Page 34 - The Pirate Coast (By Sir Charles Belgrave)

In the following year the Persian fleet, manned mainly by Hawala
Arabs, arrived at Bundar Abbas. Two of the ships were com­
manded by Englishmen, one of whom, a sea-captain, had sold
his ship to the Persians.
The Imam of Oman, Saif bin Sultan, who was engaged in a
civil war - a very usual state of things in Oman - had asked Nadir
for help against his rebellious subjects. This gave Nadir the
opportunity of getting a foothold in Oman. Latif Khan, with a
strong force, landed in Oman; in a very short time the rebellion
was suppressed but, as has so frequently happened in the Gulf, the
force which was called in to help the ruler, became the master of
the country. Then followed a period of confusion, sometimes
the Imam was on good terms with the Persians, at other times,
he opposed them.
The Persian occupation of Oman, which lasted for about eight
years, was in some respects a tragi-comcdy. The sailors and
many of the troops were mercenaries, badly fed and often unpaid,
with no feelings of loyalty to Persia. The seamen, most of whom
were Hawala Arabs, were tough and independent and of a differ­
ent religious sect from the Persians, for whom they had no liking.
They were resentful of the Persians for having dispossessed them
of Bahrain. There were constant mutinies and frequent quarrels
between the commanders of the forces, and between the com­
manders and the Imam, whom the Persians were supposed to be
supporting. Latif Khan, who had been in command during the
early part of the occupation, was poisoned by Taqi Khan, the
Governor of Fars, who arrived in Oman in 1738. Having dis­
posed of his rival, Taqi Khan assumed command.
In 1740, during one of the mutinies, the whole fleet was removed
by the seamen after they had murdered most of their officers. A
new ‘ Admiral’, Mohammed Taqi Khan, who knew nothing about
the sea, was appointed by Nadir. On arriving at Bundar Abbas,
he borrowed two Dutch ships and set off in pursuit of the mutin­
eers who were in possession of the fleet which he was supposed
to command.
In the following year, having failed to subdue them, negotia­
tions were opened between the mutineers and their Admiral.
The mutineers were represented by an Englishman who was
serving with the Persian navy, and the Persian Admiral was
represented by the agent of the East India Company at Bundar
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