Page 185 - DILMUN NO 20

Historical Links between india and the GuIf

, ٩٨٧‫ﻭ‬٨"

sources tell us that among lndian pilgrims to Mecca were many Mus‫ﺭ‬١‫ﺯ‬
nobles and scholars who left lndia, either voluntarily or under pressures from
their political rivals, to settle in the holy cities of Hija2 or to travel from there
to other flourishing centres in Arabia. 36 ١n Arabia, they devoted themselves
to learning and many of them became prominent in theological studies and
among the religious scholars of Hijaz and Yemen. According to these
sources, lndia's Mughal Emperors and Sultans continued their charitable
contribution of money and goods to Mecca and Medina. They also
contributed to the very early development of these cities by building schools,
orphanages, and guest-houses and digging water wells. 37 On the other
hand, the period witnessed the immigration of many Arab theologists and
learners from South Arabia to lndia probably to escape political instability or
hardship at home. These migrants were welcomed, looked after, a‫ﻴ‬d
generously rewarded by indian Sultans, particularly in Gujarat in the pre­
Mughal invasion period. 38

Portugal's power and dominance in the Gulf and indian Ocean began to
show weakness in the late 16th centuyr as a result of rivalries among the
Portuguese and other European powers. However, what ultimately caused
Portugal's withdrawal from the region by the beginning of the 17th centuyr
were such factors as the emergence of powerful dynasties in Egypt, Persia,
Oman, and North lndia, the annexation of Portugal by Spain, and the
attention of the conjoint state towards America rather than the East.

THE BRITISH ERA

Because of its strategic position on the rich route to lndia, the Arab Gulf
became once again coveted by European powers other than the Portuguese.
١n fact, the history of the region throughout the whole 17th centuyr was
dominated by intense rivalry between the Dutch, French, and British through
their East hndia Companies, until the British succeeded in obtaining hte
position of dominance. The British East lndia Company p‫ﺕ‬ayeda remarkalbe
role in this process. ١n 1600 it was granted a covenant for trade in lndia and
the states contiguous to it on the west by the British Oueen. Its gola at hte