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The British Library: How Many Institutions Became One
A vast range of material that spans several thousand years, including a large collection of Arabic manuscripts and material related to the Gulf, is held in the British Library collection.
The British Library: How Many Institutions Became One
A Nineteenth-Century Approach to the Conservation of Government Records
Not only did the Asian subcontinent’s hot and humid climate present a significant threat to the health of British administrators, but it also presented new challenges to their business of recordkeeping.
A Nineteenth-Century Approach to the Conservation of Government Records
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
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
Creature Comforts, Wine and Spirits: Inside the Home of a Peripatetic British Agent
‘What can I buy from the current post holder?’ was the first consideration of a newly appointed British Agent in the Empire. Frequent moves meant that provisions, furniture and necessities for entertaining were bought and sold rather than transported with Agents from post to post.
Creature Comforts, Wine and Spirits: Inside the Home of a Peripatetic British Agent
Finding Aid: IOR/G/29/2-14 Gombroon (Bandar ‘Abbas) Diaries and Consultations (1708-1763)
What do the Gombroon Diaries convey about eighteenth-century Persia [Iran] and the Gulf (1708-1763)?
Finding Aid: IOR/G/29/2-14 Gombroon (Bandar ‘Abbas) Diaries and Consultations (1708-1763)
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
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
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
London to Basra in Twenty-Two Days
In a pre-internet age of slow-travelling news, just how could a message be sent from London to Basra in 22 days?
London to Basra in Twenty-Two Days
Maps of the Arabian Peninsula and The Gulf in the India Office Records Map Collection
This article looks at the India Office Records Map Collection’s holdings relating to the Arabian Peninsula and The Gulf. It considers why the India Office assembled such a significant collection for so distant a region, and outlines the variety and organisation of the material.
Maps of the Arabian Peninsula and The Gulf in the India Office Records Map Collection
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
The Death of Queen Victoria: the Politics of Mourning for the British in the Gulf
Upon the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, instructions sent to the Native Agent at Sharjah on how to visibly mourn her death reveal aspects of the construction of empire via ritual mourning practices.
The Death of Queen Victoria: the Politics of Mourning for the British in the Gulf
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)
Sing, Play and Be Merry: The Unique Ṣawt Music of the Arabian Peninsula
Ṣawt, the urban music of the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf, has evolved from diverse musical traditions, including sea music, and was profoundly influenced by Indian, African and classical Arabic music.
Sing, Play and Be Merry: The Unique Ṣawt Music of the Arabian Peninsula
‘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 Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty
The Death of Karim Khan Zand, ruler of Persia, in 1779 marked the beginning of a bloody period lasting 15 years and culminating in the rise to power of the Qajar dynasty.
The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty
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
India Office Records Map Collection: A Vast and Powerful Resource
By charting waters within and creating accurate maps of their spheres of influence the East India company, and later India Office, ensured that they had an advantage over competing powers.
India Office Records Map Collection: A Vast and Powerful Resource
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
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
General John Jacob and Charles Murray: Chronicles of a Rancorous Relationship
During the evacuation of British forces from Bushire, in the aftermath of the Anglo-Persian War (1856-57), tensions rose between two of Her Majesty’s public servants.
General John Jacob and Charles Murray: Chronicles of a Rancorous Relationship
Dusty Streets and Hot Music in Baghdad: Iraqi Maqam Music and Chalgi Ensembles
Kept alive until today by a very small number of chalgi Baghdad ensembles and through remaining shellac recordings, Iraqi maqam is a sophisticated musical genre from urban Iraq that developed in the 1920s‒1940s.
Dusty Streets and Hot Music in Baghdad: Iraqi Maqam Music and Chalgi Ensembles
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
“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
Love and Separation in Baghdad: Pesta and Rifi Songs on Shellac Discs
Pesta and Rifi Songs, which developed in the twentieth century from Iraqi maqam, became more popular because they were recorded on shellac and broadcast throughout Iraq in the mid-century.
Love and Separation in Baghdad: Pesta and Rifi Songs on Shellac Discs
The “Bania” of the Gulf
Who were the Bania, and how are they depicted in the India Office Records?
The “Bania” of the Gulf
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
Cartographic Material in India Office Reports
A vast array of cartographic material has been hidden amongst the India Office Records’ administrative files; this material provides a fascinating insight into the workings of British imperial knowledge gathering in the Gulf and beyond.
Cartographic Material in India Office Reports
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
A Thorn in England’s Side: The Piracy of Mīr Muhannā
The name Mīr Muhannā is much celebrated in Iran today because he stood up to imperialism and won.
A Thorn in England’s Side: The Piracy of Mīr Muhannā
How the American Civil War Caused a Boom in Cotton in Persia
During the American Civil War (1861–65) cotton supplies to Britain’s textile mills dwindled, causing a boom in production elsewhere in the Empire.
How the American Civil War Caused a Boom in Cotton in Persia
The Indigo Trade in the Gulf in the Nineteenth Century
The shipwreck in 1852 of a merchant vessel off the Oman coast, led to the plunder and loss of enough indigo to supply the entire Gulf region for a year.
The Indigo Trade in the Gulf in the Nineteenth Century
The Mobility of Merchants in the Pursuit of Profit: The English Withdraw from Bushire
The EIC’s departure from Bushire in 1769 was one example of how, in the 17th and 18th centuries, groups of traders would settle, then relocate, along the Gulf coast with great adaptability, going where they could freely carry out their business.
The Mobility of Merchants in the Pursuit of Profit: The English Withdraw from Bushire
Finding Aid: Muscat Political Agency Records
What do the records created by the British Political Agency at Muscat have to offer us?
Finding Aid: Muscat Political Agency Records
Spies, Ships and Strategic Communication: Anglo-French Competition in the Gulf
Due to increased tensions between the British and French, in the 1780s, the Gulf was drawn into a global battle for supremacy. Spying was a significant aspect of the struggle to control strategic shipping routes.
Spies, Ships and Strategic Communication: Anglo-French Competition in the Gulf
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)
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
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 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
From the Individual to the Archetypal: ‘Abd al-Ghaffār’s Edited Photographic Portraits
The removal of original backgrounds and inscriptions reveals a tension between the photographers ‘Abd al-Ghaffār and Snouck Hurgronje in terms of their process, approach to and outlook on photography.
From the Individual to the Archetypal: ‘Abd al-Ghaffār’s Edited Photographic Portraits
Divers are a Pearl’s Best Friend: Pearl Diving in the Gulf 1840s–1930s
Before oil, the inhabitants of the Gulf’s Arab coast depended on diving for natural pearls for their economic livelihoods. And, like oil, it was chiefly European and North American demand that dictated the success or failure of each pearling season.
Divers are a Pearl’s Best Friend: Pearl Diving in the Gulf 1840s–1930s
‘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
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
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?
Pelly’s Unprecedented Trip to Riyadh
When Pelly undertook making a trip to Riyadh in 1864–65, he wished to gain intelligence on the Nejd, but also to prove that an Englishman could travel through the territory unmolested.
Pelly’s Unprecedented Trip to Riyadh
‘Islamic Style’ Binding: A Misleading Term Ripe for Further Research
‘Islamic’ and ‘Western’ are terms used to describe different styles of binding but experts agree that much further research is required to create more meaningful categories.
‘Islamic Style’ Binding: A Misleading Term Ripe for Further Research
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
The Bombay Banking Crisis
In the 1860s, speculation on Indian cotton, followed by failed harvests left Bombay’s banks in crisis and customers struggling to access funds. Lewis Pelly was one such customer.
The Bombay Banking Crisis
‘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
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
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)
The Manuscript Journals of John Bax
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
Economy in Turmoil: Gulf Trade Hit by Piracy and Famine
Lewis Pelly, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf 1862–72, witnessed rapid expansion in the value of trade in the region as well as political upheaval and crisis caused by famine.
Economy in Turmoil: Gulf Trade Hit by Piracy and Famine
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
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)
Assassination and Intrigue in Muscat 1866–68
The struggle for power in Muscat 1866–68 following the death, in suspicious circumstances, of Sayyid Thuwaynī bin Sa‘īd Āl Bū Sa‘īd, Sultan of Muscat.
Assassination and Intrigue in Muscat 1866–68
Modernity meets Tradition: Reflections on Traditional Music in Qatar
Though nowadays Qatar is well-known for its immense natural oil and gas reserves and the rapid modernisation of society, it has a rich heritage of music and dance intimately related to pearl-diving, sea trade and Bedouin traditions.
Modernity meets Tradition: Reflections on Traditional Music in Qatar
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
A Strategic Position: British Seizures of the Island of Kharg
The British Government had a strong interest in Kharg, a small, strategically placed island in the Gulf.
A Strategic Position: British Seizures of the Island of Kharg
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 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
Britain’s Ineffectual Efforts to Suppress the Slave Trade
Great Britain abolished the slave trade in its Empire in 1807, yet not only did it persist in the Gulf into the latter half of the nineteenth century, it flourished amid ineffectual British efforts towards its suppression.
Britain’s Ineffectual Efforts to Suppress the Slave Trade
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
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
Foundation of an Empire: The East India Company’s Early Trade in Silk and Wool
While Britain’s more distinct political and strategic interests in the Gulf grew over time, it was initially a matter of textile trading with Persia that first lured them to the shores of the Gulf.
Foundation of an Empire: The East India Company’s Early Trade in Silk and Wool
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 ‘Dreaded’ Death of Karim Khan Zand, Ruler of Persia
It was an event that provoked anxiety among Persians and foreign traders alike and was to trigger a period of profound instability in Iran: the death, in 1779, of the ruler of Persia, Karim Khan Zand.
The ‘Dreaded’ Death of Karim Khan Zand, Ruler of Persia
Hidden Treasures: Reflections on Traditional Music in Kuwait
Kuwait has maintained a thriving traditional music culture; in particular bahri, or sea music, and ṣawt have remained at the heart of the music scene.
Hidden Treasures: Reflections on Traditional Music in Kuwait
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)
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
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
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
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
An Earl, a Collection and a Gun: the Curious Provenance of a British Library Manuscript
How did an illustrated Arabic manuscript on the Art of War come into the possession of an illegitimate son of a King; his extraordinary and ultimately tragic life leading to its acquisition by the British Library?
An Earl, a Collection and a Gun: the Curious Provenance of a British Library Manuscript
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
Muscat and the Monsoon
The environment has greatly influenced life in the Gulf and Indian Ocean over the centuries. Before the era of steamships, a hugely significant factor affecting life and trade in this region were the winds of the Indian Ocean monsoon.
Muscat and the Monsoon
The Accidental Explorer: George Sadleir and Britain’s Entry into Central Arabia
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
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
The India Office Private Papers
The India Office Private Papers offer a personal perspective on military, political, social and economic history over the period 1750–1947; in their private correspondence and diaries, people could write in different, often more open, ways.
The India Office Private Papers
Finding Aid: Departmental Papers: Political and Secret Separate (or Subject) Files
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: Departmental Papers: Political and Secret Separate (or Subject) Files
Berenice Burnt At Sea! A Tale of Fire and Rescue in the Gulf
When the Residency ship Berenice was destroyed by fire on a trip to Muscat, the Resident in the Persian Gulf endured a ‘week of considerable anxiety’ over-seeing the rescue of 178 men, women, and children.
Berenice Burnt At Sea! A Tale of Fire and Rescue in the Gulf
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
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
Finding Aid: Political Residency, Bushire IOR/R/15/1: 1763-1948
An overview of the records created by Britain’s Political Residency at Bushire between 1763 and 1948, including a description of the records and the subjects they cover.
Finding Aid: Political Residency, Bushire IOR/R/15/1: 1763-1948
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
Sea meets Desert: Reflections on Traditional Music in Oman
In the Sultanate of Oman, traditional music, poetry and dance are still part and parcel of everyday life and national celebrations alike.
Sea meets Desert: Reflections on Traditional Music in Oman
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
A Considerable Fortune: The Wealth, and Death, of Sheikh Jāsim bin Muḥammad Āl Thānī
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
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
The Death of Captain Shakespear
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
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
Qatari History: Pivotal Moments Revealed in India Office Records
From East India Company intelligence to news of the discovery of oil, the India Office Records demonstrate the exchanges that took place between Britain and Qatar over the last three centuries.
Qatari History: Pivotal Moments Revealed in India Office Records
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
When Maritime Protection Is Not Enough: Britain’s Agreement to Protect Qatar’s Borders at Sea and on Land
Although British power in the Gulf was founded on maritime truces with local rulers, in the early 20th century land-based attacks increased, creating the need for new agreements.
When Maritime Protection Is Not Enough: Britain’s Agreement to Protect Qatar’s Borders at Sea and on Land
Kharita: royal letter dispatching in nineteenth-century Afghanistan
What is a kharita, what are its main components, and how was it dispatched?
Kharita: royal letter dispatching in nineteenth-century Afghanistan
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
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
Lewis Pelly’s Private Papers
The Private Papers of One of the Gulf’s Most Important Political Residents, 1862–72, provide a fascinating insight into British Policy in the period as well as providing a more personal insight into the life of a British official.
Lewis Pelly’s Private Papers
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
‘Abd al-Ghaffār: The First Meccan Photographer
While much remains unknown about the life of the first Meccan photographer, al-Sayyid ‘Abd al-Ghaffār, his 1880s photographs shed light on life in the holy city.
‘Abd al-Ghaffār: The First Meccan Photographer
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
Diplomacy, Disease and Death: A Story of Georgian Slaves in the Gulf
The interception by an East India Company vessel in June 1853, of a Bahrain trading vessel carrying slaves in the Gulf, reveals a story of politics and diplomacy, disease and death.
Diplomacy, Disease and Death: A Story of Georgian Slaves in the Gulf
Gwadar: the Sultan’s Possession
Gwadar was an enclave of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman for nearly 200 years, but records show that while the Sultans were reluctant to lose sovereignty over the territory, they were nevertheless open to negotiations with the British.
Gwadar: the Sultan’s Possession
The Coming of the Wireless Telegraph to Bahrain
How a state of the art communications technology arrived in Bahrain in 1916.
The Coming of the Wireless Telegraph to Bahrain
The India Office Records
The vast archive known as the India Office Records, occupying approximately nine miles of shelving in the British Library, contains the documents created or received in London by three organisations crucial to the British colonial effort in the period 1600–1858.
The India Office Records
Britain’s ‘interest’ in Bahrain
A candid exchange between British officials in the 1920s reveals the extent to which Britain had intervened in Bahrain in its own interest.
Britain’s ‘interest’ in Bahrain
‘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
Journey through Afghanistan, 1860
What was the purpose of Sir Lewis Pelly’s trip through Afghanistan in 1860?
Journey through Afghanistan, 1860
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
Power and Prognostication in the Cairo Sultanate
Today’s leaders look to their medical, economic, military, and other expert advisers, but historically rulers have also consulted astrologers, dream-interpreters, and specialists in other forms of divination and occult sciences.
Power and Prognostication in the Cairo Sultanate
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
Sir Thomas Reade: The ‘Nincumpoop’ Collector of Arabic Manuscripts
How did a fourteenth century illustrated ‘Treatise on the Art of Riding and using the Instruments of War’ end up in the British Library’s Arabic manuscript collection? A ‘Nincumpoop’ of the Napoleonic era, who moonlighted as an antiquarian, holds the answer.
Sir Thomas Reade: The ‘Nincumpoop’ Collector of Arabic Manuscripts
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 Imagery of Early Watermarks
Early examples of watermarks in paper can display a variety of seemingly obscure imagery. What were these images attempting to communicate? Why were they used, and what is their significance?
The Imagery of Early Watermarks
The Arabic Manuscripts Collection in the British Library
How and why did the British Library come to hold 14,000 Arabic manuscripts within its collections?
The Arabic Manuscripts Collection in the British Library
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
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
Ice: Hidden Depths below the Surface
Viewed alternately as both luxury and necessity, ice has been valued in warm climates for millennia. Technological advances altered methods of producing, storing, and using ice, but it remained a highly sought-after and regulated product well into the twentieth century.
Ice: Hidden Depths below the Surface
The Third Voyage of the English East India Company (1607-1610)
How and why were the early voyages of the East India Company made? What were the challenges and first encounters?
The Third Voyage of the English East India Company (1607-1610)
‘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
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
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
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)
People in the Gulf: Native Agents at Sharjah
Verbal abuse and physical attacks from those amongst which he lived, and denigration from foreign visitors; all part of the job of being a British Native Agent in Sharjah.
People in the Gulf: Native Agents at Sharjah
Performing Authority: the ‘Islamic’ Seals of British Colonial Officers
Cultural appropriation was as much a part of empire as military force. The use of ‘Islamic’ seals by British colonial officials is one example of this.
Performing Authority: the ‘Islamic’ Seals of British Colonial Officers
The Prize Agents of 1857 and the Acquisition of the Delhi Collection
Certain collections within the British Library’s manuscript holdings represent dark links between Britain’s nineteenth-century colonial and military activities, and its acquisition of cultural and intellectual heritage.
The Prize Agents of 1857 and the Acquisition of the Delhi Collection
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
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
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
Why Were So Many of the Greek-Arabic Translators Christians?
An enormous effort was made to translate almost all known Greek literature into Arabic during the 8th to 10th centuries, and Baghdad was at the centre of this work. Why was it that so many of the translators were Christians?
Why Were So Many of the Greek-Arabic Translators Christians?
A Portrait of Sir Lewis Pelly
Sir Lewis Pelly was a key figure in the history of the Gulf owing to his role, as British Political Resident, in enforcing the region’s maritime peace treaties from 1862 to 1873.
A Portrait of Sir Lewis Pelly
The Political Residency, Bushire
From the early days of its existence, the East India Company sought a secure base, known as a factory, in the Gulf from which to conduct trade with Persia. In 1763, it finally established a base which would provide some continuity to its operations, namely Bushire.
The Political Residency, Bushire
Finding Aid: Political (External) Department Records
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: Political (External) Department Records
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
M. Waris Ali’s ‘Absurd’ Account: A Native Agent and the Riots at Gwadar
Murder, suicide, communal riots, racial snobbery and a colourful, much-maligned British Agent caught up in the midst of it all: a record of life in Gwadar 1928–32.
M. Waris Ali’s ‘Absurd’ Account: A Native Agent and the Riots at Gwadar
Kuwait’s Majlis Movement: National and Regional Developments Brought into Focus
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
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
Telegraphy: The Gulf’s Most Admired Means of Communication in the 1860s
How do you reduce communication times between the Gulf and India, from months, to a matter of weeks?
Telegraphy: The Gulf’s Most Admired Means of Communication in the 1860s
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
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
Finding Aid: The Persia Collection in the Political (External) Department Records
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: The Persia Collection in the Political (External) Department Records
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
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 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
Finding Aid: IOR/L/MAR Marine Department Records (1600-c. 1879)
A guide to the East India Company ships’ journals and related records (IOR/L/MAR/A and B series files) and miscellaneous East India Company and India Office marine records (IOR/L/MAR/C files) on the Qatar Digital Library.
Finding Aid: IOR/L/MAR Marine Department Records (1600-c. 1879)
Between Freedom and Slavery: The Employment of Runaway Slaves in the Indian Navy
Former slaves employed in the Indian Navy’s crews in the mid-19th century often exploited the itinerant existence of naval vessels to escape servitude.
Between Freedom and Slavery: The Employment of Runaway Slaves in the Indian Navy
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
The Politics of Death: British cemeteries in the Gulf Region
Wherever British merchants, sailors, or officials went, they left behind permanent markers of their presence in the form of cemeteries and other memorials. These cemeteries often caused political and religious issues for both their creators and the rulers of the countries in which they were located.
The Politics of Death: British cemeteries in the Gulf Region
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
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
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
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
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
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
‘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