Page 52 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

40 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

After placing ft Governor of his own selection over Mecca, Su'ood
advanced towards Jiddah, but an epidemic of dysentery Laving broken out
amongst his men, he waa forced to re­
[Mcngin.]
turn to Nejd.
During the same year Shaikh Selmdn-bin-Ahmed, Chief of Bahrain,
appeara to have visited the VVahdbce Amir, taking with him ft con-
sidcmble sum to be offered as tribute, which, however, was remitted.
Seyyid Bcdr, a member of the Muskat
[Mcngin.]
ruling family, had also been previously
a guest of the Amir.
The Amir 'Abdul 'Azccz may be said to have at this period attained
to the zenith of his power, all Central Arabia, except the isolated city
of Medina, having acknowledged bis supremacy. lie now turned his
attention to the Muskat principality, aud prepared for its invasion. This
design, however, was frustrated, and his career ended by his murder, on
the 4th of October 1S03, by a Persian
A.D. isoa.
Seyyid, at the age of eighty-two years.
On the death of the Amir 'Abdul 'Azeez bis eldest son Su'ood was
recognized as the successor, and issued
Sa’ood-bm-’Abdol Mzecx.
a proclamation promising strict protec­
tion of life, property, and commerce throughout his dominions.
In the course of the following year the Amir Su'ood plundered
the environs of Busrab and sent forces
A.D. 1804.
to Itas-el-Kheymah on the 'Oman Coast
to levy a share of the booty taken by the piratical cruisers of that place.
In ISO/ lie marched to Mesbhed-'Ali, but was foiled in an attack on
that walled town, and forced to retreat
A.D. 1807.
Two years later be collected an array of
30,000 men with the intention of attacking Baghdad, and had actually
commenced his march, when disturbances in his own territories led to the
abandonment of the design. In the same year Su'ood made the pilgrimage
to Mecca, for the third time, at the head of 50,000 of his people. On the
return journey he visited Medina, which
[Men gin.]
had now submitted to his authority.
During the three preceding years Su'ood had acquired a footing,
through his agents, in many parts of the 'Oman principality, and under
shelter of the Wahabee power the piratical depredations of the Jow£sira
and other maritime tribes extended so as even to threaten the coasts of
India. This led to the interference of the British Government and the
despatch of a naval and military expedition against R£s-el-Kheymah
in 1809, resulting in the capture and punishment of that place.
In 'Omin the Wahdbee arms continued to gain ground, and about
the year 1810, during the Amir's
A.D. 1810.
absence on an expedition into 'Ir£k
at the head of 30,000 men, his sons Sa'ad, Nasr, and Toorkee, and his
nge^t, MutlaV El-Muteyree, joined by a Ghafirce Shaikh, Mohamraed-
bin«. £sir, penetrated to Matrah, and afterwards to Soor and Ja'aLJn,
where they were opposed by the Beni-
[Records.]
bu-Has4n tribe, whilst the Beni-bu-'Ali
adopted (he Wahibee faith.