Page 73 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

Su'ud, the eldest of the three brothers, assumed the supreme command.
The forces also contained other new elements, namely the Hashm and the
Banu Bu ‘All tribes. The latter tribe inhabited the southernmost part of‘Uman
and had, in the past, supported the Al Bu Sa‘Id. Removed from the scene of
conflict, however, the Banu Bu ‘All do not seem to have participated in the
previous Su‘udi-‘UmanI wars. The religious influence of the reform movement
infiltrated the settlements of the tribes through their contact with the
Qawasim.509 By 1812, the Banu Bu ‘All had become staunch supporters of the
Su‘udl cause and played a major role in this latest event.
Turk! b. Su‘ud organized a regular campaign, took Matrah and Barka, and
forced his way through the Sharqlyah district as far as Sur and Ra’s al-Hadd.
Plunder, pillage, and killing constituted the general order of the day.510 These
violent and unauthorized proceedings angered Amir Su‘ud. He did not want to
engage in any serious warfare in ‘Uman which might lead to further conflict
with either the British or the Persians at a time when he was more concerned
with a greater enemy in the west.511 Furthermore, he was outraged by the way
in which his sons conducted their campaign, which was doing more harm than
good as far as the state was concerned. He therefore sent a detachment of forty
men to al-Burayml to take over the headquarters from its present garrison, and
instructed them to refuse to allow his sons and their followers to enter the
fort.512 Su'ud also ordered the forces to evacuate the newly-occupied areas and
to return to al-Burayml. Mutlaq and the sons of Su‘ud eventually went to
al-Hasa.513
Su'ud’s fears concerning the repercussions of the conduct of his sons were
not unfounded. No sooner did they take their way home than the Banu Yas
tribe revolted against the Su‘udi administration as a reaction to the previous
indiscriminate raiding, and refused to pay the zakah as well.514 Shortly
afterwards, however, ‘Abd al-‘Az!z b. Ghardaqah, a leading citizen of al-Hasa,
was appointed as governor of al-Burayml and took command of the forces
there, although it is not clear what action Ibn Ghardaqah took with regard to
the discontented tribe. While Ibn Bishr indicates that the new commander’s
troops were defeated and he himself killed in a campaign against the Banu
Yas,515 the other sources state that Ibn Ghardaqah was ambushed by the tribes
and killed along with some of his escort.516
The situation then became more serious in that other loyal tribes began to
show their indifference to Su‘udl interests as well. In tribal societies, however,
persuasion and reconciliation can play as great a role as coercion in maintaining
order and preserving influence. Thus Mutlaq al-Mutayri was ordered to return
to ‘Uman and deal with the situation. Familiar with ‘Umani affairs and
acquainted with every tribe in the area, Mutlaq pursued a policy of pacification
which seems to have helped him recover the Su‘udl dominions and restore the
loyalty of the tribes.517
Not very long afterwards, new developments on the coast of ‘Uman
offended the Su‘udi state and provoked a retaliatory action against Masqat
under Mutlaq and his forces. As mentioned earlier, Sultan b. Saqr, the
deposed chief of Ra’s al-Khaymah, escaped from al-Dir‘Iyah and managed to
reach the camp of Muhammad ‘All Pasha in al-Hijaz. He was subsequently
entrusted in 1813 with a mission to Sa‘Id b. Sultan, ruler of Masqat, to solicit
aid and collaboration. Anxious to reduce the Su‘udi influence in ‘Uman, Sa‘Id
wrote to the pasha and promised his assistance.518 At the same time, Sa‘id

69