"ملخص لعلاقات الحكومة البريطانية مع قبائل وشيوخ عربستان. بقلم الملازم أ. ت. ويلسون، القائم بأعمال القنصل في عربستان" [ظ‎‎١‎٦] (١٤٣/٣٧)

18
CHAPTER IV.
1897-1910.
Shaikh Khaz’al’s Rule.
The assassination of Miz’al took place on June 2nd, 1897, when he was
disembarking from his boat at Failiyeh : his nephew ’Abdul Janl was shot
simultaneously. The actual assassins were three negroes, but a large force of
negroes and Arabs under Salman bin Mansur, the Shaikh’s cousin, was at
hand to give support if necessary. The act was countenanced, if it was not
instigated, by Khaz’al, the youngest son of Haji Jabir, Miz’al’s brother. Haji
Muhammad ’All Rais-ut-Tujjar is generally supposed to have been likewise
privy to the deed- Miz’al had been popular in the earlier stages of his career
but his stinginess and avarice combined to make him more and more unpopu
lar, and his death was welcomed by all classes. He left no issue.
Shaikh Khaz’al at once assumed the direction of affairs; no disturbances
occurred, though the local population carried arms for several days after
wards mindful of the disturbances that had followed Haii Jabir’s death in
1881.
The strong policy of the Shaikhs of the Muhaisin, which Haji Jabir had
initiated, was in no way weakened by the change of head in respect of the
adjoining districts. It was rather intensified, and before long a tendency
became apparent to an expansion of the Shaikh’s influence beyond its tradi
tional limits. 1 The subjugation of the Ka’ab tribe, which had been one of the
main objects of Miz’al s rule, was finally effected before long, and from the
first the Shaikh exercised effective control in Mohammerah, and the nomina
tion of the Governor at Fallahiyeh was practically in his hands. The Persian
Government were in no hurry to recognize Khaz’al as Miz’al’s successor and
did not continue to him the title of Mu’izz-es-Saltanah, 2 which his brother had
enjoyed, until April 1898. The Shaikh soon found the traditional hostility
of the Governor of Arabistan to the Shaikh of Mohammerah was in no way
diminished. He was not a little apprehensive at this time that the Sarda'r
’ \ ^ 0Vernor Arabistan, might put up his nephew ’Abud as a rival.
Abud himself was unlikely to make such a claim of his own accord, but he
miglit be used, by the Persians for their own purpose, as had been done in
Shaikh Miz’al s time, when Muhammad, his brother, was appointed as Gover
nor vue Miz al until the latter paid heavily for the cancellation of the orders.
1 he Ka ab were ready, as always, to support any pretender who had a chance
°f ST- 8 T> Uncler whose leadership they might break the power of the house
The Sardar Akram intended to force ’Abdullah on the Ka’ab as tl
Governor of Fallahiyeh, against their will and contrary to Shaikh Khaz’al
advice. The latter had already paid 15,000 Tomans pisUash to the Sards
AAram, as a condition of the latter’s assistance in obtaining a farman for hii
fu a i s , suc( ; ess0r - l" ^e meanwhile the Sardar Akram wired to Tehra
had interviewed the Arabs at Nasiri (where ’Abud was) and that i
the Shaikh did not comply with his demands (in regard to the Governorshi
don t t'tl K- C ° Uld the Shaikh what his (the Sardar’s) father ha
f pershn Governor “ ^ 1D 1845 ’ dep0rt him and re P laoe hi “ *
s ,I he S haikh on his P ar t wired to the Nizam-es-Saltaneh whose nomine
Sardar Akram was protesting against the! latter’s intrigues : the Nizai
wired to the Sardar to cease interference in the Arab districts and devote h
energies to the pacification of Shushtar and Dizful whichlowns wele the
TT ..’J'! 1 ® “traditional limits ” are expressed in the Arab savins tW “ nrkor. -n- • » i
Haji Jabir stopped at Salman ih : when the Ka’ab were stron/b.^wiaG^jT* ^ Ba^i Arabs were sti
the battle at the latter place, in which the Muhaisin were deflated. ' ‘ t0 8 ° t0 ^ amkl1 an aUusioi
1902 lie was created Sardar Arfa* and the fitla of v , , , T
b, eldest son. The titles of Amir To nan and Amin Nu j5 n vsere oonformd o^tceesriv^WOS. 0111