Page 68 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

46 Part I.

the supreme power in Persia, the Pasha of Baghdad lias been obliged to manage every oircums-
tance relative to the natives of that country with more delicacy and circumspection than was form­
erly manifested towards thorn. It is pretty generally credited that lmd the uncle of the present
King lived much longer, he would have attacked Baghdad, and the conduct of Path Ali Shaikh
the proscut King, has frequently given cause of uneasiness and apprehension to the Pacha." *
121. In 1810 tho Montejik Arabs offered to assist Selim Aga, Mussalim of
2iMi Ko. 231. Basrah, torobol against the Pasha of Bagh­
dad, and to make preparations for a march
to Baghdad to dopose the Pasha, but they soonj turnod against him. He then
fled and was allowed to escapo to Bushirc.
125. In 1813 Abdullah Pasha of Baghdad marched against tho Montefik
Chief, who was encamped near Basrah with a force of about 10,000 Arabs.
But tho Pasha was defeated, taken prisoner and put to death. The Montefik
Chiefs then, particularly Sheik Hamid-ul-Thamcr, gradually extonded their
territorial acquisitions as far as Samawa aud rose to great power.
126. Daud Pasha (1817—1831) at length, resorted to a favouratc device
of the Turkish Government, namely, Divide et l7npcrai tocreato dissensions in
tho tribe by raising a rival Sheikh to tho Chiefship. "When Sheikh Hamid
was the Chief, Baud Pasha elevated his nephew Ajil to tho Chiefship. There
commenced then fratricidal fighting amongst the two Sheikhs, which exhaust­
ed both and left the whole tribe quito weakened.
127. When orders arrived from the Porte deposing Baudli Pasha, Sheikh
Ajil made a combination with tho Kaab and the Grain Arabs and espoused
Baud’s cause. The Kaab and the Grain Arabs blockaded the Basrah river with
their fleets and terrorized the Basrah Arabs. But Sheikh Ajil was very slack
in his movements and the league came into nothing. Baud Pasha had to
surrender, but was pardoned. Sheikh Ajil was also reinstated as chief of
the Moutefik by the new Pasha, but he was killed by a fall from his horse
and his rival Majid^ son of the late Hamid, was nominated chief in his place.
(Colonel Taylor’s letter to the Bombay
S. C. F. 21st May 1832, Nos. 3-32.
Government, No. 31, dated 6th October
1831, and No. 76, dated 22nd Becember 1831).
These events emboldened the southern Arabs in their intrigues against
the Turkish control and the Montefik Arabs regained their former ascendancy
and acquired possession of tho finest lands.
12S. About the year 1830, the Jerhah Shammar tribe became clamorous for
TurJcuh Arabia Prieit 1610-1846, Appondix e, the grant of more lands near Baghdad, and
Fraser's memorandum. the Pasha, with a view to Create disSOQ-
sions in the tribe appointed as their Chief Shulash in place of Su/fu/:,
their former Chief. Sulfuk then began to pillage and ravage the country
from Baghdad to Mosul, and became a terror to the people as well the local
authorities. Shulash being unable to check him, the Avnaiza tribe were called
in by the Pasha to aid him on promise of ample compensation and grant of the
lands of the tribe they were asked to turn out. The Annaiza came with a
force of 30,000, but to find that Sulfuk had retired to his haunts in the
north.
129. As the assistance of tho Annaiza was of no use to the Pasha, he wished
to send them hack empty handed, but they would not leave Baghdad in
that condition. The Pasha then summoned the Jerbah Shammar tribesmen
under Shulash to come and relieve the capital of the presence of the Annaiza.
Both the tribes fought a fierce battle, the result of which was that the Jerbah
tribesmen were completely defeated. The Annaiza since then made themselves
masters of the western half of Baghdad city, and virtually held the Pashahc
from tho Tigris to Euphrates under their control, until they were induced to
re-cross tho Euphrates by heavy tribes, or satieted by their plunder.
(iii) The Arab tribal disturbances, 1843—1850.
130. Thero is little further of the tribal affairs of Turkish Arabia in our
records until Major llawlinson was sent as Political Agent, with tho avowed