Page 53 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

RESIDENCY AND HUSKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR 1879-80. 41
The Amir Su’ood distrusting the sincerity of the 'Uttoobce Chiefs
of Bahrain, Belinda and 'Abdullah, in­
A.D. 1811.
vited them to Der'cyyah on pretence of
wishing to confer, and detaining them there, placed an agent of his own
in charge of the Bahrain Islands. Subsequently, in 1811, the Sultan of
Muskat sent a force to Bahrain which, effecting a landing, captured the
Wahdbee officers stationed there. Thereupon Su'ood released the 'Ut-
toobee Shaikhs, on receiving assurances
[Government Selection and Mengin.]
of payment of tribute, and they suc-
ccedcd in recovering the islands.
'Abdullah, the son of Su'ood, about this period led an expedition to
[Mengin.] within a few marches of Baghdad plun­
dering tho villages and carryiug off
the cattle.
Friendly communications were exchanged bftween the Shah of
Persia and the Y/ahdbee Amir, the former having sent au Envoy to
request safe passage for his subjects pro­
[Meagin]
ceeding to Mecca through Nejd.
On his return from the last mentioned expedition into 'Irak, Su'ood
had made a fourth pilgrimage to Mecca in 1810, and on his homeward
march he visited Medina. Oq this occasion the Amir went so far in
the display of sectarian zeal as to cause the tomb of the Prophet to be
opened and the rich jewels and precious
A.D. 1S10.
relics it contained to be sold or distri­
buted amongst bis soldiery. This sacrilegious proceeding excited the
indignation cf the Mohammedan wo*Id generally, aud in no small degree
contributed to briug about the disasters which subsequently befell the
Wababces.
The task of punishing the Wahabees was committed by the Turkish
Government to the able Viceroy cf
A.D. 1811.
Egypt, Mohammed 'Ali Pasha, who in
the year 1S11 despatched an army under his son Tousoun Pasha, and
Mecca was recovered from the V ahabees without auy resistance. The
Amir Su'ood, however, collected a force of 15,000 men under the com­
mand of his son 'Abdullah, and on the army of Tousoun Pasha advancing
further inland, it was attacked in the
[Mengin.] mountain defiles by the Wahabees and
defeated. At this juncture Su'ood endeavoured to conciliate the Persian
Government, and sent an Envoy for the
[Government Selection.]
purpose to Shiraz. He also made over­
tures for an alliance with the British Government, which were rejected.
Under Tousoun Pasha the Egyptian forces had made no impression,
having advanced only as far as Tayif, " Garden of Mecca," and 4,000
out of 8,000 regular troops had perished. But Mohammed 'Ali attached
much importance to a successful issue of the operations against the
Wahdbees, considering that his influence at the Porte would thereby be
much strengthened; so on bearing of his son's failure, he determined to
proceed in person to Arabia. Proceeding by sea to Jiddab, he landed at
that place on the 28th of August 1813,
A.D. 1813. and pushing on to Mecca, at once seized
[Hengin.] the Sherecf Gbdlib, whom he distrusted.
and sent him a prisoner to Cairo.
F