Page 85 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

recognition of Turkl’s overlordship.630 On a different front, the ruler of
al-Kuwayt abstained from participating in the quarrelling between the
Bahraynls and the Su‘udls on the coast of al-Hasa; he likewise remained aloof
from the subsequent dispute with al-Bahrayn during the reign of Faysal,
Turkl’s son and successor.

Turki b. ‘Abd Allah and the Coast of'Uman

Although the Su‘udl influence over the coast of‘Uman disappeared with the
collapse of their power in central Arabia, a sense of attachment to the Su‘udi-
Wahhabl state persisted among the inhabitants of the coast, as did the moral
support of its cause. This seems to have helped the succeeding Su‘udl amirs to
restore their influence following their revival in Najd. The coast served as a
haven for a great number of Najdls, including members of the Su‘udl family
and some of the descendants of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abd al-Wahhab, who
managed to escape from al-Diriyah at the very moment of its fall to Ibahim
Pasha.631
The overthrow of the Su‘udl state in Arabia had an immediate effect on the
inhabitants of the coast. The Qawasim, fearing the possibility of Egyptian
expansion along the coast, prepared to set up a settlement at Basidu on Qishm
Island in order to be far from Egyptian interference.632 Later, they realized the
objectives of Ibahim Pasha and the likely limits to his expansion, and therefore
changed their plans. 633
The capitulation of‘Abd Allah b. Su‘ud and the termination of his lordship
left the coast without a supreme leader, an occasion which gave rise to mistrust
among the various Qasimi chiefs; each was more or less induced to advance his
own interests at the expense of his neighbour. Had these chiefs been left to
themselves, such conditions would have led to dissension and the gradual
dissolution of their unified power.634 But instead, the supremacy of the Qasimi
naval power on the Gulf waters was terminated not by indigenous competitors
but rather by British forces shortly after the collapse of the Su‘udl state. The
government of Bombay had for some time considered sending out its last and
largest expedition against the Qawasim, but there were certain difficulties in
executing such a plan, the Su‘udl- Qasimi alliance had in the past discouraged
British authorities from declaring war against the Qawasim, because such
action would have severed their cordial relations with the Su‘udi state and
involved them in needless war with the Su‘udls.635 Domestically, the
government of India was preoccupied with wars against the Maratha and the
Pindaris, and had no spare troops to send elsewhere.636 Luckily for the British,
both difficulties became surmountable in due course. Ibrahim Pasha captured
and razed al-Dir‘Iyah, thus relieving the British of the Su‘udl threat, which had
been a constant source of anxiety on account of their involvement with the
Qawasim. Furthermore, the termination of the war in India enabled the
British to collect the troops and vessels required to subjugate the tribes along
the coast of‘Uman.637
While preparations were being made for the expedition, the government of
India sought to secure the cooperation of Ibrahim Pasha. Captain George
Forster Sadlier of His Majesty’s 47th Regiment was sent as an envoy to
congratulate Ibrahim Pasha for his victory over the Su‘udls and to

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