Page 46 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

products were exported from Najd, through al-Kuwayt, to India and Persia; at
the same time, al-Kuwayt provided central Arabia with its supplies of rice,
cloth, weapons, and other commodities which had been imported to al-
Kuwayt from different countries. 267
The fact that al-Kuwayt was situated along the route to the ‘Iraq frontier,
which the Dir‘!yah troops were eager to reach, made the town particularly
vulnerable at this time. While the new regime in al-Hasa was consolidating its
hold over the region, Su‘udl troops frequently appeared in the vicinity of the
town of al-Kuwayt either in pursuit of retreating tribes or else making a
reconnaissance of the area. They also occasionally raided the town itself.
Nevertheless, al-Kuwayt remained safe from reduction by the Su‘ud!s, partly
because of the latter’s preoccupation with the wavering Banu Khalid chiefs and
partly for other reasons.
The first of three years of Su‘ud! rule in al-Hasa was marked by frequent
disturbances and occasional revolts. The chiefs of Banu Khalid, long-time
enemies of the Dir‘!yah amirs, resented the new change in al-Hasa and thus
made several attempts to subvert it. following the battle of Ghuraymil with
Banu Khalid, which was considered the beginning of the end for the Khalid!
influence in al-Hasa, the Su‘ud!s appointed Zayd b. ‘Uray‘ir as chief of Banu
Khalid and governor of al-Hasa.268 Shortly afterwards, Barrak b. ‘Abd al-
Muhsin usurped the power, expelled Zayd and overthrew the Su‘ud! rule. 269
These developments led the Su‘ud!s to conduct an expedition against the
region which resulted in the defeat of Barrak and his supporters.270 Barrak
himself fled to the northern territory. Su‘ud! rule was reinstated and a new
governor and treasurer were appointed. No sooner had Su‘ud left the region
than his appointees, along with the religious teachers, suffered tragic fates at
the hands of the Khalid! subjects of al-Hasa.271 This event caused al-Dir‘!yah
to dispatch another army to subdue the revolt. Disturbances that created
factional clashes continued intermittently until the Su‘ud!s finally eliminated
the source of the trouble and established a stronger government there.
The preoccupation of al-Dir‘!yah with the affairs of al-Hasa and later with
the ‘Uman! territories seems to have diverted their attention from al-Kuwayt.
On one occasion, the British Factory in al-Kuwayt used its power and
resources to defend al-Kuwayt against the invading troops. Because of his
interference in internal affairs and subsequent quarrel with the Turkish
authorities, Samuel Manesty, the British Resident at al-Basrah Factory, had
been required to remove the Factory of the East India Company from al-
Basrah.272 Al-Kuwayt appeared to the Resident to be a good temporary
location. Long before, Manesty had established close relations with ‘Abd Allah
b. Sabah and now secured his cooperation and assistance, hoping that the
removal of the Factory would not affect the political and commercial interests
of the British in the Gulf.273 For the protection of the Factory and al-Kuwayt,
British cruisers and sepoy guards were brought and stationed there. The
Factory remained at al-Kuwayt for two years, but finally, owing to the
incessant tribal disturbances and lack of security in the surrounding area, as
well as to the reconciliation with al-‘Iraq, the British authorities brought back
the Factory to its former place at al-Ba§rah.
During the period of the Factory at al-Kuwayt from 1793-1795, the Su‘ud!
forces, who were engaging at the time in military operations against the
homeland of the northern tribes, extended their activities into al-Kuwayt

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