Page 48 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

Muntafiq and Banu Khalid tribes, it was led by Thuwaynl, chief of the
Muntafiq, who was, in turn, accompanied by Muhammad b. ‘Uray‘ir and
Barrak b. ‘Abd al-Muhsin.202 The government of al-Traq supplied a
contingent of Turkish regular troops and artillery.203 Thuwaynl spent some
time at al-Jahra in al-Kuwayt recruiting mercenaries and collecting more lead,
powder, and provisions. Columns of ‘Utub from al-Kuwayt and from al-
Basrah joined ThuwaynI’s army.204 Their unopposed march towards al-Hasa
caused the Su‘udis great anxiety, for they feared that their province might turn
against them. The expedition, however, never reached its destination. While
camping at Shibak, not far from al-Hasa, Thuwaynl was assassinated by a
Negro slave. It is believed that Barrak masterminded the plot because of
Thuwayni’s sympathy for other contestants among the KhalidI chiefs and his
intention to deprive Barrak of rule in al-Hasa.205 Lacking unity and discipline
without Thuwaynl’s cohesive leadership and personality, the army disbanded,
leaving a great amount of weapons and supplies behind them. On the way back
to al-Traq, Su‘udT troops attacked and killed many of them near al-Kuwayt . 286
The ‘Utbl participation in this incident did not go unnoticed by the Su‘udls.
Later in the year they raided al-Kuwayt, making it known that those who
helped their enemies were open to their attack. Nevertheless, the ‘Utub
pursued their own policy and continued to support and side with the
government of al-Traq.
Following the failure of Thuwaynl’s project and as a result of repeated
orders from the Sublime Porte to the wali of Baghdad to undertake an exped­
ition on a scale capable of crushing the al-DirTyah power entirely,207 an army
organized by Sulayman Pasha200 under the Kahya (deputy-governor) ‘All Pasha
combined Ottoman and tribal forces in an advance upon al-Hasa.209 Instead of
marching towards al-DirTyah as had been planned, ‘All Pasha changed
direction to al-Hasa. The road to al-DirTyah, in ‘All’s view, was too long for an
expedition heavily loaded with artillery, equipment and provisions. Moreover,
the territory beyond al-Hasa was inhabited by hostile tribes who might regard
the expedition as easy prey. Therefore, ‘All decided to capture al-Hasa first
and then convert it into a base from which he could campaign against al-
DirTyah. On the way to al-Hasa, ‘All set up a temporary camp at al-Jahra in the
neighbourhood of al-Kuwayt.290 There he realized that it would be impossible
for his heavily loaded expedition to proceed through the desert. At this point
the shaykh of al-Kuwayt offered the Pasha indispensable help; with his own
vessels, the shaykh transported their infantry, artillery and ammunition to the
ports in al-Bahrayn and al-Hasa, thus enabling the expedition to reach its final
stage.291
In al-Hasa, ‘All Pasha and his army conducted a successful siege. After two
months, however, the Kahya (deputy-governor) was compelled to withdraw;
Su‘ud, who had brought up a relieving force, forced him to extricate his troops
and leave the area.292 Su‘ud also pursued the returning Turkish troops, who
had halted their march for three days. Although the two armies remained
within sight of each other, neither ventured an attack.293 A truce was finally
concluded and ‘All Pasha returned to Baghdad defeated.294 However, because
of Su‘udl contempt for Turkish troops and government and because of the
latter’s inability to control their affiliated tribes, the truce did not last long. A
Persian pilgrim caravan escorted by a Su‘udl guard was attacked and
plundered in al-Traq by local Arabs, whom it was the duty of the ‘Iraqi

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