Page 319 - Records of Bahrain (2) (i)_Neat

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Records oj Bahrain

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writing for fear of needlessly committing himself before lie
was secure of the guarantee which lie wanted; and the
• speedy withdrawal of the Egyptian
A. D. 1810.
army from Ncjd made any further
negotiations on this subject unnecessary.

9. The dissensions amongst tho various members
of the ruling family of Bahrein had by this time
Hominy Selections, XXIV., reached such a pitch ns to give
pp. 390-407.
the greatest cause of anxiety for
the peace of the Gulf. Khalifa bin Sulcman died
in 1834, and was sucdccdcd by. his son, Mahomed
bin Khalifa. Between him and his grand-uncle, Sheikh
Abdoolla, there had always been jealousy, due in the
main to the imperious way. in which tho latter had
kept the administration of affairs in his own hands.
Being foiled in a project which lie
A. i». 18 U.
had entertained of establishing
himself separately at Kuteef and Xahsa, ho retired
to the Guttur coast, whcnco lie scorctly iutrigued
against his relative. To add to the Sheikh’s troubles,
more than one of his sons had openly' defied bis
wishes, whilst their exactions for1 years past in Bahrein
had been so flagrant that trade had suffered most
seriously. Matters came to a crisis in 1842, the osten­
sible cause of the rupture b.oing the Opposition raised
to the marriage of Ahmed, one of Sheikh Abdoolln’s
sons, to a daughter of a kinsman, for whom another hus­
band had been already destined. Mahomed bin Khalifa
espoused the cause of the latter, and soon after his return
to Bahrein was driven from-his fortress of Mcnamn.
lie fled first to Qutlurj and thence to Lahsa and Itiadli,
at which places he busied himself in collecting forces to
renew the strife. The Waliabec Chief endeavoured to
The
arrange matters amicably, but without success.
British Government decided to let the matter be fought
out, provided that the belligerents did not transgress
the " restrictive sea line.” Early in 1843 the fort 0
Mcnnina was recovered, and Mahomed bin Khalifa. 0*1 *j(
by reinforcements from Guttur and Kenn, immediate/
afterwards attacked Sheikh Abdoolla in his strong10*
of Moharrag. Driven thence, the Sheikh fob
on Dcmaupi, and after making overtures to various
sons, amongst Whom tho Wahabces were included, *c

.