Page 578 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883_Neat

n ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TIIE PER8IAN GULF POLITICAL

lious eons of the Irndms to come to terms. This reconciliation restored
peace to the country*
% Tho Imam Ahmed died in 1875 at EI-Rastak, and, owing to the ill-
health of the elder son Hilal, Sa'ced, the second son, was elected Imam.
Sa'ced-bin-Ahmed was the last of the elected u Imams " of 'Oman.
He spent most of his life in retirement at El-
, Tho Imdra Sa'eed-bm- Xtastalc, allowing others to administer the affairs
Atmed# of the country. For some time Khalfan-bin-
Mohammed, Al-Bd-Sa'eedec acted as his agent at Muscat, whilst his brother
Kais-bin-Ahmad was Governor of Sohar. The Imam's son Hamad
ousted Khalfdn from Muscat, and became virtually the ruler of 'Oman
till his death, which occurred in 1792.
The Imam Sa'ced then appointed his second son Ahmed Governor of
Muscat, resuming his retired life at El-Rastak, whence he never again
emerged. He died during the reign of Sa'eed-bin-Sultan.
In the year 1797 Sultan-bin-Ahmed, brother of the Imam, suc­
ceeded iu acquiring Muscat and Mattrah, and
Seyjid Sultdn-bin-Ahmed. established his authority over most of 'Oman,
being generally recognized a3 its ruler, though without the religious
title which was borne still by Sa'eed. The rulers of 'Oman1 henceforth
bore only the title of " Seyyid" (Lord).
Seyyid Sultan soon became engaged in hostilities with certain man-
time tribes cf the Persian Gulf, and he was threatened with an attack by
the Persians. Having concluded a peace with the Jowasim chief,
Seyyid Sultan threatened Busrah on accouutof some long-standing claims
on the Government of that Turkish port.
Meantime, in A. D. 1798, the British Government entered into a
convention with Seyyid Sultan, whereby the French were to be excluded
from his territories.
In the following year Seyyid Sultan, in alliance with the Govern­
ment of Fars, attacked and oencupied the Bahrain islands, then in pos­
ses sion of of the El-'Utoob Arabs, and placed his son Salim there as
Governor. The El-'Utoob, however, shortly after recovered their inde­
pendence and expelled Seyyid Salim.
. In 1800, a second convention 9 was concluded between the British
Government and Seyyid Snlt&n, and in the same year the ^Vahabees of
Ncjd invaded El-Dhabirah and occupied the fortress of El-Bereymee.
Their further progress was averted by conclusion of a treaty.
Seyyid Sultan in 1801 appears to have conquered Bahrain a second
time, but again, after a short time, lost the possession of those islands.
■ In 1803, the Wahabees again invaded'Oman, and the subjugation
of that country was probably only prevented by the murder of the
Wababee Ameer 'Abd'ul-'Azee*.
In tbe year 1804 Seyyid Sultan, who had proceeded on a. visit to
Busrah, was killed on bis' return voyage in an encounter with some
of his Arab enemies at 6ea. , *
During bis reign Seyyid Sultdn obtained possession of the Persian
port of Bonder Abbds and the adjacent islands of Ormuz and Kishm.
Previously the island of Zanzibar had been captured by the 'Omdnces

* Except ’Arjin-bin-Kcif, who wm proclnimcd I in dm by the private of hie faction, hut
was never “ elected ” by the tribp*.
9 btlpuUilug fex tli* residence of h British Agent nt Muicnt,

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