The Gulf States in the Modern Era (Week 2: Those Pesky British and Their Hobby of Making Borders) OLLI Fall 2018-Janice Lee Jayes- (jjayes@ilstu.edu)
It was during the British era (mid 1800s to mid 1900s) that the modern borders develop.
By the mid 1800s the British move from keeping the French out to policing the Pirate Coast. They empower other tribes by allowing them to avoid taxes to the Qasimi.
During the final years of the 19 th c. coastal families converting revenue from pearls and British payments into purchases of oases land, labor (including slaves) and investment in guards.
The Modern U.A.E. A Federation with the capital at Abu Dhabi (the largest, wealthiest and most populated emirate).
19 th C. British Explorers Included Lady Anne Blunt (granddaughter of Lord Byron, daughter of 1 st computer programmer, Ada Lovelace, and creator of English Thoroughbred line). She found Arab dress much more comfortable than British corsets. Her 1881 travel account is vailable on Project Gutenberg.
Power in Traditional Arabian Tribes Tribes were vast networks where authority was over people not land. Tribes and sub tribes or client tribes often pursued complimentary economic activities (camel herding and dried fish production and sale), date farming and animal husbandry) in different areas. Mobile tribes had the advantage. Decisions in Tribes traditionally made in council (Majlis) and by consensus (Shura) due to fear of fragmentation. Dissenting members of the tribe could always split off. Tribal political structure did not recognize dynasties. Power resided in the council. A Qadi (religious scholar) operated religious courts, a Wali represented the ruling/sherifian tribe (for warriors or laborers), organized irrigation work, markets.
The pearl trade + Outside interests gave coastal families both the incentive and the means to reshape the tribal political system. American socialite Evelyn Walsh McLean (who also bought the Hope Diamond) a good example of pearl-mania c. 1900.
The 1867 Suez Canal and the switch from Sail to Steam increased British interest in establishing coaling stations along the coasts. (1904 Map) Ottoman Territory Aden (British India territory) British Protectorates Independent Emirates
The pearl trade brought other foreign visitors French, German, Russian.leading the British to increase their presence. The Cartier brothers visiting Gulf pearl dealers in 1911.
Ibn Saud was driven from Riyadh as a boy and lived in Kuwait 1891-1900, a town whose ruler survived by playing off European and Ottomans threats.
During the 19th century, Kuwait developed as a thriving independent trading community. Toward the end of the century, one ruler, ʿAbd Allāh II (reigned 1866 92), began to move Kuwait closer to the Ottoman Empire, although he never placed his country under Ottoman rule. That trend was reversed with the accession of Mubārak the Great, who came to power by assassinating his brother ʿAbd Allāh an act of uncustomary political violence in Kuwait. Ottoman threats to annex Kuwait prompted Mubārak to cultivate a close relationship with Britain. An 1899 treaty basically granted Britain control of Kuwait s foreign affairs. Encyclopedia Britannica entry 2018. Hmmmmmmm
A British customs officer noted a curious trade in weapons. In Sept. 1902, 120 rifles came through Dubai. In October the number increased to 200. Ibn Saud was one of many arming the tribes in the interior.between 1904 and 1923 his territory tripled. 1923 Map of Arabia
On the eve of WWI the British and Germans competed to control the Middle East. The Germans trained the Ottoman military and won the concession to build the Hejaz railroad. The British held the concession to river traffic on the Tigris and Euphrates (not to mention all of Egypt and the Suez Canal).
After WWI the British controlled both ends of the Gulf as well as all of the Indian coast.
By 1923 Britain protected all the states in the Gulf. Kuwait border demarcated in 1923 Baghdad protests ignored. Until 1947 the states administered from India. No discernible government presence no schools, services, infrastructure, offices (except customs offices) 1961 Kuwait granted independence 1971 Remaining states granted independence. UAE federation government capital at Abu Dhabi Land belongs to the ruling family. British officers directed the armies in UAE and Oman
Oil Rents Negotiated with Ruling Families Become Key to Survival of the Emirs Oil Rents as % of Government Revenue (World Bank indicators, 2018) Kuwait.2 (1970) 44.0 (2018) Bahrain 16% (1980) 2.5% (2018) Qatar.3% (1970) 16% (2018) U.A.E. 25% (1970) 15% (2018)
Older Newsreels Capture the tension between tribal traditions and new state structures. Documentary (c. 2010) Minutes 22-32 Collapse of Pearl industry 22.- post WWI I; 1950s Oil industry,. 1 st 2 minutes great photos of current Abu dhabi. min. 21:30 collapse of pearling. Oil beginning 24-rise of Sheikh Zayed. Crisis in 1952; 1966 Sheikh Zayed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgfrbr1tb_y