Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.' [21r] (42/440)
The record is made up of 1 file (218 folios). It was created in 30 Sep 1931-7 Oct 1949. It was written in English 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.
Confidential*
X>» 0 »!fo*C/ 358 «i«<v' 4 «
Vfr dear JPrior 9
Will you please refer to my telegram Bo*108 dated
the 16th April about the Amir Saud f e riait to India f
X do not think that there ie any need for a lengthy
report on hie brief stay in Bahrain* X did not meet him
on arrival ae it nae rather rough for hie oroBeing from AX
Khobar and he la not a very good Bailor$ and aleo 1 was not
sure in what state of health he was* So I wrote a letter
which was taken across to him at Al Khobar and received a
reply from him fixing a time for an interview* And 1
arranged with the Bahrain people to make the arrival as
unofficial as possible*
3* X enclose herewith for your information copies of
telegrams from and to the Government of India about the
visit* The Amir Baud was most grateful for anything we
could do for him and conveyed a personal message of thanks
from Xbn Saud also* Host of my call on him was taken up
with arrangements* hut he was good enough to return it
though 1 certainly did not expect him to do so as he was
hers for so short a time* On the return call I introduced
the senior Haval Officer who very kindly arranged for one of
the sloops at the mouth of the Gulf to collect any message
the Amir wanted to send to Xbn Baud* A mes&age arrived
yesterday morning and X passed it on to the King*
4* The Amir Baud was as charming as ever and even found
time to visit the new Bahrain Government Hospital while he
was here* He told me that while the King and he had to be
/ rather
Hon'ble lt*Col*C*G«mor 9 CXB* 9
Political Resident
A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
*
Bushire*
About this item
- Content
This file relates to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the future of Arabia in the event of his death.
The file largely consists of copies of Foreign Office correspondence, which have been forwarded by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Under-Secretary of State for India. Also included are copies of correspondence addressed to the 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. and the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle, succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior).
The correspondence begins with the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. 's response to the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India's remark that British influence in the Middle East seems largely to depend on the life of one man: Ibn Saud.
Related matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:
- The effect that Ibn Saud's death, or fall from power, might have on Kuwait.
- The designation of Amir Saud [Sa‘ūd bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd] as Ibn Saud's heir apparent in 1933.
- Rumours of tense relations between Amir Saud and his brother Feisal [Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Sa'ud].
- Arab public opinion on Ibn Saud, following the Saudi-Yemeni war.
- Reports of Ibn Saud and Amir Saud having been attacked by would-be assassins in Mecca in 1935.
- Amir Saud's visit to India for medical treatment in 1940.
- Reports of the arrest of ninety persons suspected of being involved in a plot to assassinate Ibn Saud in 1940.
Other prominent correspondents include the following: the 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. , Kuwait (Harold Richard Patrick Dickson, succeeded by Gerald Simpson de Gaury); the 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. , Bahrain (Hugh Weightman); the British Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan; Sir Reader William Bullard; Hugh Stonehewer Bird); His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires, Jedda (Albert Spencer Calvert); officials of the 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. , the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, and the Government of India's External Affairs Department.
In addition to correspondence the file includes the following:
- A report by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. entitled 'The Future of Arabia', which discusses the present position of Ibn Saud and how Arabia might look without him.
- Extracts from Kuwait intelligence summaries.
- A copy of a report produced in 1937 by the 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. at Kuwait, Gerald Simpson de Gaury, on the history of the Shammar tribe and the Ibn Rashid [Āl Rashīd] family, which includes as enclosures a table of the Shammar confederation and a genealogical table of the Al Rashid family, both of which are printed in Arabic and English.
- A copy of a report, produced in 1938 by de Gaury, on the 'Anaza [‘Aniza] tribe, which includes a tribal table of the tribe.
The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (218 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 219; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An external leather cover wraps around the documents and the front inside of this cover has been foliated as folio 1. A previous foliation sequence, which is present between ff 2-218 and is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.' [21r] (42/440), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2082, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100038375479.0x00002b> [accessed 5 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100038375479.0x00002b
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100038375479.0x00002b">Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.' [‎21r] (42/440)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100038375479.0x00002b"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x00026c/IOR_L_PS_12_2082_0042.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x00026c/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2082
- Title
- Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:115v, 117r:124v, 126r:130v, 137r:140v, 142r:172v, 174r:179v, 181r:181v, 183r:219v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence
![Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.' [‎21r] (42/440) Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.' [‎21r] (42/440)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x00026c/IOR_L_PS_12_2082_0042.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg)