Page 110 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

difficulties confronting Muhammad al-‘Ajaji, the Su‘udi representative in
al-Burayml, as a result of the latter’s clashes with Humud b. ‘Azzan of $uhar,
the shaykh of Abu Zabi, assisted by the Zawahir, suddenly attacked and
captured the Su'udi post in al-Zahirah in the summer of 1848.897 Encouraged
by this success, Sa^d b. Tahnun proceeded toward the Su‘udl strongholds in
al-Burayml, accompanied by a contingent from Suhar.898 The Najdl garrison,
less than a hundred men strong, was stationed in Qasr al-Subarah and Qasr
al-Khandaq, the two major forts in al-Burayml.899 Finding the attackers too
numerous to meet, al-‘Ajaji took himself and his followers into the forts and
resolved to repel Sa‘id b. Tahnun and his allies.900 In preparation to resist the
enemy until reinforcements could arrive, al-‘AjajI stocked the forts with
enough ammunition and provisions to support the garrison for several
months.901
Meanwhile, al-‘Ajaji requested the aid of the Su‘udl allies on the coast.902
The latter managed to overcome mutual mistrust and individual differences
and joined in an unsuccessful attempt to help al-‘AjajI through peaceful
means.903 Sultan b. Saqr of al-Shariqah, ‘Abd Allah b. Rashid of Umm
al-Qaywayn, and Maktum b. Bati of Dubayy wrote jointly to Sa‘Id b. Tahnun,
urging him to alter his plans with regard to al-Burayml by making peace with
al-‘Ajaji and letting him remain at his headquarters; they also warned him that
his persistence would provoke Faysal’s retaliation. 904 In reply, Sa‘id b.
Tahnun justified his action against al-‘Ajaji on the grounds that he was only
coming to the assistance of regional tribes hostile to the Najdis in al-
Burayml.905 Ibn Tahnun therefore refused to make peace with the Su‘udi
commander and garrison. The shaykfis of the coast did not want further
involvement in the conflict but continued to provide al-‘Ajaji with moral
support. While Maktum sent a messenger to al-Riyad with a letter urging
Faysal to despatch troops to relieve the Su‘udis in al-Burayml, Sultan b. Saqr
encouraged al-:AjajI to hold on until the arrival of reinforcements from
Najd.906
In the meantime, Sa‘Id b. Tahnun and his allies had surrounded the forts in
which al-‘Ajaji and his men resided and effected a month-long siege. Finally,
they exploded a mine which had been run under the gate of Qasr al-Subarah;
this caused part of the tower to collapse and exposed the gate to the artillery
that Ibn Tahnun had brought in with him from Abu Zabi. At nightfall, al-‘AjajI
and three of his men lowered themselves down from the fort by ropes and took
refuge in the other fort.907 The next morning, the garrison of Qasr al-Subarah
surrendered, and the fort was turned over to Ibn Tahnun.908 Al-‘Ajaji himself
opened negotiations with the besieging forces, and on June 20, he and his
men evacuated the headquarters and left the region.909 They went to al-
Shariqah where some remained, while others proceeded to al-Qatif by a vessel
that Sultan b.Saqr provided.910 Immediately afterwards, Sa‘Id b. Tahnun
returned to Abu Zabi, leaving al-Buraymi in the hands of its chiefs.911 _
To meet the challenge of the shaykh of Abu Zabi and to restore Su u i
influence in the area, Amir Faysal prepared to despatch an expedition unng
the month of August. However, due to the hot weather and lack of sufficient
water along the route to ‘Uman, the expedition did not set out unti t e season
had cooled.912 In October 1848, an ill-fated Su‘udi expedition numbering
1,600 men, under the command of Sa‘d b. Mutlaq, set out from a - • asa
al-Buraymi.013 Its progress did not go unobserved by the hostile Banu Yas

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