Page 92 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

apparently been informed by the area Residents about the seemingly peaceful
conduct of the new Su‘udl ruler, replied in general but friendly terms. In his
letter to TurkI, the Governor says:
Your communication dated the 25th of Jumadyooluwul, informing me that
by appointment of the Ruler of Events you had arrived at the dignity of
Chief of the Wahabi sect, has reached my hands, and given me
gratification which friepds feel when they receive intelligence from
friends. Your disposition to a friendly understanding is met with
reciprocal feelings, and the terms of amity which existed between this
government and your great ancestor, Imam Saud, will still remain in force
and I cherish hopes will never be broken or infringed. I send this letter by
the hands of your faithful dependent, Esa bin Hassan, to express the
same. 703
Henceforth, TurkI became responsible to the British government for the
conduct of the inhabitants of the coast and for the observance of their
agreements concerning British vessels and subjects. Furthermore, in the event
that his subjects should violate existing treaties, TurkI expected the British
officials to refer the matter to him, rather than to the individual chiefs, “who
are now virtually Wahabee dependents”.704 On one occasion, however,
following the plundering of a vessel belonging to a British subject by three men
living on the coast, the British authorities in the area made a direct
communication with the QasimI chief there. They demanded from him the
restitution of the property or else its value, and threatened to adopt coercive
measures against the tribe.705 The British action angered the Su‘udl
representative and led him to remonstrate against such conduct. He
furthermore reminded the British authorities that “in the event of any piracy
being publicallv known to have been committed by them [the maritime tribe],
communication upon the subject should be addressed to Torkev ben Saood or,
should he be at a great distance, to his agent in Brvmee. ”706
Not long afterwards, with the death of Turk! and the preoccupation of
Favsal, his son and successor, with the uprisings in central Arabia and the
renewed threat from Egypt, the Su‘udl position on the coast gradually
weakened. However, as will be discussed later, Favsal was able to re-establish
Su“udl relations with the coast of‘Uman during the.second period of his rule.

TurkI and Masqat
From the time of their first appearance in ‘Uman, the Su‘udis had made use
of al-Buravml as a central headquarters and military base from which they
carried out their operations and directed the affairs of localities and tribes who,
at one time or another, came under their control. Their hold on al-Burayml and
the neighbouring localities, however, depended heavily on the overall quality
of administration and, more particularly, upon the ability of the men in charge
of the forces there to communicate with the tribal chiefs in the area and secure
their loyalty and cooperation. The Su‘udl hold on the Burayml region was also
considerably affected by the political situation of the government in Najd. The
Burayml administration was able to consolidate its power and extend its
influence as long as the Su‘udl ruler in Najd was in a position to control his vast

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