Page 202 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

4
CHAPTER SECOND.

Conquest of Hasa by the Wahabis and Turkish expeditions into Nejd
and Hasa, and their results 1800—1865.

7. On tho rise of Wahabism in Nejd, the Arabs of tho coast from Ojair
to Katif had to viold. their independonoo
Conquoat by Wnhabls, 1800.
to the Amir of Nojd. It was Abdul Aziz
that first invaded the country, lie took Katif by storm and made a great
slaughter of the inhabitants, occupied. Bahrein aud tlio adjacent islands of tho
Persiau Gulf. This took place in the year 1S00.
8. Tho conquests of the Waliabis in Hejaj in 1801, and their subsequent
outrages brought down the Turkish Gov­
Turkish Expeditions of 1811—10.
ernment on them. It was from Egypt
that the expedition was led against Nejd, with tho result that tho political
power of the Wahabis was crushed for a time. The Wahabi^ rose again into
power, but only to court another Turkish expedition into Nejd, and ultimately
to compel their Amir to acknowledge the Sultan of Turkey as his Suzerain. As
it is on these conquests of Nejd and the reduetiou of it to vassaiage, that the
Porto mainly based its claim to interfere in Nejd a Hairs in 1871, to carve out a
portion of Arabia on the Persian Gulf as its territory, and to claim even
sovereignty* to the Island of Bahrein, we might narrate a few details of the
two earlier Turkish expeditions.
9. Tho task of punishing the Walnhis was committed by the Turkish
Government to the able Viceroy of
A.D. 1811*.
Egypt, Mahomed Ali Pasha, who in the
year 1811 despatched an army under his son Tousoun Pasha. Mecca was
recovered from tho Wahabis without any resistance. The Amir Saud,
however, collected a force of 15,000 men under tho command of his son
Abdullah aud on the army of Tousoun Pasha advancing further inland, it was
attacked in tho mountain defiles by tho Wahabis and defeated. At this
juncture Saud endeavoured to conciliate tho Persian Government, and sent
an Envoy for the purpose to Shiraz. He also made overtures for an alliance
with the British Government, which were rejected.
10. 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 Mahomed Ali attached muoli
importance to a successful issue of the opoialions agaiust the Wahabis,
considering that his influence at the Porte would thereby be much strengthen­
ed; so on hearing of his son’s failure, he determined to .proceed iu person to
Arabia. Proceeding by sea to Jeddah, he landed at that place on tho 28th
A D 1813 of August 1813. and pushing on to Mecca
at once seized the Shereef Ghalib, whom
he distrusted, and sent him a prisoner to Cairo.
11. Tousoun Pasha again advanced and attacked Tarabah, but foiled, and
his force retreated with some Joss to Tayif. Mahomed Ali then prepared
to renew the compaign. Such was tho position of affairs when news was
received of the death of the Amir Saud-bin Abdul Aziz, which occurred at
El-Der’eyyah on the 17th of April 1314, he having attained the age of sixty-
eight years.
12. Abdullah, the eldest son of Saud, had been elected to tho succession
during his father’s lifetime, and, on the
A.D.1814.
death of the latter, took his place as Chief
Abdullah bin-Saud. of the Wahabis without opposition.
• l,-or an ocoount of Nojd, boo Nojd Prcoln.