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'File 53/7 VI (D 9) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs - Arab Tribes, 1907-1911' [303r] (613/676)
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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
time Saiyid Klialaf Naqibzadah happened to be with Saadoon on a visit because
be is a great friend of his; and Saadoon started to proceed on a journey with
the Saeeds and a party of the Muntafik herdsmen, and halted near my tribes
men. My son Jaber happened to be with the tribesmen on an excursion to
pass the spring and Saadoon warned the tribesmen who were with him saying
that they have reached near the Kuwait tribesmen, and as they were thieves
and would rob the furniture ot the houses, he wished to prevent them from
doing so. Saiyid Khalaf left Saadoon and came to my son Jaber, whom he in
formed of the statement of Saadoon. He (Jaber) thanked him, and he also
received a letter from Saadoon containing expressions of friendship and kind
regaids. A day after some one came to my son Jaber from tribesmen who were
at a distance of 8 hours' journey, informing him that they were attacked by
Saadoon and plundered. On learning this Jaber told Saiyid Khalaf—" How is
this were these messages from Saadoon a trick by which we were duped through
you? We will have to go to him and recover the loot from himSaiyid
Khalaf assured him that he himself would return and demand the plundered
property from him. When Saiyid Khalaf met Saadoon he (the Saiyid) told him
that he (Saadoon) acted very badly and that he (Saadoon) had both deceived
him and them, that he should now return the loot otherwise it would be
recovered forcibly. He replied—" It does not matter, the plundered persons
should come to me and I will return them (their property; ,, . My sou Jaber
sent the plundered persons and they received somethinar which is not worth
mentioning in comparison to what had been robbed. Friendly correspondence
continued between me and Saadoon for the restoration of our plundered pro
perty which remained with him, and the banishment of the Saeeds or the return
of the plundered property which was with them. Saadoon was inspired with the
baseness which is a characteristic of his and we were waiting for the Saeeds to
separate from Saadoon; otherwise as regards Saado an andall Saadoon's tribesmen
we shall, God williog, not agree that the least thing should be done by us against
them and we will not oppose them purposely at present and in future. Mv son
Jaber and Abdul Aziz-al-Saood learnt that on his return Saadoon was plun
dered by the Ibn Hazzall and his tribesmen of Anezah when he attacked them
and that he returned and went to his palace at Abughar and that the Saeeds
separated from him. They, Jaber and Abdul Aziz Saood, availed themselves
of this opportunity and when they reached near the Arabs they were met at
daybreak by their own spies who informed them that the Arabs were Bedouin
herdsmen and that there was a tent with them, which, as they had understood
belonged to Saadoon. The spies also stated that according to what they saw
there was Saadoon with the Arabs. They (Jaber and Abdul Aziz) abstained
from attacking the Arabs in the morning owing to the fact that Siadoon was
with them and waited till sunrise. They sent off certain horsemen to fire at
the Arabs in order that they may attract a horseman from Saadoon's party and
they may warn him. They pitched their tents and left their camels and horses
to graze and they did not take the offensive by way of evincing some politeness
Seeing this negligence on their pa-t Saadoon collected the horsemen of Adh
Dhatir who were with him as well as the mounted herdsmen of Muntafik
attacked their animals and plundered them in the pastures. This is the fact of
this case, and I have truthfully represented to you what has happened. Now
God willing, I will take no action against Saadoon but against the tribesmen who
adopted the path of villainy and who are not from amongst his dependents the
Muntafik. Whenever we find any opportunity we will punish him for the
sake of the security of the roads and of the persons who carry on business
from Khamisiyah to Zubair, Kuwait and A1 Hasa. Now in compliance with
your command, I will make no preparation against Saadoon, and so lone as
he is remaining with the bandits, 1 will avoid them until he succeeds in Se
parating from them. It is incumbent on him to abide by Your Honour's
commands and deal with you honestly. According to what he had mentioned
to Your Honour he had not left his place, but he has now halted in our
territories and awaits an opportunity to attack my tribesmen. His place is
Al Mayaah in the district of Muntatik, and his palace is in the bush at Abu^har.
About this item
- 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 View the complete information for this record
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'File 53/7 VI (D 9) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs - Arab Tribes, 1907-1911' [303r] (613/676), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/479, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023576879.0x00000e> [accessed 5 April 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/479
- Title
- 'File 53/7 VI (D 9) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs - Arab Tribes, 1907-1911'
- Pages
- 302r:303v
- Author
- Āl Ṣabāḥ, Shaikh Mubarak bin Ṣabāḥ xx Al Sabah, Shaikh Mubarak bin Sabah
- Usage terms
- Public Domain