Page 134 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

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brother ‘Abd Allah, the legitimate ruler and representative of the Ottomans in
those territories.
The expedition was finally despatched by sea from al-Basrah to the coast of
al-Hasa.1120 It consisted of five thousand Turkish regulars with guns and
ammunition, commanded by Nafiz Pasha. The regulars were transported by
both Turkish and Kuwaytl boats which landed at Ra’s Tannurah, near al-
Dammam, in late May 1871.1121 In addition, elements of al-Muntafiq and
Zafir tribesmen had been recruited to join the expedition and were proceeding
overland.1122 The troops immediately campaigned against Su‘ud’s followers,
and soon took his strongholds in al-Qatif and al-Dammam. Later, they
continued their march into al-Hufuf and forced its governor to surrender, thus
bringing the entire province under Turkish control. 1123
In the meantime, ‘Abd Allah b. Faysal had found support from the tribe of
Qahtan in Najd. He engaged in a battle against Su'ud at al-Barrah, some forty
miles from al-Riyad, but was defeated. Subsequently, he went to al-Hasa to
join the Turks, who were nominally acting on his behalf.1124 Not long after his
arrival there, ‘Abd Allah realized that the Turks had not come to help reinstate
his power and rule over Najd, but rather to enforce their own administration
and eventually liquidate Su'udi authority and their state.1125
While ‘Abd Allah was in al-Hasa, the wall of Baghdad allegedly received a
petition from the leading citizens of al-Hasa, requesting that the Sultan take
Najd under direct control and appoint a Turkish governor instead of a member
of the Su‘udl family. The wall announced that the request had been considered
and that he would be coming personally to the district to arrange the new
administration.1126 Fearing for his life, ‘Abd Allah fled the Turkish camp for
Najd. 1127 Shortly afterwards, Midhat visited the region and invited ‘Abd Allah
to return to al-Hasa. ‘Abd Allah, however, refused to return, and Midhat
! issued a notification declaring that the Al Su‘ud had ceased to reign, and that
the district presently stood converted to the sanjaq of al-Hasa.1128 At that
point, Nafiz Pasha became governor and commander of troops in this formerly
Su‘udl province.

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