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The Political Agency, Bahrain: Inside the Organisation that Ran Britain's Interests in Bahrain
The establishment of the Bahrain Agency in 1900 cemented previous British interest in the Persian Gulf and set the tone for increased economic and political involvement in the 20th century.
The Political Agency, Bahrain: Inside the Organisation that Ran Britain's Interests in Bahrain
The Imperial Railway in British-Occupied Mesopotamia
The British military constructed miles of railway in Mesopotamia during their war against the Ottoman Empire in the early twentieth century. In doing so, they also laid the foundations for a post-war colonial regime.
The Imperial Railway in British-Occupied Mesopotamia
In Search of Landing Grounds: Views of Qatar from above, May 1934
A small, unprepossessing file from the India Office Records contains some of the earliest surviving aerial photographs of Qatar, captured as the country was about to enter a new chapter in its history.
In Search of Landing Grounds: Views of Qatar from above, May 1934
Anglo-Persian Relations: The Death of Hajji Khalil Khan, 1802
The death of the Persian Ambassador in Bombay almost spelled disaster for relations between Persia and British India in July 1802.
Anglo-Persian Relations: The Death of Hajji Khalil Khan, 1802
Legal Business: The Judicial Aspects of British Rule in the Gulf
In the early 20th century, British Officials responsible for the administration of justice in cases concerning British subjects and foreigners in the Gulf had to maintain a delicate balance, so as not to stoke bad relations between neighbouring states.
Legal Business: The Judicial Aspects of British Rule in the Gulf
Thesiger’s Clothes: Empire and Exploration in the Arabian Peninsula
Over several centuries, the close relationship between individual explorers of the Arabian Peninsula and the British Empire was made clear in often unpublished journals and accounts held in the India Office Records.
Thesiger’s Clothes: Empire and Exploration in the Arabian Peninsula
Simone Corbiau: Archaeologist, artist, and possible spy
Simone Corbiau (1900-74) was a Belgian archaeologist who reinvented herself as a portrait painter and may also have been involved in espionage in the Middle East.
Simone Corbiau: Archaeologist, artist, and possible spy
British humanitarian efforts as propaganda in Iran during the Second World War
During the Anglo-Soviet occupation of Iran, Britain established the Anglo-Iranian Relief Fund not only to deliver humanitarian aid to the Iranian people, but also to justify and promote its military presence inside the country.
British humanitarian efforts as propaganda in Iran during the Second World War
Japan, Islam, and Pan-Asianism: Echoes in the Gulf
British intelligence services obsessively monitored the travels of the ex-Sultan of Muscat and Oman, Sayyid Taymur bin Faysal Al Bu Sa‘id to East Asia. What were the reasons behind this and why did they fear a ‘New Order’ in Asia?
Japan, Islam, and Pan-Asianism: Echoes in the Gulf
Gertrude Bell and the Middle East: From archaeologist to state builder and a possible informer
In a corner of Baghdad’s British cemetery lies Gertrude Bell – archaeologist, explorer, political officer, and more. Who was she and how did she come to wield so much power?
Gertrude Bell and the Middle East: From archaeologist to state builder and a possible informer
Home and Away: The Itinerant History of the Hawala Arabs
Appearing in files from Bahrain in the 1930s, the terms ‘Holi’ (singular) and ‘Hawala’ (plural) are not immediately recognisable to most readers. Gulf History cataloguers take a closer look at the terms to decipher their meanings.
Home and Away: The Itinerant History of the Hawala Arabs
Sulayman al-Baruni: The life of an Ibadhi scholar and statesman in North Africa and Oman 1872-1940
In 1923, the Government of India advised the Sultan of Muscat and Oman not to allow one Sulayman al-Baruni to enter his territory. Who was this ‘undesirable intriguer’ and why were British officials so suspicious of him?
Sulayman al-Baruni: The life of an Ibadhi scholar and statesman in North Africa and Oman 1872-1940
Claudius James Rich: Administrator, traveller, author, and collector of manuscripts and antiquities
The life and death of Claudius James Rich, author of 'Narrative of a Residence in Koordistan' and the East India Company’s Resident at Baghdad.
Claudius James Rich: Administrator, traveller, author, and collector of manuscripts and antiquities
Out of the Hijaz: The Hashemite dynasty in the twentieth century
During the First World War, leading members of the Hashemite dynasty accepted British support in their revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Their aspirations to lead independent Arab states succeeded, but survive today only in Jordan.
Out of the Hijaz: The Hashemite dynasty in the twentieth century
Manumission Statements: Insights into the Lives of the Gulf’s enslaved Population
Over 800 manumission statements, collected by numerous British administrators in the Gulf over the course of three decades, offer invaluable insights into the lives and labours of the enslaved peoples of the Gulf region.
Manumission Statements: Insights into the Lives of the Gulf’s enslaved Population
The Accidental Explorer: George Sadleir and Britain’s entry into Central Arabia, 1819
The first crossing of the Arabian Peninsula by a European, revealed in glimpses by the early correspondence of the Bushire Residency, was indicative of the East India Company beginning to look beyond the Gulf littoral and into Central Arabia.
The Accidental Explorer: George Sadleir and Britain’s entry into Central Arabia, 1819
‘Īsá bin Ṭarīf Āl Bin ‘Alī, Governor of Biddah (Doha), 1843-47
The story of a Qatari shaikh from the early days of Doha.
‘Īsá bin Ṭarīf Āl Bin ‘Alī, Governor of Biddah (Doha), 1843-47
Lausanne’s Legacy: A peace treaty that led to a century of conflict
Signed in 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne is sometimes seen as a great victory for modern Turkey, but it left a troubling legacy.
Lausanne’s Legacy: A peace treaty that led to a century of conflict
Pearl Diving: Inside the Trade That Shaped the Gulf
What was the life of a diver like and how did the trade function? Papers in the India Office Records provide some fascinating clues.
Pearl Diving: Inside the Trade That Shaped the Gulf
The Forgotten War against Locusts that Helped Win the War
During WWII food shortages in the Middle East caused by locust swarms were tackled by a largely forgotten, but ultimately successful war supported by British administrators in the Gulf.
The Forgotten War against Locusts that Helped Win the War
Cataloguing Challenges: The Bushire Residency Diaries 1803-07 as an Example
An East India Company diary from the early nineteenth century demonstrates some of the challenges encountered when cataloguing older India Office records.
Cataloguing Challenges: The Bushire Residency Diaries 1803-07 as an Example
British Power, the Al Bu Sa‘id Sultanate, and the Musandam Peninsula, 1800-1932
Musandam’s majestic sea cliffs, inlets, and strategic location have always attracted the attention of external powers. British support in enforcing the writ of the Sultan of Muscat on the Peninsula has been vitally important since the mid-nineteenth century.
British Power, the Al Bu Sa‘id Sultanate, and the Musandam Peninsula, 1800-1932
Part 3 – Nautical Terminology in the IOR files: Non-European Ships in the Age of Sail
There are many different types of vessels used from the Red Sea to India. All of them have developed over the years to suit the local conditions. This is the third article in a series of three by the author, providing context and explanation for nautical terminology in the India Office Records.
Part 3 – Nautical Terminology in the IOR files: Non-European Ships in the Age of Sail
The Making of Independent Egypt
The road to Egyptian independence was not straightforward. It involved a long, delicate, and often conflicting balance between British strategic interests and Egyptian nationalist aspirations.
The Making of Independent Egypt
Skull Measuring, Oil Seepages and Desert Crossings: Bertram Thomas and the exploration of the Arabian Peninsula, 1930-31
Bertram Thomas completed his historic crossing of the Empty Quarter in 1931, then the largest territory in the world outside Antarctica still unexplored by Europeans. But why is he still a minor figure in the history of exploration and Empire?
Skull Measuring, Oil Seepages and Desert Crossings: Bertram Thomas and the exploration of the Arabian Peninsula, 1930-31
A ‘Great and Happy Union’: The marriage of Iran’s Muhammad Reza Pahlavi and Egypt’s Fawziyyah Fu’ad, 1939
The marriage of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi and Fawziyyah Fu’ad in 1939 sparked excitement and interest well beyond their two countries. British records shed light on the commemoration and significance of this ultimately ill-fated union.
A ‘Great and Happy Union’: The marriage of Iran’s Muhammad Reza Pahlavi and Egypt’s Fawziyyah Fu’ad, 1939
The Humble Petition of the Sponge Exploration Syndicate
The short-lived escapades of the Sponge Exploration Syndicate.
The Humble Petition of the Sponge Exploration Syndicate
Arabic Music Record Sleeves and What They Can Tell Us
There is still so much we do not know about the history of independent Arab recording companies in the ‘shellac era’ (1897-1960s). A handful of record sleeves, that would have once been thrown away, tell us about how some of them were connected.
Arabic Music Record Sleeves and What They Can Tell Us
Francis Loch and the British quest to eradicate “piracy” in the Gulf
When Captain Francis Erskine Loch arrived in the Gulf, he very quickly made an impact that would continue to have implications for British attitudes to the Gulf for over 200 years.
Francis Loch and the British quest to eradicate “piracy” in the Gulf
Manumission, Not Abolition: British Mediations over Slavery in the Gulf
In spite of legally abolishing slavery in its Empire in 1833, the British Government struggled to eradicate the practice in its protectorates in the Gulf.
Manumission, Not Abolition: British Mediations over Slavery in the Gulf
Bahrain’s Chief of Police Visits the UK, 1948
The 1948 visit of Shaikh Khalīfa bin Mohammed Āl Khalīfa to Britain on a training trip arranged by the British Council provides an early example of cooperation between Britain and Bahrain in matters related to policing and security.
Bahrain’s Chief of Police Visits the UK, 1948
St John Philby’s Mission to Najd: Across the Heart of Arabia
In November 1917, St John Philby was sent from Basra on a mission to cross the desert and meet with Ibn Sa‘ud. It was an expedition that changed his life.
St John Philby’s Mission to Najd: Across the Heart of Arabia
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/5 Political Agency, Kuwait (1904-1949)
An overview of the records created by the UK’s Political Agency at Kuwait between 1904 and 1949, and an examination of some of the subjects covered.
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/5 Political Agency, Kuwait (1904-1949)
The Qatar Oil Concession Ushers in a New Era for British Relations with Doha
Qatar’s exploratory wells were drilled relatively late, although Major Frank Holmes sought an exploratory lease in 1922.
The Qatar Oil Concession Ushers in a New Era for British Relations with Doha
Technologies of Power: Railway Records and What They Can Tell Us
The subject of railways appears time and again in the India Office Records. What was Britain’s obsession with them and how did they transform how Britain thought about, protected, and ran its empire?
Technologies of Power: Railway Records and What They Can Tell Us
‘For the Sake of Freedom’: British World War II Propaganda Posters in Arabic
An unassuming financial file that forms part of the India Office Records contains an unexpected example of British, Arabic-language propaganda.
‘For the Sake of Freedom’: British World War II Propaganda Posters in Arabic
The Affair of the Muscat ‘Christian’ Widow
A religious disagreement in 1930 between the Sultanate of Muscat and American missionaries in Muscat reveals more than just a battle for souls.
The Affair of the Muscat ‘Christian’ Widow
The British Residency in Baghdad
From its foundation at the end of the eighteenth century, the British Residency in Baghdad occupied a strategically important position, linking together various strands of British imperial engagement in the region.
The British Residency in Baghdad
The Response of the Government of India to ‘The Dubai Incident’
Keen to maintain peace and wary of inflaming relations with the Trucial Shaikhs, in 1910 the Government of India censured those responsible for a bloody bombardment of Dubai and its aftermath.
The Response of the Government of India to ‘The Dubai Incident’
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/4 Residency Agency, Trucial Coast (1930-1951)
An overview of records on the Qatar Digital Library created by Britain’s Residency Agency in present-day UAE (IOR/R/15/4), including a description of the records, the subjects they cover, and how they are organised.
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/4 Residency Agency, Trucial Coast (1930-1951)
Personal Reflections on Life in the Gulf during the Last Years of Empire
A small selection of memoirs by retired political officers provides a unique insight into one generation’s experiences of living and working in the Gulf.
Personal Reflections on Life in the Gulf during the Last Years of Empire
Keeping the Lion at Bay: The Anglo-Qatar Treaty of 1916
The Anglo-Qatar Treaty of 1916 strengthened existing ties between the two parties. What were the terms of the treaty, and what were the circumstances that led to it?
Keeping the Lion at Bay: The Anglo-Qatar Treaty of 1916
Finding Aid: IOR/L/MIL Records of the Military Department (1708-1957)
An overview of India Office Military Department records relating to Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and the Arabian Peninsula.
Finding Aid: IOR/L/MIL Records of the Military Department (1708-1957)
The Lesser-Known Early Years of Sultan Qaboos
Although relatively little is known about the early years of Sultan Qaboos bin Sa‘id Al Bu Sa‘id, his experience of growing up secluded in Salalah may well explain the solitary nature of his fifty-year rule.
The Lesser-Known Early Years of Sultan Qaboos
‘Persian Gulf Tragedy’: the Death and Legacy of John Gordon Lorimer
The untimely death of John Gordon Lorimer, acting Resident in the Persian Gulf 1913–14, was seen as a tragedy. Yet, his legacy – in the form of his Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia – emerged forty years later and has remained central to the study of the Gulf ever since.
‘Persian Gulf Tragedy’: the Death and Legacy of John Gordon Lorimer
No Place Equal to It: The Omani Lease of Bandar Abbas, Part 1 – 1794-1848
Oman’s lease of a major Persian port was defined by obscure origins, and a relationship that was generally uneasy and often contentious – a situation that British authorities were happy to exploit. This is the first article in a series of two.
No Place Equal to It: The Omani Lease of Bandar Abbas, Part 1 – 1794-1848
The Kuwait Cat’s Meat Crisis
The arrest of a British Subject on spurious charges makes plain Britain’s dominant position in Kuwait in the late 1930s.
The Kuwait Cat’s Meat Crisis
The Second World War Comes to Bahrain
An Italian bombing raid brought Bahrain into the Second World War’s ‘zone of operations’, sparking fear amongst Bahrainis and concerns amongst the British over the safety of the islands’ strategic oil installations.
The Second World War Comes to Bahrain
Mombasa: Britain’s Shortest-Lived Protectorate?
Captain Owen’s plan to take over the portal town of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean put British officials in a contentious situation with the Sultan of Muscat and Zanzibar.
Mombasa: Britain’s Shortest-Lived Protectorate?
The India Office: The Government, in London, of British India
A government department unique in its scope and power, the India Office had a profound impact on the history of the Gulf.
The India Office: The Government, in London, of British India
The Menial Establishment in Britain’s Political Agency, Bahrain
There are numerous records relating to high-level British officials in the Gulf, but the letters in the India Office Establishment Files also reveal the working conditions of the lower-paid ranks of Agency staff.
The Menial Establishment in Britain’s Political Agency, Bahrain
Finding Aid: Sources on Oil, Part 1 – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iran
The QDL contains a wealth of material covering the early years of the oil industry in the Gulf and surrounding region. This is the first article in a series of two.
Finding Aid: Sources on Oil, Part 1 – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iran
Civilian Internment in the First World War
Not all prisoners during wartime are soldiers. During the First World War, many countries interned “enemy” civilians.
Civilian Internment in the First World War
Part 2 – Nautical Terminology in the IOR files: European Ships in the Age of Sail
Wherever European navies sailed, they introduced their own designs of ships and adapted those they saw being used locally. This is the second article in a series of three by the author, providing context and explanation for nautical terminology in the India Office Records.
Part 2 – Nautical Terminology in the IOR files: European Ships in the Age of Sail
Crime or Punishment? The Cruel Death of a Sailor at Bushire in 1820
The death of an African sailor who had been severely flogged for attempted desertion, exposes the brutal nature of early nineteenth-century maritime life, in which justice could be as capricious as a strong tailwind.
Crime or Punishment? The Cruel Death of a Sailor at Bushire in 1820
‘Ridiculous Falsehoods’: Archival Sources on Women in Nineteenth-Century Oman
Archival records on the Qatar Digital Library can help to challenge traditional assumptions and paint a fuller picture regarding the role of women in nineteenth-century Oman.
‘Ridiculous Falsehoods’: Archival Sources on Women in Nineteenth-Century Oman
The Founders of Bahraini Sawt Music: Mohamed Bin Fares and Dhahi Bin Walid
Mohamed Bin Fares and Dhahi Bin Walid are regarded as the founders of the traditional urban Gulf musical genre ṣawt, which is still performed in the region.
The Founders of Bahraini Sawt Music: Mohamed Bin Fares and Dhahi Bin Walid
The Perils of Shipwreck
During the nineteenth century, the Gulf was a hive of economic activity, with merchant ships carrying precious cargoes back and forth to India, making fortunes for traders. But it could also be hazardous for sailors.
The Perils of Shipwreck
From Persia to Iran: the Politics of the Change of Name and its Impact on the Oil Concession
From 1900 to 1933 the Persian Oil Concession was the backdrop to a stand-off between the British and newly-renamed Iran.
From Persia to Iran: the Politics of the Change of Name and its Impact on the Oil Concession
British Government Resist Modernisation of the Pearling Industry
Britain’s decision to prohibit the use of modern diving suits and cultured pearls on the Gulf’s pearl banks was intended to preserve the region’s pearling industry, yet ultimately contributed to its slow collapse throughout the 1930s.
British Government Resist Modernisation of the Pearling Industry
German Interests in the Gulf’s Pearling Industry
Germany’s desire for ‘a place in the sun’ saw her challenge Britain’s commercial dominance in the Gulf in the early years of the twentieth century.
German Interests in the Gulf’s Pearling Industry
George Barnes Brucks and the First English Survey of the Gulf
George Barnes Brucks was the first Englishman to survey the Gulf’s coasts in the 1820s. But while Brucks’s charts were quickly replaced by more accurate maps, his writings offer fascinating historic insight into the region.
George Barnes Brucks and the First English Survey of the Gulf
‘Imperial Boredom’ and Imperial Reading
A colonial officer named Hickinbotham illustrates the everyday boredom of administrating the Empire with his practical jokes and escapist reading list.
‘Imperial Boredom’ and Imperial Reading
First Flights: Establishment of an RAF Presence in the Gulf
From its earliest years the RAF played a vital role in maintaining and strengthening British power in the Gulf.
First Flights: Establishment of an RAF Presence in the Gulf
The Impact of the Napoleonic Wars in the Gulf: The Franco-Persian Alliance and Napoleon’s Threat to India
At the height of the Napoleonic Wars, Britain’s concerns over a possible French invasion of India through Persia led to its deepening intervention in the Gulf.
The Impact of the Napoleonic Wars in the Gulf: The Franco-Persian Alliance and Napoleon’s Threat to India
The Qusaybi Merchant Family: Agents and Financiers of Ibn Sa‘ud
The family background, business activities, financial and political influence of the Qusaybi brothers, the eventual division of the family business, and their commercial and political legacy.
The Qusaybi Merchant Family: Agents and Financiers of Ibn Sa‘ud
The Legacy of ‘The General Treaty’
The 1820 treaty between Britain and ten tribal rulers of the eastern Arabian coast marked the beginning of 150 years of British hegemony in the region, reshaping its political map in a way that is still evident today.
The Legacy of ‘The General Treaty’
Finding Aid: Sources on the Gulf’s Pearl Industry and Trade
From its boom years to its eventual decline, the Gulf pearl industry features in a wealth of QDL material.
Finding Aid: Sources on the Gulf’s Pearl Industry and Trade
Raiding on the Iraqi-Najdi Frontier: Britain's use of new technologies on new borders, 1921-1929
The British Empire used new technologies to counter the problem of cross-border raiding in the newly formed Kingdom of Iraq.
Raiding on the Iraqi-Najdi Frontier: Britain's use of new technologies on new borders, 1921-1929
The Death of Captain Shakespear, 1915
A little known first-hand account, that the British Agents in Bahrain garnered by chance, sheds light on William Henry Irvine Shakespear’s death.
The Death of Captain Shakespear, 1915
Oil for Military Protection between the Wars: Qatar’s Request for Weapons and the British Response
By offering military protection to Qatar, the British tried to ensure access to Qatari oil in the run-up to the Second World War. But why did Qatar need weapons and armoured cars in 1935?
Oil for Military Protection between the Wars: Qatar’s Request for Weapons and the British Response
History of the India Office Records and Private Papers
The vast trove of material held at the British Library that pertains to Britain’s Colonial exploits owe their present organisation in part to the early acknowledgement by officials in the EIC and India Office of the importance of record-keeping.
History of the India Office Records and Private Papers
‘Gibraltar at the head of the Gulf’: The Base that Wasn’t
While Britain more famously held naval bases in Basaidu, Hengam, and Bahrain during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, less is known about the small base on the Musandam Peninsula, which was at one time envisaged as the centre of British power in the region.
‘Gibraltar at the head of the Gulf’: The Base that Wasn’t
Air Crashes in the Gulf during the Second World War
Britain and its Allies maintained supremacy over the Gulf’s airspace during the Second World War, but mechanical failure could quickly turn the tables, making crewmen dependent on the region’s local population for their survival.
Air Crashes in the Gulf during the Second World War
Finding Aid: IOR/L/PS/10 Departmental Papers: Political and Secret Separate (or Subject) Files (1902-1931)
A guide to the Departmental Papers: Political and Secret Separate (or Subject) Files (IOR/L/PS/10), describing what the files represent, their subject matter, how they are organised, and the different types of papers they contain.
Finding Aid: IOR/L/PS/10 Departmental Papers: Political and Secret Separate (or Subject) Files (1902-1931)
The Flotilla Tour of 1933: A Demonstration of British Naval Power in the Gulf
A minor incident at Basaidu in the 1930s led to the Royal Navy launching its First Destroyer Flotilla on a tour of the Gulf, in a very public display of its naval dominance over the region.
The Flotilla Tour of 1933: A Demonstration of British Naval Power in the Gulf
The Taylor Collection
How did an Agent of the East India Company use his position to collect the manuscripts that went to form the basis of the British Library’s Arabic-language collection?
The Taylor Collection
Finding Aid: IOR/L/PS/12/3390-3550 Political (External) Collection 28: Persia (Iran) (1903-1949)
The Persia Collection: casting light on Britain’s thorny relationship with Persia [Iran] throughout the 1930s, Second World War, and Anglo-Soviet Occupation.
Finding Aid: IOR/L/PS/12/3390-3550 Political (External) Collection 28: Persia (Iran) (1903-1949)
A Dispensary for Doha: healthcare, subterfuge, and external political influence in late 1940s Qatar
In the late 1940s an American Mission Hospital was in development in Doha. The response of British officials seems to have been motivated more by the demands of the nascent oil industry and concerns over loss of influence than intrinsic concern for the health of the people of Qatar.
A Dispensary for Doha: healthcare, subterfuge, and external political influence in late 1940s Qatar
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/2 Political Agency, Bahrain (1899-1953)
An overview of the records created by the Bahrain Political Agency, 1899-1953
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/2 Political Agency, Bahrain (1899-1953)
A Demonstration of British Firepower on the Trucial Coast, 1949
In the wake of Indian independence and the United States’ increasing presence, British administrators sought to remind the Gulf’s inhabitants of who remained nominally in control of the region.
A Demonstration of British Firepower on the Trucial Coast, 1949
Part 1 – Nautical Terminology in the IOR files: An introduction
Ships have always been important in the history of the Gulf, and therefore are prominent in the India Office Records and other documents on the QDL. This is the first article in a series of three by the author, providing context and explanation for nautical terminology in the records.
Part 1 – Nautical Terminology in the IOR files: An introduction
Kuwait’s Majlis Movement: National and regional developments brought into focus, 1938
The movement for political reform in Kuwait in 1938 signified change in the region and highlights the country’s – and Britain’s – response to the ideas and forces that delivered it.
Kuwait’s Majlis Movement: National and regional developments brought into focus, 1938
The Financial Troubles of Said bin Taimur
The reign of Said bin Taimur was marked by financial troubles from the outset, but despite his more active role in the 1930s, a rebellion in the province of Dhofar ultimately cost him the Sultanate.
The Financial Troubles of Said bin Taimur
A Considerable Fortune: The wealth, and death, of Sheikh Jāsim Bin Muḥammad Āl Thānī, 1913
At the time of Sheikh Jāsim bin Muḥammad Āl Thānī’s death in 1913, his great wealth was revealed to the British in intelligence reports sent by Yūsuf bin Aḥmad Kanoo.
A Considerable Fortune: The wealth, and death, of Sheikh Jāsim Bin Muḥammad Āl Thānī, 1913
Colonial Knowledge: Lorimer’s Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia
J. G. Lorimer’s Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia has long been used as a central source for the study of the region. Yet, it is essential to understand the contexts of its production in order to fully appreciate its content.
Colonial Knowledge: Lorimer’s Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia
Telegraphs and Typewriters: The Impact of Technology on Bookkeeping at Bushire
New communication technologies transformed bookkeeping practice at the British Residency in Bushire.
Telegraphs and Typewriters: The Impact of Technology on Bookkeeping at Bushire
The Singing Sailor, Salim Rashid Suri: A Ṣawt Musician from Oman
Salim Rashid Suri, an Omani ṣawt singer and oud player became famous as the ‘singing sailor’ and for developing a truly unique style, which took influence from musical sources across the Middle East and India.
The Singing Sailor, Salim Rashid Suri: A Ṣawt Musician from Oman
The “Bania” of the Gulf
Who were the Bania, and how are they depicted in the India Office Records?
The “Bania” of the Gulf
Births, Marriages, Deaths: Bahrain’s ‘Order in Council’ in Action
Bahrain’s Order in Council gave the Political Agent the power to, on one hand, issue birth certificates, and on the other, to rule on capital punishment for convicted criminals.
Births, Marriages, Deaths: Bahrain’s ‘Order in Council’ in Action
The Iraq Rebellion of 1920: Empire in crisis
Known variously as the Iraqi Revolt, the 1920 Rebellion, or the Great Iraqi Revolution, this uprising swept across Mesopotamia, threatening Britain’s wartime gains and challenging its imperialist authority.
The Iraq Rebellion of 1920: Empire in crisis
Finding Aid: IOR/L/PS/12 Departmental Papers: Political (External) Files and Collections (1903-1950)
An overview of records on the Qatar Digital Library originating from the Political (External) Department (IOR/L/PS/12), including a description of the records and the subjects they cover.
Finding Aid: IOR/L/PS/12 Departmental Papers: Political (External) Files and Collections (1903-1950)
The Shaikh who lost his Shaikhdom, Khaz’al al-Ka‘bī of Mohammerah
The life and times of Shaikh Khaz’al bin Jābir bin Mirdāw al-Ka‘bī (1861-1936), the Emir of Mohammerah and chief of the Banu Ka’b tribe.
The Shaikh who lost his Shaikhdom, Khaz’al al-Ka‘bī of Mohammerah
Negotiating the Origins of the Gulf’s Aviation Industry
Negotiation and improvisation formed the basis of the Gulf’s early aviation industry.
Negotiating the Origins of the Gulf’s Aviation Industry
Microtones: The Piano and Muhammad Al-Qubanshi – The First Congress of Arabic Music and Early Recordings from Iraq
Thanks to the recording sessions at the first Arabic Music Congress in 1932 in Cairo, we can still listen to a selection of early Arabic music recordings. Additionally, several documents and reports are available, allowing us to learn about the formation of ‘Arabic music’ and musicological discussions in the first part of the twentieth century.
Microtones: The Piano and Muhammad Al-Qubanshi – The First Congress of Arabic Music and Early Recordings from Iraq
Pirates or Patriots?
Behind the label of piracy lies a hidden history of empire and ambition in the Gulf.
Pirates or Patriots?
In the Absence of Men: Female Leaders in 1832 Oman
With the city of Muscat in disarray and growing dissent on the coast, the absent Imam of Muscat had to rely on his close relative to take charge and defend his territories. The person to assume this mantle? Influential, commanding, and female.
In the Absence of Men: Female Leaders in 1832 Oman
The 1940s: Perfect Peace in the Midst of War
While much of the world was experiencing the effects of global war in the first half of the 1940s, the Gulf by contrast was an oasis of calm.
The 1940s: Perfect Peace in the Midst of War
Frankincense in Dhofar: An Ancient Trade at the Centre of 19th Century Tensions
In recognising the importance of the trade, British colonial records cast light on the state of the ancient trade in Frankincense in the Dhofar region at the end of the 19th century, as well as some conflicts that emerged as a result.
Frankincense in Dhofar: An Ancient Trade at the Centre of 19th Century Tensions
Shaikh Ahmad goes to England: The Politics of Official State Visits
Despite inauspicious beginnings, Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ’s official visit to England in 1919 proved a success.
Shaikh Ahmad goes to England: The Politics of Official State Visits
Important Work: The British 1820 Survey that Charted the Gulf for the First Time
Until the 19th century, European powers considered much of the Gulf coastline to be hazardous, but the 1820 survey recorded vital details that contributed to later British involvement in the region.
Important Work: The British 1820 Survey that Charted the Gulf for the First Time
A Brief History of the English East India Company 1600–1858
From its origins as a small London enterprise, the East India Company (EIC) emerged as a powerful commercial and political organisation, whose presence in the Gulf helped shape the region’s modern history.
A Brief History of the English East India Company 1600–1858
An Embarrassing Diplomatic Dispute in Baghdad, 1847
Ownership of a medal of the Order of the Lion and Sun becomes the subject of an unseemly quarrel, as related by the British Envoy in Tehran.
An Embarrassing Diplomatic Dispute in Baghdad, 1847
The ‘disgraceful treatment’ of Lieutenant Dominicetti: The Bombardment of Mocha in 1820
In the tempestuous history of the British Residency at Mocha, one of the most notable incidents was the bombardment of the city in December 1820. This followed allegations from British officials and Arab leaders of shocking misconduct on both sides.
The ‘disgraceful treatment’ of Lieutenant Dominicetti: The Bombardment of Mocha in 1820
Reza Shah Pahlavi and the Gulf
Between the world wars, Reza Shah Pahlavi brought great changes to Iran and a challenge to British predominance in the Gulf, the legacy of which is still felt in the region.
Reza Shah Pahlavi and the Gulf
Prize Courts, Petroleum, and Propaganda: The Gulf in the Second World War
From prize courts to propaganda wars, discover how global conflict reshaped the Gulf.
Prize Courts, Petroleum, and Propaganda: The Gulf in the Second World War
The Politics of Foresight in nineteenth-century Anglo-Persian Relations: The Trial of Prince Najaf Ali Khan Zand
In 1830, the long-term relationship between Prince Najaf Ali Khan Zand and the Government of Bombay was put to the test when the Prince was accused of murder.
The Politics of Foresight in nineteenth-century Anglo-Persian Relations: The Trial of Prince Najaf Ali Khan Zand
Petroleum and the politics of non-interference: the first Political Officer in Qatar
As the oil industry developed in the late 1940s, Britain was keen to place a Political Agent in Qatar. To do this the British had to come to an understanding with the Shaikh of Qatar on matters of slavery without being seen to interfere.
Petroleum and the politics of non-interference: the first Political Officer in Qatar
A Rejection of Protection: The Egyptian Uprising of 1919
A rejected nationalist delegation became the spark that set Egypt ablaze in revolution.
A Rejection of Protection: The Egyptian Uprising of 1919
The Baghdadi Bookseller of Bloomsbury
The sources of the British Library’s Arabic scientific manuscripts are many and various. Here we discover an individual who contributed to the collection and lived an adventurous life in London and the Middle East.
The Baghdadi Bookseller of Bloomsbury
Guns ‘n’ Seals: An Unusual Seal indicates Cultural Influences in Dubai in 1910
An Islamic seal with an unusual bird design appears on a witness statement delivered by the Sheikh of Dubai to the British Resident in The Gulf, following a fatal gun battle in Dubai in 1910.
Guns ‘n’ Seals: An Unusual Seal indicates Cultural Influences in Dubai in 1910
Anglo-Kurdish Relations during the Mesopotamia Campaign (1914-1918)
The uneasy union between British and Kurdish allies during the First World War gave way to hostilities in the war’s aftermath, as Britain failed to deliver on Kurdish hopes for independence.
Anglo-Kurdish Relations during the Mesopotamia Campaign (1914-1918)
Twilight of Pearl Trade Sees ‘Slave’ Divers Seek Freedoms
The dramatic decline of the Gulf’s pearling industry during the 1920s and 1930s, saw increasing numbers of pearl divers seek their freedom.
Twilight of Pearl Trade Sees ‘Slave’ Divers Seek Freedoms
A Deadly Climate
Considered deadly to the “European constitution”, the hot and humid climate of the Gulf was blamed for the deaths of countless British officials in the early nineteenth century.
A Deadly Climate
Finding Aid: Sources on Palestine
For over a hundred years, in tandem with the colonisation of Palestinian land, Palestinian history has been systematically erased, suppressed, and distorted. The QDL however contains multiple sources on Palestine and Palestinians.
Finding Aid: Sources on Palestine
The Morning of Time: Colonialism and photography
This article compares visual material from across the QDL and other digital collections to illustrate and identify colonialism in landscape photography.
The Morning of Time: Colonialism and photography
Soft Power, Harsh Rivalries at the Court of the Imam of Muscat
Against a backdrop of bold manoeuvres by different states in the nineteenth century, the British Agent at the Court of the Imam of Muscat wrote numerous letters focused on small matters of prestige.
Soft Power, Harsh Rivalries at the Court of the Imam of Muscat
Steaming Ahead: The Euphrates Expedition of 1835-36
Prior to the construction of the Suez Canal, nineteenth-century British officials explored an alternative route between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.
Steaming Ahead: The Euphrates Expedition of 1835-36
The British Empire in the Gulf during the Second World War
An overview of Bahrain Political Agency files dealing with the impact of the Second World War on the Gulf region.
The British Empire in the Gulf during the Second World War
The Manuscript Journals of John Bax (Mss Eur F377)
The remarkable travel journals of an Indian civil servant, who was an eyewitness to the military action at Ra’s al-Khaymah in 1819.
The Manuscript Journals of John Bax (Mss Eur F377)
Passports and Politics: Britain and Persia’s Disagreements over Bahrain
In 1910, British officials discovered that the Persian authorities at Bandar-e Lengeh were charging travellers a domestic rate to travel to Bahrain, reigniting a decades-long dispute over Persian claims to the islands.
Passports and Politics: Britain and Persia’s Disagreements over Bahrain
‘Calls himself an Englishman’: The shifting loyalties of Harry Philby
How the anti-British sentiments of a British adviser assisted the foundation of Saudi Arabia.
‘Calls himself an Englishman’: The shifting loyalties of Harry Philby
Priority Air Freight to Serve Bahrain’s First Cinemas
With the oil industry booming in Bahrain in the early 1930s, BAPCO oil workers, amongst others, lobbied for the first cinemas to be established.
Priority Air Freight to Serve Bahrain’s First Cinemas
The King’s Oryx: Ibn Saud’s Diplomatic Gift to George V
In 1920, a gift from Ibn Saud in the form of a female oryx was the first ever to have survived the difficult journey from Arabia to London.
The King’s Oryx: Ibn Saud’s Diplomatic Gift to George V
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/6 Political Agency, Muscat (1828-1951)
What do the records created by the British Political Agency at Muscat have to offer us?
Finding Aid: IOR/R/15/6 Political Agency, Muscat (1828-1951)
George Curzon’s Persia and the Persian Question: Published, yet unfinished?
The culmination of extensive travel and research, George Curzon’s Persia and the Persian Question was a critical success. Yet was its author happy with it?
George Curzon’s Persia and the Persian Question: Published, yet unfinished?
Records Within Records: A survey of Middle Eastern newspaper extracts found in the India Office Records
Captivating extracts from the Middle Eastern press found in the India Office Records offer a unique insight into the region. What do they comprise, and why were they kept?
Records Within Records: A survey of Middle Eastern newspaper extracts found in the India Office Records
Episodes from the Life of Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
A number of key moments in the life of Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa are recorded in the India Office Records.
Episodes from the Life of Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Water, not Oil, the Most Valuable Resource in the Gulf
It’s hard to imagine a natural resource as important to the history of the development of the Gulf States as oil. But in the early days of oil exploration, nothing was more important than water.
Water, not Oil, the Most Valuable Resource in the Gulf
Invisible Ink: Intercepting Post in Second World War
During WWII, secret instructions for the interception of post passing through the Gulf were circulated to Political Agents in Bahrain, Kuwait and Muscat.
Invisible Ink: Intercepting Post in Second World War
‘The life stream of an office’: Instructions for dealing with correspondence at the British Residency in Bushire
A document written in the mid-1940s sheds light on how the Bushire Political Residency files came to be so well organised.
‘The life stream of an office’: Instructions for dealing with correspondence at the British Residency in Bushire
Napoleon’s Agent: Monitoring the Movements of Monsieur Romieu in the East
Against the dramatic international backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, the British in Constantinople, Syria and Persia ensured that they kept one step ahead of a mysterious French officer.
Napoleon’s Agent: Monitoring the Movements of Monsieur Romieu in the East
Finding Aid: IOR/F/4 Board’s Collections (1620-1859)
An overview of the records in the IOR/F/4 Series, including how they were created, their format, and subject matter.
Finding Aid: IOR/F/4 Board’s Collections (1620-1859)
“Piracy” in the India Office Records: some historical context
Britain’s historical presence in the Gulf was based on a claim to be fighting “piracy”. But what did British officials mean by this, and how was it interpreted by the region’s residents?
“Piracy” in the India Office Records: some historical context
U.S. Propaganda in Post-WWII Bahrain
In the immediate post-WWII period, despite British opposition, the U.S. sought to increase its influence in the Gulf by distributing propagandistic material in Arabic.
U.S. Propaganda in Post-WWII Bahrain
Kuwait, Carnegie, and Terrestrial Magnetic Observations
How geophysicists working in the Gulf were able to contribute in the 1930s to the scientific community’s understanding of the earth’s magnetic field.
Kuwait, Carnegie, and Terrestrial Magnetic Observations
Britain, Ibn Sa‘ūd, and Saudi Arabia, 1932-1953
Following the formation of Saudi Arabia in 1932, Britain continued to maintain close relations with the new state’s founder and ruler, King Ibn Sa‘ūd, although it would eventually be supplanted by the United States in its role as Saudi Arabia’s key western sponsor and protector.
Britain, Ibn Sa‘ūd, and Saudi Arabia, 1932-1953
Mapping Aden: The British Occupation of A Vital Trading Port
Only by mapping and surveying Aden fully were the British able to plan for its reconstruction and fortification, thereby facilitating trade and other shipping to and from India and beyond.
Mapping Aden: The British Occupation of A Vital Trading Port
Finding Aid: Sources on Oil, Part 2 – Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates
The QDL contains a wealth of material covering the early years of the oil industry in the Gulf and surrounding region. This is the second article in a series of two.
Finding Aid: Sources on Oil, Part 2 – Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates
Bahrain’s Economy: Buffeted between Pearls and Oil
With pearling in decline and oil exploitation on hold, what drove Bahrain’s economy between the World Wars?
Bahrain’s Economy: Buffeted between Pearls and Oil
Just a Line in the Sand? The Making of an Arabian Border, 1925
Beyond Sykes and Picot, the India Office Records reveal the complex historical and political junctures that shaped the map of today's Middle East.
Just a Line in the Sand? The Making of an Arabian Border, 1925
Charles Belgrave – The Adviser
For over thirty years, Charles Belgrave was an immensely powerful figure in Bahrain who played an instrumental role in its development but by 1957 he had become so unpopular he was forced to leave and never set foot in the country again.
Charles Belgrave – The Adviser
Finding Aid: Mss Eur F111-112 Papers of the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (1866-1925)
The private papers of George Nathaniel Curzon offer a window on the workings of the British Empire.
Finding Aid: Mss Eur F111-112 Papers of the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (1866-1925)
Emir Faisal’s Diplomatic Mission and Britain’s Reluctance to Invest in Saudi Oil in 1932
Ibn Saud’s quest for recognition of his Arabian Kingdom, and how British Government officials turned their backs on the largest reserves of crude oil in the world.
Emir Faisal’s Diplomatic Mission and Britain’s Reluctance to Invest in Saudi Oil in 1932
Anglo-Persian Relations: The British Military Mission to Persia, 1810-1815
Looking to strengthen Persia as a potential buffer for the defence of India, Britain provided military assistance to the Crown Prince of Persia in his struggle against Russian expansion into the Caucasus.
Anglo-Persian Relations: The British Military Mission to Persia, 1810-1815
The East India Company, the problem of “piracy”, and the rise of the first Saudi state
Faced with the rise of a new power on land and an increase in attacks at sea, the British response at the start of the nineteenth century would lead to a new era of political and military intervention.
The East India Company, the problem of “piracy”, and the rise of the first Saudi state
Nazi Propaganda in Sharjah during World War II
Sharjah 1940, and Nazi radio broadcasts in Arabic filled the air, stirring pro-German sentiment amongst the town’s inhabitants – and provoking consternation amongst British officials.
Nazi Propaganda in Sharjah during World War II
The 1930s: the Gulf as ‘Highway between East and West’
The 1930s was the decade that transformed the Gulf from its role as conduit between Britain and her empire to a strategic locus in the run-up to the war and a ‘highway between east and west’.
The 1930s: the Gulf as ‘Highway between East and West’