Skip to item: of 282
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'File 8/62 IV PRINCIPAL SHAIKHS & TRIBES OF OMAN.' [‎126r] (255/282)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file (137 folios). It was created in 6 Dec 1950-25 Dec 1951. 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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

5. It is possible, therefore, in the light of all recent
evidence to define an approximate western limit to the Imam’s
territory and to define it with fair degree of orecision by ignoring
the dual allegiance which may be apparent in the case of certain tribes*
This still leaves a fringe of "independent" tribes between the Imam
and the Rub ’al Khali (TAe Sultan has never been able to define
the limits of his own territory in any precise terms and the line
of 1937 "beyond which the Sultan has no claims" is valueless for
the purposes of argument)*
It is doubtful, however, whether we should be able to take
the further step of claiming the Sultan s de jure suzerainty over
all thejtribes when they are under his own or the Imam's jurisdiction,
on the ground that they were all at a distant period under the
Sultan and that the Sultan has never renounced his right to their
allegiance although, if we do not do so, we have no real rig t to
act on their behalf. Resort to ancient history immediately admits
the possibility validity of Sa’udi claims to important areas,
including Buraind, and it is of little use to refer to the temporary
character of Wahabi occupation when we are forced to admit much
longer periods during which the Sultan has had no effeotive
Jurisdiction at all. (it is of course arguable that Wahabi incursions
into the Oman did not at ary time alter the legal status of the
territory, but this weakens our ground for claiming that Buraind
is the property if Abu Dhabi, unless the Sultan himself is ready to
recognise Abu Dhabi’s succession to that place since the Wahabi
retreat in 1869)*
6* The reluctance of the Imam and of some of his more
fanatical followers to admit any form of modernisation is no more
than a partial safeguard* Where there is seen to be a handsome
profit to be gained the tendency of important tribal leaders
(e.g. Sulaiiran bin flanyar) to ignore such considerations and to
defect from the Imam will increase* Thus, if we and the Sultan
refuse officially to recognise the independence of these shaikhs,
at the,same time are unable to advance any plausible case for the
Sultan s sovereignty over them we may find it very difficult to
refute the Su’udi thesis that these outlaying districts are under
the control of shaikhs "not in treaty relations with , that
H.M.G-. therefore have no standing there, and that the Su’udi
Government is entitled to come to a difiat agreement with those
shaikhs regarding the frontier (14th Oct. 1949)
7* This Sa’udi claim, however, deliberately ignoring the Blue
and Violet lines, represents an attempt to apply the conditions
of the past to the questions of the present coy; to assume, in
fact, that has neither the will nor the right to develop
new relations with non-coastal chiefs and that, in consequence,
a free field is open to Sa’ud 4 expansion, wherever it can be shown
that neither H*I«*G’* nor one of their clients lias actual authority.
This theory blandly ignores the possibility that arrangement sat
least as advantageous to the shaikhs as any Ibn Baud would make
might be made by H.M.G. and that H.M.G, is fully entitled to make
such arrangements, either as an extension to committments already
existing in the Trucial coa*t or as a corollary to the Treaty with
the Sultan* In fact it seems to be agruable even without the legal
argument of the 1913 - 14 Agreements, that, whereas I rib ^ud has no
standing with
the

About this item

Content

This file relates to the principal shaikhs and tribes of Oman, and also to the Imam of Oman's administration. It largely consists of copies of (and various amendments to) two reports. The first of these is an account by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and Consul at Muscat entitled 'Notes on the Tribes of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman' (full versions found at folios 11-37 and folios 90-116, the latter of which includes an enclosed map). This account provides written summaries of the main tribes, plus tables with further details, including principal settlements, estimated population, and estimated number of rifles.

The second report is entitled 'A Note on the Imam's Administration in the interior of Oman' (ff 3-9 and ff 38-44). It includes details on the extent of the Imam's administration, a list of the tribes that currently support the Imam, and a list of walis appointed by the Imam.

The correspondence, most of which is between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , mainly concerns details from, and revisions to, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. 's aforementioned account on the tribes of Muscat and Oman.

Extent and format
1 file (137 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 139; 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. A previous foliation sequence between ff 95-138, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'File 8/62 IV PRINCIPAL SHAIKHS & TRIBES OF OMAN.' [‎126r] (255/282), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/6/245, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100069907940.0x000038> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100069907940.0x000038">'File 8/62 IV PRINCIPAL SHAIKHS & TRIBES OF OMAN.' [&lrm;126r] (255/282)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100069907940.0x000038">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000881.0x000014/IOR_R_15_6_245_0257.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000881.0x000014/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image