"ملف 19/218 (C 84) خلافة البحرين" [و‎‎٦‎٠] (٢١٠/١٢١)

Copy of a detailed note,dated 27th November 1939,
prepared in the External .iffairs Department,
hew Delhi, regarding the succession of Shaikh
hamad as ShaiEb of Bahrain.
I>
The circumstances in which the present Shaikh of
Bahrain (Shaikh Hamad) came to be recognised as
successor designate to the Chiefship by His Majesty's
Grovernment were as follows.
jc iatLer fro# lc ^ ^ sa » father of the present Shaikh,
|irftLoVersian ent S6nt hiS SOn t0 interviev; the Political Resident with
jfndia^Forei^n 0 ^ I ^ ot ^ ect seCurin 8 recognition by the British
Eafeo c; 0 ifi697 ^Qvemment. The Resident informed Shaikh Hamad that
it would be necessary for his father to address him
statin^ what his wishes were and that the Shaikh's propo
sals would be forwarded for the consideration of G-overnm
if sufficiently strong reasons were urged. On 7th
February 1698 Shaikh Ssa wrote to the Resident enclosing
^a copy ol his will in which he declared the appointment
c.f. letter from
the Pol. Resident
in the Persian
Gulf No. 57-^.,^
wi toarrf ' t, % of his son as heir apparent. The will was attested
— ibio —
by 44 of the leading men of Bahrain. Before referring
the matter to the G-overnment of India the Political
Resident asked for the views of local officers with
particular regard to the custom and practice obtaining
among Arab tribes relative to succession to Shaikhship
and the probable reaction of the people of Bahrain and
the surrounding tribes to a recognition by us of Shaikh
Hamad. The general view appeared to be that whilst
there was no recognised rule governing succession which
in many cases was determined by financial and other
considerations and by the approval of the elders of the
tribe^, it was usual for the bhaikh's nominee to be
regarded as his successor and particularly so in the
case of tribes dependent on, or tributory to, another
x-ower lor its peaceful existence. As Bahrain was
regarded generally as a British protectorate, it was
anticipated ....