"دليل الخليج، الجزء الأول: المواد التاريخية والسياسية: ملخص حول شؤون نجد، ١٨٠٤-١٩٠٤". [و‎‎٢‎٨] (٦٨/٥٥)

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fee a serious revival in the Mussulman world— a movement which may give much trouble if
not properly met—there may be great benefit in our having a commanding voice in the
country which, I may say, governs the actions of all Mussulmans. That country is Arabia,
i.e., Yemen, Hedjaz, Teherna (the province iu which, properly speaking, Jeddab and Mecca
are situated), Nejd, &c/’
186. Mr. Zohrab’s views regarding a national movement against the rule of
the Sultan in Arabia are exactly opposite to those, above quoted, of the Vice-
Consul, Damascus. He says—
“ That the whole of Arabia is becoming hostile to the rule of the Sultan is no secret, and
1 do not believe there is a doubt that the revival of the Khalifat in the person of the Grand
Shereef of Mecca is being seriously discussed and may soon he attempted.”
XL —State of affairs in 1881.
187. Abdullah bin Eeysal was in Hiadh. Mahomed bin Saud was in Kharj
and occasionally paid his uncle a visit, as also did the elders of the Ajman
tribe, Hazam and Itankan. The agent of the Pasha of Hasa had invited the
Ajman chiefs to return to Hasa and promised that their allowances would
be continued to them. They refused to go howover, and requested that the
allowances might be paid to their agents in Kasa.
XLI—Rise of the Shammar Principality, 1835—1882.
Sere we must pa^ise a little and trace the rise of the Shammar principality t
which soon plays an important part in the history of Rejd.
The following account in this chapter is taken from Mr. Blech’s Memo
randum. Enclosure to No. 365 in Secret E, August 1904, Nos. 286-473.
188. At the earliest period of the history of Central Arabia, the numerous
and powerful tribe of Tai from the Yemen occupied the Jebel Shammar. About
500 A. D. occurred the celebrated conflict between the tribes of Nejd, headed by
Koleib Wail, Chief of Taghleb, and the armies of Yemen, led by the Lakhmite
Chiefs ; the latter were overthrown, and the entire Nejd delivered from the
Kahtanite yoke. In this war Tai, though of Yemenite origin, sided with the
Nejdean clans of Rabia. Soon after these clans engaged in civil war, upon the
treacherous murder of Koleib by his kinsman Jessas. This caused many im
portant changes in the relative position of the central tribes, and a large settle
ment of Beni Taghleb, Beni Abs and Howazin took place within the limits of
Jebel Shammar, where the new settlers united with the elder inhabitants, or
Beni Tai, and from this union sprang the tribe of Shammar still so called.
189. In the earlier years of Moslem rule we find this district still powerful
and independent, resisting successfully all the efforts of the Ommiad Caliphs,
whose armies were signally defeated at the entrance of these mountains during
the reign of Merwan, towards the beginning of the eight century. Their subse
quent history remains for a long time a blank. Some of the clan Shammar,
notably the *Bedr, were still Christians when they repulsed the Ommiad troops.
Probably they eventually professed Islam. But they afterwards relapsed in
to semi-barbarism, resumed pagan forms of worship, and split up into small
factions.
190 At the beginning of the eighteenth century the province underwent
the short-lived tyranny of the first Wahabi Empire, and like other districts was
hut tensiently affected bv it. At this time Hail was already looked upon as in
a manner the capital of Jebel Shammar partly owing to its size and wealth,
partly to its central position. Supreme rule was exercised in the family of
Beit Ali, ancient denizens of the city.
191. But one Abdullah-bin-Rashid then lived in Hail. He was of the
clan of laafer, the noblest branch of the Shammar tribe. Many of his re
lations were Bedouins, though his own direct ancestors had long been towns
men Wealthy high born and conscious of ability and vigour, he aspired