Page 84 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

more taxes than they had been accustomed to paying.621 To protest such
measures as well as other personal differences with the wall, Claudius Rich, the
British Resident, closed the Residency at Baghdad and retired to Bushire. In
October 1822, Rich died of cholera whilst on a visit to Shiraz. The Residency at
al-Basrah had to be temporarily removed from al-‘Iraq until the highest
authorities could settle the matter. The region of al-Kuwayt was chosen as the
most appropriate temporary site for the Residency. It is not clear, however,
whether the transfer to the new location was preceded by negotiation with the
ruler of al-Kuwayt, since no mention of prior permission is made in the
sources. It would seem that Captain Robert Taylor, the Resident at al-Basrah,
had counted on the amical relations that already existed between the ruler of
al-Kuwayt and the British personnel in the Gulf, and consequently moved to
Faylakah, an island under the jurisdiction of al-Kuwayt, pending the
resumption of relations with the wah. The sojourn of the Resident in that
place, however, presented no challenge to the ‘Iraqi authorities, and thus the
state of ‘Iraql-Kuwaytl relations was not endangered. Nonetheless, Jabir was
careful to keep his friendship with the British from developing at the expense
of his long-standing relations with the Ottomans and leading to a possible
breach of their understanding. On one occasion, for example, Jabir refused to
fly the British flag and rejected British pressure on him to view with disfavour
Ottoman involvement in al-Kuwayt.622 Instead, such pressure seems to have
led to a strengthening of Jabir’s relations with the Ottomans, for in 1829 he
acknowledged their supremacy.623 Furthermore, he agreed to pay an annual
tribute of provision supplies in exchange for the yearly conferral of a dress of
honour.624
The revival of the Su‘udl state under Turk! b. ‘Abd Allah and its gradual
expansion in eastern Arabia had no effect on al-Kuwayt. As mentioned earlier,
the ruler of al-Kuwayt, feeling British pressure and fearing their intrusion into
the principality’s politics, preferred to declare his allegiance to the Ottomans.
Although the sources at our disposal are silent on the subject of Su‘udl-
Kuwaytl relations in the period under consideration, the course of events
indicates that amiable and informal relations were indeed being established.
Reciprocal understanding and mutual respect restrained both sides from
engaging in quarrels or from interfering in one another’s affairs. The affairs of
the Subay‘ tribe near al-Kuwayt and the Bahraynl-Su‘udl conflict in al-Qatlf
serve to demonstrate the non-interference policy of both sides. In an attempt to
subdue unruly elements of certain Bedouin tribes in the northeastern territory
in 1831, TurkI marched towards Hafr al-Batin, a watering place where he
encountered Fahd al-Suyayfi of Subay‘ and his followers and looted their
property.625 The latter subsequently claimed that Turkl’s action against them
had no justification, since they had not broken their loyalty to him.626 As a
result, TurkI restored their property.627 He then set up a camp at al-
Subayhlyah, a watering place not far from the town of al-Kuwayt, apparently
to supervise the activities of the tribes in that area. His forty-day sojourn there
was a peaceful one and seems to have increased his influence among a number
of local tribes, some of which sent delegates to pay him homage.628 On this
occasion, Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah, the ruler of al-Kuwayt, paid a visit to the
campsite to greet Turk! and deliver some unspecified gifts as tokens of
hospitality and friendship.629 Such conduct on Jabir’s part was interpreted by
some as not only an example of friendly relations but also as an implicit

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