The British Policy towards Qawasim in the Arabian Gulf until 1820 AD

Abstract

The competition among European powers in the Arabian Gulf, and their attempts to impose complete hegemony over its political and tribal entities, took several forms. These ranged from direct military control to the rise of the British, Dutch, and French East India Companies, which consolidated their monopoly on trade. For decades, these companies also engaged in multifaceted activities against Arab ships, trade, and navigation in the Arabian Gulf. Consequently, the fierce competition among these companies contributed to reshaping the policies of European states in the East, India, and the Arabian Gulf in particular. Despite Britain's insistence on non-interference in the internal affairs of the Gulf sheikhdoms and emirates, limiting itself to protecting its commercial activities and securing postal routes, events proved that Britain worked to deepen tribal divisions and fuel political conflicts. It also deliberately strengthened some powers at the expense of others, its primary objective being to weaken and exhaust these powers in order to achieve its own influence and consolidate its interests. Several tribal organizations emerged on the eastern coast of the Arabian Gulf, capitalizing on the changes that swept the region following the fall of the Yarubi dynasty in Oman and the assassination of Nader Shah in Persia. The Qawasim and Bani Yas were among the most prominent of these alliances, building land and sea forces to consolidate their presence in the region. They began targeting European ships, which, in turn, sought to undermine the burgeoning commercial role of the Qawasim and other Arab powers in the Arabian Gulf. The Qawasim engaged in naval resistance against European powers, particularly the British, who refused to recognize Arab sovereignty over their territorial waters.