"الشخصيات. العراق (باستثناء بغداد والكاظمين)، ١٩١٩" [و‎‎٤‎١] (٣١٨/٨٦)

i uq dtci a h fr°rn the Turks by prete-nom, and put in charge his brother Falih ; he farmed
a so Albu Darra] and Qassat al Gharbi Muqata'ahs by prete-nom and put his brother
Balasim (now dead) m charge. ‘Ah Gharbi Muqata'ah remained in the hands of Fahad,
father of Kamandar (d. 1917).
Ghadhban then became too much of a handful for the Turks, robbing and cutting
mes of traffic on the Tigris, as well as being 50,000 liras in arrears with revenue. Finally
they brought about 12,000 men and attacked him in conjunction with ‘Araibi and Yasir.
ter some successes Ghadhban was heavily defeated at Abu Sidrah, Jawar, and the mouth
of the Butairah, and was forced to take refuge in the hills, and the Turks gave his lands
to other shaikhs. In this fighting, Abdul Karim and Falih Saihud, of the Albu Muhammad,
as well as the Bahadil, Sarraj, and Sawaad tribes, were with Ghadhban. The Albu
belI1 g P ow erless, had previously scattered, and many of them had gone to the Hai.
Azamj in the beginning were ostensibly with Ghadhban owing to the presence of
a ih Bunaiyah, but their shaikhs, who were then helping the Turks, succeeded in bringing
* em against (jhadhban at the first favourable opportunity, and this defection on the part
of the Azairij was the decisive factor in his ultimate defeat. He went into exile in the
Ahwaz district, obtaining assistance from the Shaikh of Muhammarah.
Ghadhban was still on bad terms with the Turks at the outbreak of war, but was
endeavouring to ingratiate himself with them. At the same time he had not a single friend
among the shaikhs, as he had behaved treacherously to all of them at different times, and
had broken treaties to obtain temporary advantages.
the outbreak of war the lurks brought him back, promised him the Muqata'ah
of Thulthain, and gave him considerable sums to assist them in their attacks on Ahwaz.
He joined them in the summer of 1915 with the Sawa'ad and some Albu Darraj, under
Muhammad al Hittab, and in association with Muhammad Pasha Daghistani he may be
said to have been in joint command of the forces operating against us. It was alleged
at the time that he had offered £5 for the head of any British officer, but this was always
stoutly denied by Ghadhban and was never fully substantiated. On our occupation
of Amarah, he made overtures to us through his brother, Falih Bunaiyah, and was given
a safe conduct to come in and make his submission. This he accordingly did and entered
into a solemn undertaking to serve us, expressing his readiness, if necessary, to provide
a force to co-operate with us when we advanced towards Kut. We did not, however,
make any advance for some months, and in the meanwhile the Turks, after recovering
themselves from their flight from ‘Amarah, advanced down the river, passing Ghadhban’s
domicile, as far as Kumait. Ghadhban was at the time in negotiation with us for the raising
of a force of 1,000 mounted men to co-operate with us and had been asked to leave his son
with us as an earnest of good faith, but suddenly in the middle of negotiations it was;
noticed that he had removed his camp away from the river and we soon heard that he had
accepted a heavy bribe and rejoined the Turks. He seems to have taken no special part
in the fighting which led up to the capture of Kut, the fact being that the Turks strongly
distrusted him. After our occupation of Kut he wrote to the C.P.O. expressing his
regret for what had happened, and his readiness to accept any terms from us and to send
his son as an hostage. In reply he was informed that we intended to have no dealings
with him for the present, but if he desired to leave the door open for ultimate pardon, he
must keep away from the river and confine himself to certain approved localities. He
complied with these instructions, and continued to make overtures through the Wali of
Pusht-i-Kuh and other third parties in the hope of being received back into the fold.
Among these overtures was an offer to seize and hold Badrah for us. The offer was not
accepted, as it was impossible to be sure of his bona fides. Ultimately transport camels
being urgently needed for the advance of General Townshend’s force, it was decided to
accept his overtures to the extent of ordering him to supply 200 camels for hire. With
this order he complied, and subsequently went away eastwards towards ‘Arabistan. Subject
to continued good behaviour, and in recognition of the fact that it would be impossible for
him to maintain himself and his following and keep out of mischief without land or other
source of income, a monthly subsidy of Rs. 1,000 a month was fixed for him on certain
conditions, which he adhered to. Ghadhban has always been in relations with the Shaikh
of Muhammarah (as his tribe moves into ‘Arabistan.every hot weather)—sometimes good
and sometimes bad. They are now on satisfactory terms, and Ghadhban received his
yearly present from the Shaikh. Notoriously brave and generous, Ghadhban exercises
considerable influence over his tribe ; but he is known to be unreliable and an inveterate
intriguer. He is at bitter feud with Juwi al Lazim.
GHADHBAN IBN HASAN AL KHAIYUN.
Aet. circa 17. He joined Badr Rumaiyidh and the Turks. Qurnah division. Brother
of Salim al Khaiyun, the dispossessed Shaikh of Chabaish and was implicated in
depredations on our telegraph lines. Salim is in Bombay in detention. Other sons
are Falih and by a different wife, Hindal. Falih and Ghadhban at one time instituted
a reign of terror agaianst Majid al Khaiyun, q.v., but fled before us to Nasiriyah.
Ghadhban came in after our advance to Baghdad.
(1705) f 2