Page 41 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

Ahmad A1 Khallfah, who had in previous years made a successful descent
upon al-Bahrayn and annexed it to al-Zubarah, continued to consider the latter
as the seat of his government, leaving the island’s affairs to a representative.214
The attitude of the government of al-Zubarah towards the new political and
ideological power in eastern Arabia was unfriendly. Ideologically, what the
Su‘udls propagated and called a religious reform was seen by the al-Zubarah
Arabs as an innovation.215 Politically, Al Khalifah viewed the Su‘udl progress
with anxiety and resentment, and showed no sign of willingness to
accommodate their new neighbours. Al-Zubarah, therefore, became a target
for Su‘udl invasion. Being well-fortified, the town was able to render Ibn
‘Ufaysan’s attempts to storm and capture it futile.216 Later, he besieged the
town by cutting it off from the mainland water resources.217 The people,
unable to withstand the siege, deserted the town shortly afterwards, and, along
with the ruler Shaykh Salman b. Ahmad, fled to al-Bahrayn in 1797.218 This
event temporarily ended the Al Khallfah rule in Qatar and culminated in the
total subjugation of the peninsula of Qatar by the Su'udI state.
The Al Khallfah’s sovereignty at al-Bahrayn continued to be threatened and
faced an immediate danger not from the Su'udls, who had since diverted their
attention to ‘Uman, but from other former enemies, such as Rahmah b. Jabir
of Al Jalahimah and Sa‘id b. Sultan, ruler of Masqat.
Various tribes came to the assistance of Shaykh Ahmad Al Khalifah in his
conquest of al-Bahrayn. Among them were Al Musallam, Al Bin ‘All, Al Bu
‘Aynayn, and other tribes of Qatar, who preferred to settle there after the
conquest.219 The other ‘Utbi clans, Al Sabah of al-Kuwayt and Al Jalahimah
joined in the assault as well.220 Al Sabah returned to their homeland after the
military operation ended, while Al Jalahimah, who had been humiliated and
driven out of al-Zubarah to the town of al-Ruways by Al Khallfah more than a
decade before, expected a larger share of the booty and seem to have asked for
equal footing at al-Bahrayn.221 Their demands, however, were not met and
they retired in anger to Qatar, where they finally settled at Khawr Hasan,
north of al-Zubarah.222 Rahmah b. Jabir, the son of the paramount
notoriety on account of his piratical activities in the Gulf.223 Rahmah made his
headquarters at Khawr Hasan, where he nursed his growing hatred of Al
Khallfah and became their ruthless enemy. Whether his hostile attitude
towards his kinsmen was a result of the quarrel over the spoils of al-Bahrayn224
or rather a more personal matter,225 Rahmah continued for the rest of his life to
wage war against the trade and shipping of al-Bahrayn and to collaborate with
anyone who might jeopardize Al Khallfah’s presence in the Gulf.
On account of its pearl fishery, the island of al-Bahrayn had long been the
object of Sultan b. Ahmad’s ambition.226 Immediately after the departure of Al
Khallfah from al-Zubarah, Sultan b. Ahmad commenced his military
campaign to capture the island of al-Bahrayn.227 The pretext for the war
against al-Bahrayn seems to have been the refusal of Al Khallfah to pay certain
dues which Sultan claimed the right to levy on all ships and vessels passing
Masqat. His chief objective, however, was to obtain control of the most
valuable pearl market in the Gulf.228 Sultan proceeded from Masqat and
occupied the island, placing his son Salim there as governor.229 The success of
this operation was possibly facilitated by internal resentment of the island’s
rulers. As the Arab population of al-Bahrayn was divided into Sunnis and
ShPis, the religious affiliations created tension and sometimes resulted in

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