Page 70 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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CHAPTER 3

KUWAIT

I.—General
1. Shaikh Ahmad al Jabir K.C.S.I. (1944) K.C.I.E. (1930) ruled Kuwait from
the death of his uncle Salim in March 1921 until his own death on January 29, 1950.
In 1933 he was granted a personal salute of four guns in addition to his dynastic
salute of seven guns and in 1937 he was accorded the dynastic title of His Highness.
He was always loyal to his engagements with His Majesty’s Government but at the
same time careful to prevent the establishment of too much British influence within
his State. He was stronger in manner than he was in action and was at times
weak in dealing with his relations by whom he was nearly unseated in 1938. He
visited the United Kingdom in 1935 and was received in audience by His Majesty.
Towards the end of his reign with the acquisition of wealth he became increasingly
arrogant. In 1949 while on a prolonged visit to Bahrain he failed to call on the
Political Resident. He subsequently apologised but complained that no
representative of the Residency or Agency had met him on his arrival. Since then
it has been a practice for a junior officer of the Residency or Agency to meet the
Ruler of Kuwait on his landing at Bahrain. On his death messages of condolence
were communicated to his family by His Majesty’s Government and the Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs but a message from His Majesty the King was
considered unsuitable^1)
2. Ahmad on his death was succeeded by his first cousin the present Ruler
Shaikh Abdullah al Salim. K.C.M.G., (1952) C.I.E. (1938). Preparations had been
made for dealing with the situation in the event of a disputed succession but there
was no opposition. There was some idea of making Abdullah al Salim’s
recognition by His Majesty’s Government as Ruler conditional on his agreeing to
employ a British Adviser but in view of his unanimous acceptance by the ruling
family and the general public this was considered impracticable and the Political
Resident was authorised to convey His Majesty’s Government’s recognition.
This he did in a formal letter which was acknowledged by Abdullah who promised
to observe all the treaties and agreements entered into by his predecessors and to
go the same way as his grandfather (the “ great ” Mubarak).(2) A formal accession
ceremony was held on February 25, the anniversary of which Abdullah usually
celebrates. He was born about 1891 and was old, tired and in poor health when
he succeeded. Up to date he has shown himself a well-intentioned but rather
weak Ruler and in particular he has been unwilling to take action to keep his
relations under control. He spends much time away from his capital on cruises in
the Persian Gulf or on visits to the Lebanon, India or Europe and has on two or
three occasions talked of abdication. He visited the United Kingdom in 1953 for
Her Majesty’s Coronation. He was accorded a salute of 11 guns (7 dynastic and
4 personal) on his accession. In December 1950 the total number of guns was
increased to 13 and it has since been recommended that the whole of this salute
should be regarded as dynastic (c/. chapter 2, paragraph 2).
3. All the more important offices of State are held by members of the ruling
family. Abdullah al Mubarak C.I.E. (1945) a posthumous son of the “great”
Mubarak and uncle of the Ruler, is regarded, though the position is never made
absolutely clear, as ranking next in order of precedence after him and as acting
as regent during his journeys abroad. He is in charge of the gendarmerie and of
security. The Ruler has two half brothers by slave mothers, Fahad who presides
i over the Kuwait Municipality and the Development Board and Subah who is in
charge of the Town Police. Fahad has a strong and unscrupulous personality and
is better educated than most other members of the ruling family. Abdullah al
Jabir C.I.E. (1946) is in charge of the departments of Justice, Education and Auqaf.
Of the late Ruler’s sons the third Jabir, who is of pure Arab birth, his mother
being the present Ruler’s sister, is the most prominent. He is serving under
Abdullah al Mubarak. There is strong faction feeling between the Jabir and Salim
branches of the family. The ruling family’s allowances are comparatively small,
(') Tel. from F.O. to P.R. 33 of January 31. 1950 (EA 1941/27 of 1950).
(*) No. 15II.T.C.
46639 I 2