Page 490 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

22 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

APPENDIX A TO PART II.

SKETCH OP THE CAREER OP SEYYID SULTAN BIN AHMED OP MUSCAT.

Bt COLONEL 8. B. MILES.
The present dynasty in 'Oman—the AJ BooSa'eedy—succeeded that of the Ya'Arebeh about
the middle of the last century, and originated in the gratitudo of a freedom-loving pcoplo to a
man, who, rising from on humble position to be their leader in the hour of danger, had, by his
patriotism, talents, and courago rescued his country from the humiliation of foreign conquest,
and restored it to its dignity as an independent State.
It was in 1741 or 1742 that the Imam Saif bin Saltan, the Ya'Arebch, having been deposed
by his relative Sultan bin Murshid, sent to Persia to beseech aid in dispossessing his rival and
recovering hiB throne..
Nadir Shah, who had long entertained the notion of annexing El Bahrain and 'Oman, and
of extending his power over the Persian Gulf, and who, with this design in view, had already
commenced the creation of a navy by the purchase of ships from the Dutch, and by causing
others to be constructed at Surat, eagerly embraced the opportunity now afforded him of inter­
ference in the affairs of 'Oman, and he lost no lime in making preparations for the invasion of
Eastern Arabia.
The Governor of Shiraz, Mirza Taki Khan, was entrusted with the command of the
Persian fleet, and he at first pretended to loyally assist the cx-Imam, Saif bin Sultan. Having
gained possession of Muscat however, he attempted to conceal his object no longer, and
commenced operations for the reduction of 'Oman to obedience.
He succeeded in over-running the country, and fonght a great, but indecisive, battle under
the walls of Sohar, in which Sultan bin Murshid was slain; but his efforts to reduce that
fortress failed.
After spending the greater part of the year 1743 in contesting the supremacy with the
T7ali of Sobar, Ahmed bic Saeed, whose conspicuous skill and ability had given him the general
lead of affairs, Mirza Taki Khan, becoming hopeless of the final success of his enterprise, and
disappointed in his expectation of enriching himself, made a truce with Ahmed and returned to
Persia early in the year 1744.
The garrison left in Muscat soon after surrendered and was treacherously massacred, and
the liberation of 'Oman from the Persian yoke was then complete.
The result seemed to be due solely to the genius of Ahmed, and for the service be had
rendered no reward appeared to be too great; the former dynasty was ignominiously thrust
aside, and Ahmed bin Saeed was elected Imam by general acclamation.
Some time previous to his death, the Imam Ahmed had nominated his eldest sqrviving 6on,
Saecd, to succeed him, but as Saeed was known to be of a soft and retiring disposition, the
selection was not universally approved of, and some of the younger 6ons were emboldened by
their father's increasing feebleness in bis later years to rebel against him.
In the month of February 1781, Saif and Sultan, who were uterine brothers, having
gathered a small following, succeeded, by seducing the commandants, in getting possession of
the forts Merani and Jelali, at Muscat, the guns cf which they turned on the town, and soon
laid in nuns the houses of the Governor and principal inhabitants.
The Imam marched down from Rostak to restore order, and began by removing the tra­
ders and their goods to Muttrah for safety. He then invested the forts, but bis sons, being
well supplied with provisions, and in expectation of aid from the pirate Chief of Ras-el-Khyma,
Shaikh Rashid, continued to bold out. In this assistance the brothers were disappointed,
although Rashid appears to have been sincere in his promise of help, and after a siege of three
months, during which the Hindoo and other traders sustained a loss of nearly three lakhs of
rupees, the forts were surrendered to the Imam, on his granting an amnesty to the garrisons.
On the 26th December of the same year Naif and Sultan rose again in rebellion. They
proceeded to Burks with a few adherents and slaves, surprised and captured their brother
Saeed, brought him down in fetters by boat to Muscat, and threw him into a dungeon in Fort
JeUlL