Page 47 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

itself.274 Apart from the incident reported by the Factory’s staff in which the
Su'udls attempted to reduce the town, there had been no other serious efforts
to achieve this objective nor any other serious military operations against
al-Kuwayt. Other operations were either directed towards the Bedouin tribes
in the north or conducted in other areas on a small scale. But new troubles
began in 1208/1793, when Ibrahim b. ‘Ufaysan led an army composed of Najdl
Arabs from al-Kharj, al-‘Arid and Sudayr towards al-Kuwayt. Upon their
arrival, they fought against the people of al-Kuwayt outside the town. The
Kuwaytls were defeated and lost some of their fighting men and weapons,
whereas Ibn ‘Ufaysan and his army returned to al-Hasa with their spoils.
A more serious attack was made on al-Kuwayt in the following year.
Although undocumented by local historians, its strength, effect, and
consequences were reported by the Factory’s officers. Both Brydges and
Reinaud indicate the seriousness of the attack with regard to the number of
participants. According to Brydges, the force consisted of 500 men.275
Reinaud, on the other hand, placed the strength of the attackers at 2000
camels, each carrying two men.276 The front rider was reportedly armed with a
gun and the other with a lance to protect his companion while reloading.277
Apparently unable to defend the poorly-walled town and repulse such a huge
army on his own, the shaykh of al-Kuwayt appealed to the Factory’s staff for
help in protecting their common interests. The Factory, responsible for the
Company’s goods at al-Kuwayt, would face serious consequences if the town
should fall into the hands of the invaders. Consequently, Manesty decided to
support the Kuwaytls and defend the town. Under his orders two guns were
landed from the British cruisers used to guard the factory, and the sepoy
Factory guards were called in to participate in repelling the attack. The fire of
the cruiser forced the Su‘udi troops to retreat.278 Well aware of the British
military interference in this event, the Su‘udi state lost no time in carrying out
retaliatory action against the Company’s interests by intercepting the
Company’s desert mail. Eventually, the Company dispatched Reinaud to meet
the Amir ‘Abd al-‘Az!z at al-Dir‘Iyah and a reconciliation was concluded.279
Thus Reinaud became the first European to visit the Su‘udl capital and provide
first-hand accounts of the town, its inhabitants and their ruler. 280 I
The ‘Utub of al-Kuwayt, because of their commercial ties with Ottoman
i
‘Iraq and because their homeland was located on the road from al-Basrah to
al-Hasa, came to associate themselves with al-Traq. By supporting the Turkish
expeditions on al-Hasa, they indirectly allied themselves to the Su‘udl
opposition.
By 1790, al-Traq had become aware of the Su‘udl forces making occasional
visits to the teritory of Zafir and Muntafiq. However, it was not until a few
years later that some of the settled and nomadic tribes of the southern marches
of the Pashalic of Baghdad came under some sort of Su‘udi influence by way of
religious persuasion, as well as more coercive measures. Alarmed by such
events, the Ottoman authorities began to realize the threat and sought to deal
with the enemy by first curbing his expansion in the territories of the empire
and then by destroying his stronghold.281 In the hope of achieving this
objective, the Ottoman government in al-Traq employed various Arab
elements in its expeditions and sought the cooperation of those who resented
and resisted al-Dir‘iyah’s supremacy.
The earliest expedition to al-Hasa had set out in 1797; composed of the

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