Page 79 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

Turk] and al-Bahrayn

Nol contented with central Arabia, TurkI determined to reassert and restore
Su'udI influence over a wider area, including eastern and southeastern Arabia
and even the tribal territory on the frontiers of al-Hijaz.567 Al-Hasa, then
under Banu Khalid, became the immediate objective of the Su‘udi amir. After
al-Dir‘iyah’s fall, Muhammad and Majid al-‘Uray‘ir of the Banu Khalid had
resumed their authority over al-Hasa and hoped to secure its independence.
Their hope, however, did not materialize, for soon after the surrender of‘Abd
Allah b. Su‘ud, Ibrahim Pasha sent an Egyptian detachment to expropriate the
property of the Su‘udis and their collaborators in al-Hasa and to subject the
district to Egyptian rule.568 Receiving news of the approaching detachment,
the Al ‘Uray‘ir moved with their tribesmen to the north, for they feared the
pasha would not allow them to rule.569 The Egyptian troops took al-Hasa,
garrisoned the important towns, and Muhammad Agha Kashif became the
military governor of the district.570 Later, preparing to leave Najd, Ibrahim
Pasha ordered Muhammad Kashif to hand over the region to Al ‘Uray‘ir,
evacuate the place, and join him at ‘Unayzah, the new headquarters in al-
Qasim.571 It is believed that Al ‘Uray‘ir had received an appointment from
Muhammad ‘All and were supposed to pay tribute to him.572 However, they
remained the actual rulers of their country until it was incorporated within the
Su‘udi state a decade later.
The contest between Turk! b. ‘Abd Allah and Banu Khalid is reminiscent of
the contest between their predecessors in the late eighteenth century. It began
as soon as TurkI came to power and gradually intensified until the spring of
1830, when Turki, together with his son Faysal, completely crushed the Banu
Khalid and occupied al-Hasa.573 This occupation soon made itself felt in the
neighbouring island of al-Bahrayn.574 Since 1811, when Al Khalifah,
supported by forces from Masqat, launched a surprise attack on the Su‘udi
garrison and drove the Su‘udi governor from the island,575 both al-Bahrayn
and its dependencies at Qatar had been governed under the joint authority of
Salman and ‘Abd Allah, sons of Ahmad Al Khalifah. From the time of this
event until the end of the first Su‘udi state, it seems that trouble in the Arabian
interior had absorbed Su‘udi attention and energy, deterring them from taking
action against al-Bahrayn. Instead, friendly relations were established between
the two countries and military assistance was provided to ensure the
independence of al-Bahrayn. 576
Al Khalifah were obliged to observe a non-hostile policy because of their
great interest in commerce but built a sizeable naval power nonetheless, both
in order to protect their shipping from being plundered and to discourage some
of the neighbouring states from incorporating al-Bahrayn within their
jurisdiction to gain the benefits of its wealth in pearls and excellent location.
Both tribal feuds and the absence of a strong and centralized government on
the Arab shore of the Gulf rendered the position of al-Bahrayn vulnerable; the
island thus became a target for attacks aimed either at disrupting its commerce
or occupying it entirely. After the fall of the Su‘udi state, Rahmah b. Jabir
resumed his campaign against Al Khalifah, determined to strangle their
commercial activities. His forces posed a great threat to Al Khalifah’s vessels
and property.577
The governments of Masqat and Persia, both of which had claims to some

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