Page 81 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

much trust in Sa'Id’s assurance of amity and goodwill. They prepared
themselves to repel the impending invasion. Fortifications were repaired,
vessels were massed in strategic locations to fend off any attack from the open
sea, and a large number of Arabs were recruited for the defence of the
islands.590 A few months later, Sa‘id, leading Masqat! forces and accompanied
by Tahnun, shaykh of Abu Zabi, and a contingent of his followers, attacked
al-Bahrayn, but was badly defeated and driven out by the ‘Utub.591 The latter
also began to set out on cruises to harass the Masqat! trading vessels.592 Finally
a peace was concluded between the two parties upon the condition that the
tribute claimed by Sa‘id be discontinued, with a further stipulation that
neither party should interfere in the affairs of the other.593
No sooner had the independent Al Khalifah begun to feel relatively immune
to the threat of immediate expansionist invasions than Amir Turk! b. ‘Abd
Allah began to take some measures to reassert the Su‘ud! influence there.
Unlike Sa‘id b. Sultan, Amir Turk! did not campaign against al-Bahrayn;
instead, he deemed it more appropriate to resort to diplomatic means, thinking
a favourable result would ensue. In 1830 Turk! sent an envoy to4Abd Allah b.
Ahmad, the actual ruler of al-Bahrayn, and demanded that the latter comply
with Turki’s wishes: first, to pay the annual zakah signifying submission and
subordination, and second, to immediately pay a compensation of $MT40,000
for a number of horses left in ‘Abd Allah’s charge when the earlier Su‘udis had
been forced out of al-Bahrayn.594 He also demanded the surrender of the fort
of al-Dammam, which Al Kdialifah had occupied since the death of Rahmah b.
Jabir, to Bashir b. Rahmah, the Su‘udi ally.595 It is likely that the Su‘ud! amir
considered the fort as part of the district of al-Hasa and wanted it detached
from the territory under Al Khalifah’s jurisdiction. Turk! also wanted to
station Bashir inside the fort to assure Al Khalifah’s continued submission.596
Al Khalifah tried to evade the Su‘udi demands and vainly endeavoured to
obtain the intervention and protection of the British authorities.597 At the
time, they had no other strong allies in the area to support them in such a
delicate situation. ‘Abd Allah b. Ahmad therefore sent his emissary, a near
relative, to al-Riyad to negotiate on his behalf with Turk!.598 The agreement
arrived at specified Bahrayni acknowledgement of Su‘udi supremacy and
promised the payment of the annual zakah.599 It also indicated the Su‘udis
guarantee to protect al-Bahrayn against external aggressions.600 Apparently
satisfied with the partial settlement, Turk! dropped his previous demands
concerning the fort of al-Dammam and the compensation for the horses.601
Nonetheless, in response to constant requests from Bashir, his protege, Turk!
allowed the latter to settle not at al-Dammam but on the island of Tarut, a few
miles off the coast of al-Dammam opposite the town of al-Qatif.602 There
Bashir built a fort and was joined by his followers.603 It is not clear, however,
whether Turki’s decision to allow Bashir to setde on the coast of al-Hasa was
because it had been Bashir’s residence prior to its annexation to al-Bahrayn or
whether Turki’s suspicion of Al Khalifah loyalty led him to have Bashir in
Tarut as a check upon the ‘Utub of al-Bahrayn. Whatever the case, this action
created intense excitement and led ‘Abd Allah b. Ahmad, who had already
begun to doubt the durability of the newly-formed treaty with the Su‘udi amir,
to seek an opportunity to throw off his allegiance to Turk!.604 The subsequent
events in the interior of Arabia and on the coast seem to have facilitated ‘Abd
Allah b. Ahmad’s plan. Having quarrelled with the inhabitants of al-Qatif, on

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