Page 20 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

settlements within their own areas of habitation in the early part of the present
era,44 there seems to have been no major change in the ethnographic
distribution of Najd for the past three hundred years.
The northernmost part of Najd, the district of Jabal Shammar, takes its
name from one of the most powerful tribes of the north. Aja, a range of
mountains in the territory of Shammar, is one of the chief physical features of
northern Najd. Several valleys descend from Aja, contributing to the irrigation
of date-palms and other vegetation. The chief town, Ha’il, has risen to
importance chiefly as the permanent residence of the amirs of Jabal
Shammar.45 Its location on the pilgrims’ route from al-Traq, and the fact that
it was once the capital of the Al Rashid,46 brought it fame and prosperity,
especially when the Al Rashid extended their power to other districts of Najd.
In 1201/1786 the Shammar inhabitants of the Jabal submitted to the first
Su‘udl state of Najd.47
To the southeast of Jabal Shammar lies the district of al-Qasim,48 a vast land
with large expanses of sand dotted by oasis settlements. Due to its natural and
human resources, it was considered a relatively rich district of Najd. When
stock-raising was one of the common occupations of Arabia, al-Qasim was
known for its wealth in livestock.49 The major towns, Buraydah and ‘Unayzah,
are situated on the Basrah-Madlnah route. Thus, they benefited from the
pilgrims’ caravans. Moreover, ‘Uqayl,50 the name given to the QasimI
caravaneers and their trading corporation, made the district known abroad for
the fine quality of horses they exported. Their commercial caravans and
livestock trading reached as far as Egypt, Syria, ‘Iraq, and India.
Although al-Qasim has long been one of Najd’s historic areas and inhabited
by major Arab tribes, its chief towns are of relatively late foundation. The
politics of this region prior to the advent of the Su‘udls had been
predominantly local. The few notes recorded by Ibn Bishr51 and Ibn ‘Isa52 lead
one to believe that al-Qasim had been preoccupied with petty conflicts among
the stronger families in the district vying for supremacy and maintenance of
power. When the Su‘udls became strong enough, they interfered with the
situation and finally brought al-Qasim under their own rule.
To the south of al-Qasim lies the district of Sudayr. It consists of agricultural
settlements dating from the eighth/fourteenth century, founded by sedentary
families of the Shammar, the ‘Anazah, and the ‘Utaybah.53 The settlements,
however, changed hands as a result of the ceaseless quarrels between
neighbouring villages. In times of peace, the tradesmen of Sudayr would
organize commercial caravans between Sudayr and eastern Arabia. The town
of al-Majma‘ah, the largest in the district, submitted to Al Su‘ud in 1191/1777.
The district of al-Washm is located on the southern part of Sudayr and
constitutes the eastern border of Najd. It is a flat and rich area of palm groves
and vegetation. The largest town in al-Washm is Shaqra’, which resembled the
QasimI towns in commercial importance in the past, when it had direct
relations with the towns of the western Gulf coast. The settled population there
is chiefly the Banu Zayd, al-Dawasir, and the Banu Tamlm. With respect to
other parts of Najd prior to and during the eighteenth century, this district
fostered a healthy cultural environment. Many ‘a/ims and qadis in Najd are
mentioned as having come from al-Washm.54 The inhabitants of Shaqra’ were
the first in that district to accept the Su‘udl tenets. They thus became the target
of the rest of al-Washm, until the entire district surrendered a few years later.55

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