"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٤‎٢‎١] (١٧٨٢/٥٦٤)

421
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submit to Sa'id's authority and soon made himself master of Barkah
and of the M asqat forts. Sultan was at first supported by his brother
Qais, the holder of Sohar and Matrah, in whose interests he even
professed to be acting-; but the seizure of the Matrah fort by Sultan
at length opened the eyes of Qais to the hollowness of his friendship.
Sultan then completed his conquests by expelling from the castle of
Bait-al-Falaj the last garrison that held out against him in the Masqat
district. Upon the position, thus consolidated, of Sultan the united
forces of Sa'id and Qais could make no impression, especially as the
Ghafiris throughout the country were favourable to Sultan, whose
mother was a relative of their Taoiimah or principal chief. In virtue
of a family compact framed at Barkah, probably at the beginning of
1793, Sultan was invested with the chief authority in "'Oman and his
irregular acquisitions were recognised, while the titular Imam was
confirmed in possession of Rustaq, and Sohar was preserved to Qais.
After this settlement the brothers appear to have lived in amity ; and,
on Sohar being threatened about 1799 by the Na'im, who were aeeompamed
on this occasion by the Baui QiLab and a contingent of Bani Yas fiom
Dibai, Sultan and Sa'id proceeded to the assistance of Qais and inflicted
a sanguinary defeat upon the invaders at " Dabbagh," possibly Liwa.
About the same time Sultan was able effectually to chastise the Daiu
Bedouins, who had been disturbing the general peace of the country.
The fort of Nakhl, however, seems to have remained, throughout the
reign of Sultan, in possession of a virtually independent representative
of the Ya'arabi family.
Conquests and acquisitions of Sultan on the Persian coast,
1793-94.
One of the first acts of Saiyid Sultan on his accession to powei was
to occupy Gwadar, where his exile had been passed undei the protection
of the Khan of Kalat. Here a Wali deputed by Sultan established
a fort; and from this place the Wali subsequently proceeded by Sultanas
orders against Chahbar, which he captured by surprise and added to his
masters dominions. Saiyid Sultan in person then conducted a
expedition against the Bani Ma'in ruling Qishm and Hoi muz, whom
he worsted and overthrew ; and a natural but histoiically impoi ^
result of this success was the transfer, in 17 94, of the icve —
# 1794 was the yea7m which A^'lia MuLammad Khan, Qajar, finally overthrew
Lutf'Ali Khan, Zand. The lease of Bandar 'Abbas, etc., if it was forma y gran e ,
may have been given by either of these.