Page 96 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

Khallfah submitted to Turk!.735 Moreover, Sard’s proposal, when considered
alongside the rivalry among the A1 Bu Sa‘Id, must have indicated his ambitious
plans (which the Su‘ud!s wanted to curb) as well as the vulnerability of the
Masqat administration. This led Turkl to take decisive steps with regard to
‘Uman in 1832. He appointed Muhammad b. Mu'ayqil as the new amir of
al-Burayml and sent a military force to back him up there.736 Furthermore, he
ordered ‘Umar b. ‘Ufaysan, the governor of al-Hasa, to prepare for a larger
expedition. Ibn ‘Ufaysan marched from al-Hasa with 3,000 men in January
1833; they stationed themselves at Qasr al-Khandaq, the principal fort in
al-Burayml, and soon sent out demands for zakah to all the surrounding
regions.737 The tribesmen, discontented with Masqat! rule, complied with
these demands; they allied themselves with Ibn ‘Ufaysan and many joined his
standard. Ibn ‘Ufaysan then entered into correspondence with both Sa‘!d b.
Sultan of Masqat and Humud b. ‘Azzan of Suhar, demanding their submission
to the Su‘ud! state as well as the payment of zakah. The mutual hostility and
conflicting interests between these two rivals of the Al Bu Said family were too
wide to be bridged even in the face of an impending Su‘udi threat. Humud,
apparently more motivated by his opposition to Said’s rule than by a genuine
inclination toward the Su‘ud! state, hoped that Su‘ud! pressure upon Masqat
would help him maintain his possessions on the Batinah coast and so promptly
delivered his share of zakah, which amounted to $MT 1,500.738
Said, on the other hand, was reluctant to heed the summons, but was in no
position to stand up to the challenge.739 He therefore turned to his British allies
to explore their reaction to the situation and to seek out their advice. 740
Although committed to protecting Masqat! trade and preserving the Masqat!
regime, the British government wanted to avoid any entanglement in Su‘udi-
‘Umani affairs. Turk! b. ‘Abd Allah had already entered into unofficial
friendly relations with the British, and had so far maintained a policy of law
and order in both eastern and southeastern Arabia, helping to some extent to
lessen British hostility toward Su‘ud! proceedings.741 The British authorities
therefore advised the ruler of Masqat to avoid a rupture with the Su‘ud!s by
adopting a conciliatory attitude.742 Finding the integrity of his dominions both
internally and externally menaced, Sa‘id eventually decided against resistance
and subsequently reached a settlement with Ibn ‘Ufaysan.743 By the terms of
the agreement concluded, Sa‘!d was to remit a zakah of $MT5,000 per year to
al-Riyad, while both the Su‘ud! amir and the ruler of Masqat promised to
respect the frontiers of each other’s dominions.744 In addition, the agreement
bound each party to assist the other in supressing rebellions among their
subjects.745
While the settlement indicated Sa‘id’s acknowledgement of Su‘ud!
supremacy in ‘Uman, it also assured Sa‘!d’s right to directly rule his own
dominions without interference and guaranteed the security of his frontiers.746
However, the extent and limits of such frontiers were specified. Since the coast
of ‘Uman and the region of al-Zahirah were now in the hands of the Su‘udis,
while Suhar and the surrounding localities were controlled by Humud b.
‘Azzan, it is likely that Sa‘!d’s authority was confined to Masqat and the
provinces of the interior.747 The final clause of the engagement, which
proposed reciprocal cooperation and assistance, was criticized by the British as
being impolitic on Sa‘id’s pan and possibly contributory to future
embarrassments.748 It is likely, therefore, that Sa‘id’s adopted the British view

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