مجموعة ٦ / ٦٧ (١) "حدود جنوب شرق الجزيرة العربية وقطر". [ظ‎‎١‎٧‎٣] (٧٩٤/٣٥١)

7. The Wahabi Amirs held Hasa and Nejd.
8 Bahrein was in the possession of the Uttabi Sheikhs, who, originally settled
on the mainland of Arabia at Zubarah in Qatar, had expelled the Persians from
Bahrein in 1783. The Bahreini Sheikhs, apprehensive of attack by Muscat, had in
1799 made overtures to Persia and paid her tribute. In 1800 they were temporarily
subdued by Muscat.
Lor. I, 789- 9. Qatar.—The Uttabi Sheikhs of Bahrein had hereditary possessions in Qatar,
90. ’ an d took refuge there on their expulsion from the islands by Muscat in 1800.
10. The present-day Trucial Coast, then known as the Pirate Coast, was ruled
by Arab Sheikhs, the ancestors of the present Trucial Sheikhs. Of these Sheikhs,
only tw T o were of real importance, the Beni Yas Sheikh of Abu Dhabi and the rival
Jowasimi Sheikh of Ras-al-Khaimah, whose capital was later removed to Shargah.
These rulers were separated by a secular enmity, and belonged to the opposing
religious factions of the Hinawi and the Ghafari. The fact that the Rulers of Muscat
also belonged to the Hinawi faction formed a link between Muscat and Abu Dhabi.
The Sheikhs of the Pirate Coast held a fringe of varying depth along the coast, but
do not appear to have exercised any real influence in the remoter hinterland, which
was in the possession of Bedouin tribes.
11. At the eastern end of Arabia was the independent Sultanate of Muscat, at
Lor I 421 this time ruled by the able and vigorous Saiyid Sultan, who succeeded in 1/92, and
who had in 1791 extorted a lease of Bunder Abbas and its dependencies from
Persia. The Sultan had in 1798 entered into an alliance with the British Govern-
Lor. l, 429. ment ^ had in jgQQ a g ree( } to re ceive a British Political Representative. In the
same year he succeeded in establishing his dominion over Bahrein.
12. The British Government, represented by the Government of India and the
Government of Bombay, were closely associated with Gulf affairs for commercial
reasons, but their policy in 1800 and until late in the nineteenth century was
essentially to restrict their activities on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf to the
minimum necessary to secure the security of the seas and freedom for British and
Indian commerce. They were consistently extremely reluctant to involve themselves
in any way in the affairs of the hinterland, save to the extent necessary to secure
these objects. As will be seen from the statement which follows, they wmre anxious
in these circumstances to observe strict neutrality towards the Wahabis and to
abstain from involving themselves in difficulties with this new and considerable
mainland Power.
II.—1800--1871. From the first expansion of the Wahabis in Eastern Arabia
to the Conquest of Hasa by the Turks.
Lor. I, 842.
Bombay
Selections
XXIV, 303,
429.
1800 to the Death of Amir Abdul Aziz in October-November 1803.
First Wahabi Encroachment in Eastern Arabia.
13. In 1800 the Wahabis for the first time turned their attention to Eastern
Arabia. In that year a Wahabi expedition invaded Oman and occupied the oasis
of Baraimi—a strategic point of the first importance commanding the approaches to
Muscat. In 1801 the Sultan of Muscat was forced by the Uttabi Sheikhs to abandon
Bahrein. In 1802 a fresh attack on Bahrein by Muscat was repulsed with Wahabi
assistance, but thereafter with brief intervals Bahrein remained under Wahabi
influence till 1811, tendered tribute to the W’ahabis in 1803, and afforded naval
assistance to them against Muscat in 1805. By 1802 the wRole coast from Basra
to the boundary between Muscat and Shargah at Diba had been reduced to nominal
submission, and in 1803 the Sultan of Muscat was forced to conclude a truce with
the Wahabis, under which Muscat agreed to pay zakat to them, and to allow a
Wahabi representative to reside at Muscat.
The Wahabis in Western Arabia, 1800-1804.
14. In Western Arabia in the meantime the Wahabis had captured and destroyed
Kerbela, and had in 1802 decisively defeated a punitive expedition sent against
them by the Turks. Their control of Hasa and Nejd was now complete. During
1803 they overran the Hejaz and completed the conquest of the Turkish districts
1067 1054 ’ 011 t ^ le ® ea Idtoral. The Wahabi Amir was murdered at the end of 1803, and
was succeeded by his son, Sand bin Abdul Aziz, who ruled till 1814.