to Ibn Sa’ud in 1938).
( 6 )
7)
( 8 )
(9)
Mash’al ibn Mas’ud ibn ’Abdul ’Aziz.
Rashid al Muheysin al Jabr.
Sultan ibn Talal al Jabr.
Fahad ibn Hamud al Jabr.
Of these (6) and (8) may be identical with (1) and
(2) given above. The Umm al Qura early in 1935
gave a list of the Beni Rashid who came to the Hejaz
with Ibn Sa’ud in March of that year. This list
gave all the names, except (6), unless the name
Mash’al al Sa’ud in the 1935 list corresponded with
the same person. Two other names appear in the
1935 list.
(10) ’Abdullah al Mit’ib, who died in 1947.
(11) ’Ubaid al ’Abdullah.
At least one Ibn Rashid accompanied the King’s
son, the Amir Faysal, to the Yemen front in April.
1934 -
The younger princes are greatly in evidence in Ibn
Sa’ud’s entourage, being treated generally very much
like his own younger sons.
The only member of the family outside Sa’udi
^rabia, and therefore of some importance, is (12)
Muhammad ibn ’Abdul Muhsin ar Rashid, bom
about 1910. Lives at the Court of the King of Iraq
(according to a 1935 report), out of whose privy purse
he is said to receive a pension of about £20 a month.
Twice stated to have set out, with the cognisance of
the late King ’Ali, to raise the Shammar, cross the
frontier and take Hail, but returned on each occasion
with standards still unfurled, having judged the
moment not propitious. Still keeps in touch with
the Shammar and maintains bedouin mode of life.
Described as ordinarily a rather dull, brooding young
man, and perhaps not very resourceful, but,
presented with a good enough opportunity, he would
quickly be off across the desert to recapture his
ancestral home.
Two members of the family, Saud and Abdul
Aziz, w r ho had been living in Riyadh, “ escaped ”
-by car in October 1947 and subsequently turned up
in Iraq. This event seems to have considerably
upset the King, w r ho may fear that they are hatching
some plot with his enemies.
47. Rifdda Family.
Chiefs of the Billi tribe, with an urban establish
ment at Wejh. The most notable recent member of
the family, Suleyman Afnan, played a not incon
siderable role during the Great War, but was killed in
a raid in 1916 and left two sons, Ibrahim and Ahmed.
His brother Salim, who had died earlier, left a son,
Hamid. The cousins in this generation were at
enmity. Hamid made a bid for the Sheikhship on
his uncle’s death. He was one of several Hejazi
Sheikhs who approached the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Cairo in
1924, complaining both of King Huseyn’s tyranny
and his inability to protect them against the
Wahhabis. He came into greater prominence in
1928, when, having returned from Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan and
taken to brigandage, he attempted a coup at Wejh,
hoping to dislodge his cousin Ibrahim, who was
Governor there and head of the tribe. After a further
period of exile he came into still greater prominence
in 1932 by invading the Hejaz at the head of a
rebel band. He and two, it was said, of his sons
were killed, but there may be survivors of this
branch. At the outset of the revolt Ibrahim visited
the King at the head of a loyal delegation. He is
still head of the Billi tribe in the Hejaz, but the
Governor of Wejh is now r Ibn Mubarak (see No. 40).
The family have attaches with a section of the Billi
established in Egypt.
48. Rushdi Malhas.
Was editor of the Umm al Qura, the more
important of the two weekly newspapers published
at Mecca and the unofficial organ of the Sa’udi
Government. A Palestinian from Nablus. In 1937
or before was appointed Assistant Director of the
Political Section of the Royal Diwan. The following
year had a violent quarrel with his chief, Yusuf
Yasin, but retained his position and eventually
succeeded him as Director of the Political Section
of the Royal Diwan. In appearance a down-trodden
little man, but away from his chief he is affable and
talkative. Well read in Arabic literature and history.
Speaks good Turkish and some French.
49. Salih ibn A bu Bakr Shdta.
Born probably not later than 1890. Comes of a
learned family in Mecca, where he was born. Much
employed on Committee for Waqfs, grain distribu
tion, kc., under the Hashimite regime. Fled to
Jedda after the Sa’udi capture of Taif. Was one of
the Hejazi notables who compelled the abdication
of King Huseyn in October 1924 and rallied in due
course to Ibn Sa’ud. Became one of two assistants
to the Amir Faysal in his capacity as Viceroy.
Spoken of in 1930 as a possible Minister of Educa
tion in a Cabinet then rumoured to be in contempla
tion, but, if the rumour was true, the project was
not pursued. When the Cabinet was eventually
organised on its present lines early in 1932 and the
Amir Faysal was given the Ministry of the Interior,
as well as others. Salih Shata was made his chief
assistant in that Ministry. In 1986 was a member
of the Legislative Assembly. Related to No. 67.
Referred to in 1943 as “ Second Deputy ” of the
Advisory Council.
50. Sidayri Family.
Take their name from the district of Sidayr in
Nejd. Are related to Ibn Sa’ud through the fact that
his mother was a Sidayri. He has, moreover, taken
two wives from the family. Six members of the
family are worthy of notice, viz.: —
(1) ’Abdullah as-Sidayri, Governor of Tebuk since
about the beginning of 1931. Transferred early in
1936 to Medina (see No. 2).
(2) Turki as-Sidayri, Governor of Asir, with head
quarters at Abha.
(3) ’Abdul 'Aziz as-Sidayri, Governor of Jauf, with
headquarters at Qariyat. Because of the proximity
of his Governorate to Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan and his frequent
contacts with the authorities of that country he is
the best known and most important member of the
family.
(4) Muhammad as-Sidayri, younger brother of (3),
Governor of Sakaka.
(5) Ahmad ibn Turki as-Sidayri, Governor of
Al-Qunfida.

About this item

Content

This file contains copies of the following Foreign Office documents:

  • 'Leading Personalities in Persia, 1947' (folios 3-20)
  • 'Leading Personalities in Iraq, 1947' (folios 21-36)
  • 'Leading Personalities in Saudi Arabia, 1948' (folios 37-47).
Extent and format
1 file (46 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 48; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎44r] (87/96), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/6/392, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061134244.0x000058> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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