"ملف 10/3 VI الامتياز النفطي بقطر" [و‎‎٧‎١] (٤٨١/١٥٣)

Wahabi Injiuence m Trucial Oman in 18(35.
82. The Political Resident in 1865 prepared a map, of which a cop}^ is attached as P.R. to
Appendix C, showing the positions of the Wahabi power and the minor Chieftains ^>. 11,
friendly to it, and of the Sultanate of Muscat and the minor Chieftains friendly to it. 14
His covering despatch drew attention to the extent to which in the east of the
peninsnJa the interests of Muscat and the Wahabis were interlaced. It will be
observed that Abu Dhabi and Debai are classed as supporters of Muscat, and that
Qatar and a fairly deep fringe along the Trucial sea coast are shown as failing
outside the Wahabi sphere.
Fall of Baraimi and Destruction of Wahahi Power in Trucial Oman, 1869.
S3. Little of moment appears to have occurred in the Prucial area between
1856 and 1870. In 1864-66 the Trucial Sheikhs appear to have stood aside from
the struggles between Muscat and the Wahabis. In 1866 the Wahabis undertook
not " to injure or attack the territories of the Arab tribes in alliance with the Lor. I, 727,
British Government . . . further than in receiving the zaliat that has been customary
of old." In 1867 the ex-Sheikh of Ras-al-Khaimah unsuccessfully sought for
Wahabi intervention. In April 1869 the Wahabi Lieutenant at Baraimi, having
involved himself in the affairs of Shargah, was murdered there. In June 1869 the
Sultan of Muscat captured Baraimi and formed an alliance with the Sheikh of
Abu Dhabi, originally directed against the other Sheikhs of Oman, whom the
Sultan suspected of favouring the Wahabis. But on the Sheikh of Shargah joining
this alliance all danger from the Wahabis came to an end, and, with the reassertion
of Turkish influence farther west in 1870-71 and the gradual collapse of the Saudi
dynasty, Wahabi influence ceased to be of importance in •Trucial Oman, save in
a purely religious sense, for half a century.
Qatar and the Wahabis, 1840-1870.
84. Bahrein assumed a dominating influence in Qatar throughout most of this
period. In 1851 there'was risk of the establishment of Wahabi influence in it, but
a peace arranged in J uly of that year removed any risk of the dispossession of the
Sheikhs of Bahrein by the Wahabis.
Bahrein tributary to Wahabis in respect of Qatar, 1866.
85. In 1866 the Political Resident, after a careful investigation, expressed the
view, which was accepted by the Government of India in 1867, that the Sheikh of
Bahrein probably owed fealty to the Wahabi Government on account of his Lor. 1,892.
possessions in Qatar and that the tribute of 4,000 dollars a year which he at
that time paid to the Wahabi Amir " was regarded as a payment made to secure his
subjects in Qatar from aggression by other tribes of the mainland." The Amir
appears at one time (between 1852 and 1856) to have had a representative of his Lor. I, 800.
own at Dohah. But Lorimer expresses the opinion that it is probable that this
agent was only the local Sheikh.
86. By 1868 the El Thani family had obtained a dominant influence in Qatar. Lor. I, 802.
Nothing of importance occurred in the principality until the occupation of Dohah
by the Turks in 1871.
Bahrein and the Wahabis, 1840-1870.
87. From 1843 to 1847 the Wahabi Amirs from time to time lent a considerable
degree of support to the dispossessed Sheikh Abdulla of Bahrein, and in 1845 the
ex-Sheikh unsuccessfully attempted to capture the islands with their assistance. Lor. I, 880.
In 1846 the Wahabi Amir was refused permission by the Resident to call in the
Trucial Sheikhs of the Arab littoral against Bahrein, a corresponding request by the
Sheikh of Bahrein to be allowed to enlist the Sheikh of Debai against the Wahabis
being equally refused in November of the same year. In August 1847 a treaty
of peace was concluded between the Wahabi Amir and the ruling Sheikh, under
"which the ruling Sheikh agreed to pa} 7 a tribute of 4,000 dollars a year, while the
Wahabi Amir agreed to abandon his support of the ex-Sheikh.
88. In 1850-51 the Amir was prevented from taking and possibly subduing
Bahrein by the intervention of H.M. Government, and a peace by which Bahrein Lor. 1,1112
a greed to pay tribute was concluded between the Sheikh and the Wahabis in »)uly
' 0 f that year. In the following year, the Sheikh proposing to withhold his tribute