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'File 53/7 VI (D 9) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs - Arab Tribes, 1907-1911' [‎247v] (502/676)

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The record is made up of 1 file (335 folios). It was created in 3 Jan 1907-16 Mar 1911. It was written in English, French and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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2
Enclosures in Foreign Office covering letter dated August 25th, 1909.
Sir G. Lowther to Foreign Office,
No. 609.
T heeapia ;
July 29th i 1909.
Sir,
With reference to my despatches Nos. 390 and 435 of April 21st and June
11th last respectively on the subject of the affairs of the Nejd, I have the honour
to forward to you further despatches as marked in the margin dealing with
this intricate question.
You will perceive that since the murder of Saud Ihn Rashid and the subs
titution for him as ruler of the boy Abdul Aziz, under the regency of Zamil
Ibn Sebhan (see page 47 of the yearly report) fortune has favoured the north
ern family, and Ibn Saud is, in the opinion of His Majesty's Consul at
Damascus, even in danger of becoming perhaps merely notable as the hereditary
Emir of the Wahabis, while His Majesty's Consul at Jeddah represents this sect
itself as moriband. Its particular tenets, however, seem only to differ from
those of the Senoussi in respect of the Liturgy (Wirds) which they use, the
aim to return to the purity of the faith in its primitive days being common to
both.
You will observe that Ibn Rashid is the leader to whom the Turks give
their support, paying him £ 150 a month. On the other hand Ibn Saud relies
considerably upon the Sheikh of Koweit (who apparently finds him useful as a
counterbalance in his part of the world to the power of Ibn Keshid) and as the
Sheikh of Koweit is considered to be a protege of His Majesty's Government,
so there is a kind of idea that Ibn Saud also enjoys their countenance.
The translation of the pamphlet enclosed by Mr. Monahan in his despatch
No. 23 is interesting, as, though written by a strong partisan of Ibn Eeshid, it
gives a considerable amount of information from that point of view.
I have, etc.,
(Sd.) GERALD LOWTHER.
Copy.
Mis Britannic Majesty s Consul, Jeddah, to Sir G. Lowther.
Jeddah,
No. 23. May 15th, 1909.
Sir,
With reference to my despatch No. 17 of the 9th ultimo and to Acting-Con
sul Dr. S. M. Husain's despatch No. 4 of February 7th, 1907, I have the honour
to transmit herewith an abridged translation of a manuscript pamphlet lately
sent to Dr. S. M. Busain by its author Suleiman Bassam, a prominent merchant
residing in Mecca, a native of Aneyza in Nejd, a strong partisan of Ibn Rashid
and opponent of the Wahhabi party or party of Ibn Saud. The author
assumes that his readers already know the general course of recent events in
Nejd, and therefore his statements are incomplete and his chronology somewhat
vague.

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Content

This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding political affairs in Kuwait and its vicinity. The correspondence discusses developments in the conflict between Abdul Aziz ibn Abdulrahman ibn Faisal Al Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Saud)] and the ruler of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar, Mut-ab Ibn Abdul Aziz [Mit‘ab bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz]. The murder of Mut-ab by his uncle Sultan is reported in the file on folio 54 and a detailed account of the killing is contained on folio 103. The subsequent murder of Sultan is also reported in the file on folios 230-232.

Throughout the file, the correspondence discusses the rise in power of Ibn Saud (and the relative decline of the Rashidi tribal dynasty) and Ibn Saud's desire - often expressed through Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ, the ruler of Kuwait - to form a closer relationship with the British Government.

On folios 145-191, the file contains a detailed report written by the British Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Kuwait, Stuart George Knox concerning a trip he made to the village of Anta'a in February 1908.

The file contains an English translation of a pamphlet produced by Suleiman Bassam, a prominent merchant in Mecca said to be a strong supporter of the Rashidis and an opponent of Ibn Saud. The pamphlet contains a history of the Rashidi tribal dynasty and information about the Emirate of Jabal Shammar.

The file also contains copies of correspondence sent between the Ottoman Governor (Vali) of Basrah and Shaikh Mubārak as well as a report written by William Henry Irvine Shakespear, Knox's successor as Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Kuwait, after he had met Ibn Saud in Kuwait in February 1910.

Extent and format
1 file (335 folios)
Arrangement

The file is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end.

An index of the topics discussed in the file is contained on folio 2. The numbers listed in this index relate to the foliation sequence that uses a mechanical stamp (and starts on folio 3).

Physical characteristics

Condition: Previously a bound correspondence volume, the file's sheets have been unbound and are now loose.

Foliation: The volume has been foliated from the first page of text in the volume until to the inside back cover using circled pencil numbers in the top right-corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . There is an earlier, possibly original, foliation sequence that runs through the volume, which uses a mechanical stamp. There is also an original pagination system which runs through the volume, using blue or red pencil numbers in the top-right corner of recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. pages, and the top-left corner of verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. pages.

Written in
English, French and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 53/7 VI (D 9) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs - Arab Tribes, 1907-1911' [‎247v] (502/676), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/479, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023576878.0x000067> [accessed 4 April 2025]

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