The Internal Conflict in Bahrain and Its

Impact on Qatar (1840-1868)

‫ُح ِ ِّرم عليك الصلحِ منا‬ Peace with us is forbidden to you
‫ما دام قا ِسم في الحديد‬ As long as Jassim is in chains
‫تارد سفنِّا‬
ِ ‫ال بد ما‬ We must reclaim our ships
!‫بالسيف مصقول الحديد‬
ِ With a sword of polished steel!
 Arab Tribal Migrations from Najd to Eastern Arabia:
• The early 18th century witnessed Arab migrations
from the central region of the Arabian Peninsula
towards the Arabian Gulf coast. Among the most
prominent of these tribes were the Al Ma'adhid
)‫ (المعاضيد‬and the Al Utub )‫ (العتوب‬. The Al Utub,
consisting of three branches (the Al Sabah ‫ ال صباح‬,
the Al Jalahma )‫ (الجالهمة‬, and the Al Khalifa ‫ال‬
‫)خليفة‬, settled in the Zubarah region. However,
their presence did not extend beyond the port of
Zubarah, while the rest of the Qatari Peninsula was
inhabited by native Qatari tribes.
Arab Tribal Migrations from Najd to Eastern Arabia:

• The Al Utub did not remain in Zubarah for long. In 1716, they left
Qatar and headed towards Kuwait, where they settled (the Al Sabah, the
Al Khalifa, and the Al Jalahma) until 1766. A dispute arose between
them, leading to the departure of the Al Jalahma and the Al Khalifa
from Kuwait. The Al Khalifa returned to Zubarah, on the northwestern
coast of the Qatari Peninsula, for the second time. They remained there
until 1783, when a coalition of Qatari tribes, along with the Al Utub,
under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa
successfully took control of Bahrain and expelled its rulers, the Al
Madhkur ‫ ال مذكور‬in 1783.
• The Al Thani family belongs to the Al Ma’adhid )‫ (المعاضيد‬, a branch of the Wahbah tribe
)‫(وهبة‬, which traces its lineage back to the Banu Tamim )‫(بني تميم‬. They migrated from
central Arabia due to the drought that struck Najd, specifically from the town of
Ushaiqir )‫ (أشيقر‬in the Al Washm )‫ (الوشم‬region, east of Najd, in the early 18th century.
They initially moved to the Jabrin oasis )‫ (واحة جبرين‬in southeastern Qatar, then relocated
to Askak )‫(اسكاك‬, followed by Al Ruwais )‫ (الرويس‬, Al Zubarah )‫ (الزبارة‬, and Al Fuwayrit
)‫ (الفويرط‬before finally settling in Doha in 1848.

Migration Route of the Al Thani Family:

Jabrin Al Al Al
Ushaiqir Askak Doha
oasis Ruwais Zubarah Fuwayrit
• When the First Saudi State emerged in the Najd region in 1745,
following the alliance between Muhammad bin Saud and Sheikh
Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, Qatar, along with the rest of the
western Arabian Gulf coast, came under the influence of the First
Saudi State in 1788. However, Saudi influence did not last long.

• The Ottoman Empire saw the First Saudi State as a threat to its
nominal sovereignty over the Arabian Peninsula and the western
Arabian Gulf coast. As a result, the Ottoman Sultan turned to the
Governor of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, who, in turn, sent a
military campaign led by Ibrahim Pasha. This campaign
succeeded in capturing Diriyah )‫(الدرعية‬, the capital of the First
Saudi State, in 1818, thereby ending the rule of the Al Saud over
Qatar, Al-Ahsa, and the Gulf emirates.
The Bahraini Civil War (1840-1843) and Its Impact on Qatar:
• As a result of a conflict between the ruler of Bahrain, Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed, and
one of his cousins, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa, who began to challenge his rule,
Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa sought the support of Qatari tribes and Sheikh
Mohammed bin Thani. Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani and the Qatari tribes sympathized
with Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa, and the people of Qatar and its tribes expressed
their readiness to provide assistance and support in his dispute with his cousin.

• The attacking forces, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani, used the area of Al Fuwayrit
)‫(الفويرط‬as a base for their operations towards Bahrain. The attacking forces succeeded in
taking control of Bahrain and exiling Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed, who then resided in
Dammam.

• Thus, the Qatari tribes played a significant and pivotal role in the Bahraini civil war, as
they succeeded in helping Mohammed bin Khalifa ascend to power in Bahrain.
• As a result of the role played by the people of Qatar in supporting Mohammed bin
Khalifa, the new ruler of Bahrain, the sons of Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed attempted
to mediate with the people of Qatar to allow them to return to Bahrain. However, this
mediation led to a deterioration of relations between the people of Qatar and the ruler
of Bahrain, exacerbating the conflict between them. This ultimately resulted in armed
clashes between the two sides in the Battle of Umm Suwayya 1847 )‫(معركة أم سوية‬.
 Qatar and the Second Saudi State (1843–1891):

• The sons of Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed sought assistance from Emir
Faisal bin Turki, the founder of the Second Saudi State. In 1850, the Saudi
Emir advanced with his forces towards Qatar, having decided to punish the
ruler of Bahrain, Mohammed bin Khalifa. He requested that Sheikh
Mohammed bin Thani, who had become the leader of the Qatari tribes,
prepare for the upcoming war with the ruler of Bahrain.
• As the ruler of Bahrain sensed that the Qatari forces, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani
and his son, Sheikh Jassim, had taken up the task of opposing the Al Khalifa, in 1852 he
assembled an army to attack Doha. He sought the assistance of the ruler of Abu Dhabi,
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoun )‫ (سعيد بن طحنون‬, who responded by joining forces with the
Bahraini ruler. Together, they besieged Doha from the sea. Skirmishes occurred between
the two sides, but the besieging forces did not dare to storm Doha due to:

1. The readiness of the people of Qatar to defend the city.

2. Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani's success in forming an alliance with the Saudi state and
securing Saudi support for the Qatari tribes in their conflicts with Bahrain and Abu
Dhabi.
• It is evident from the above that the Qatari tribes did not accept submission to the
authority of the rulers of Bahrain and were always aspiring for independence. However,
the absence of a unified political and tribal leadership prevented the people of Qatar from
achieving their political and economic goals of independence.

• Nevertheless, from the 1840s onwards, the people of Qatar gained the means to realize
their ambitions. This was embodied in the emergence of a respected political figure,
Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani, who was known for his piety, bravery, strong character,
and deep concern for the interests of the country. Alongside him stood his young son,
Sheikh Jassim, who supported his father in the pursuit of the aspirations of the Qatari
tribes.
• Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani and his son led the Qatari tribes in opposing the ambitions of the
rulers of Bahrain and curbing their influence. In addition, Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani
demonstrated political skill by forming an alliance with the Saudi Emir Faisal bin Turki in 1852.
This paved the way for the establishment of a political leadership that successfully united the Qatari
tribes under its banner, creating a favorable environment for encouraging the people of Qatar to
pursue independence and self-governance within the Qatar Peninsula, free from external
interference.

• The alliance between the Saudi Emir and Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani angered the rulers of
Bahrain, which led to continued conflict and disputes between the people of Qatar and the rulers of
Bahrain.
 Al Wakra Incident 1866
• In 1866, the men of Sheikh Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa (the Al Khalifa representative in Qatar) attacked
a caravan of the Al Nuaimi tribe )‫ (قبيلة النعيم‬in the Al Wakrah market, which was preparing for a pearl diving
expedition, and seized their belongings. As a result, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani took the lead
of the Qatari tribes and attacked Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa at Al Wakrah Fort. The Qatari attackers
successfully took control of Al Wakrah Fort, and Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed began preparing to end any
remaining authority of the rulers of Bahrain over his land.

• The rulers of Bahrain realized that Sheikh Jassim Al Thani's policies stood in the way of their ambitions and
desires in Qatar. As a result, they sought to punish him. The plot against Sheikh Jassim succeeded when he
was invited to Bahrain in 1867 for consultations. Upon his arrival in Manama, he was arrested and
imprisoned as a punishment for his actions against their representative in Al Wakrah in 1866.
• The Al Khalifa family sought to take advantage of Sheikh Jassim's absence
from Doha and reached out to the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin
Khalifa, to gain his support in attacking Qatar. The joint Bahraini-Abu Dhabi
attack succeeded in October 1867, entering Doha, which suffered significant
damage due to looting and pillaging by the attackers. This was largely due to:

1. The exploitation of the absence of Qatari men, who were preoccupied with the
fishing and pearl diving season.
• The Qataris did not take long to respond to the attack on Doha. They began
preparing to retaliate and to secure the release of Sheikh Jassim. In June 1868,
they launched a major attack on Bahrain. The Qatari tribes confronted the rulers of
Bahrain in the Battle of Damsa )‫ (معركة دامسة‬in Bahrain.
• However, the Qataris avoided deep penetration into Bahraini territory. Instead,
they strategically withdrew to Qatar, luring the Bahraini ships into a trap to
ambush them and cut off their retreat to the ships. Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani’s
plan succeeded, as they surprised their opponents with a large-scale attack. The
Qataris captured Ibrahim bin Isa Al Khalifa and Hamoud bin Salman Al Khalifa,
thereby achieving their goals of avenging the attack on Doha and securing the
release of Sheikh Jassim through a prisoner exchange.
• The British authorities saw the actions of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi as a threat to
security and peace in the region. As a result, British resident Lewis Pelly decided
to take action. They required the ruler of Abu Dhabi to pay a financial fine for the
damage caused to Doha, and also asked for a formal apology and a commitment to
maintain security and peace
• As for Bahrain, the British resident took a firmer stance, viewing it as the
main source of these problems. Since its ruler, Mohammed bin Khalifa, had
fled Bahrain fearing British retaliation, Britain decided to punish Bahrain.
As a result, the following measures were taken:
1. Mohammed bin Khalifa was deposed from ruling Bahrain.
2. His brother, Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa, was appointed as the new ruler.
3. A large fine was imposed, and compensation was to be paid to the people
of Qatar for the damages they had suffered.
4. British ships burned and destroyed the Bahraini vessels that had
participated in the attack on Doha.
• Following the punitive measures taken by the British political resident, Lewis Pelly, he traveled to
Doha in September 1868, where he met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani and the Qatari sheikhs.
During the meeting, Resident Pelly expressed the British authorities' disapproval of the hostile
actions taken by the rulers of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. He also pledged that the people of Qatar
would receive appropriate compensation.

• On September 12, 1868, an agreement was signed with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani, marking the
first official contact between Britain and Qatar, as no prior agreements or contact had occurred
between them.

• The terms of the agreement were beneficial for both Britain and Qatar, which influenced the nature
of Qatari-British relations.

• This agreement resulted in the emergence of a new political entity in the Arabian Gulf region and
the recognition by Britain of the Al Thani family as the ruling family of Qatar.