Few possess the authority and mastery of historical writing like His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. His Highness approaches history with unwavering neutrality, profound objectivity, and a remarkable analytical and critical mind. His dedication to this field springs from a lifelong passion for history and an expansive command of its sources—qualities reflected in all his works and now crowned by his newest achievement, "The Compendium of the Histories of the Arabian Peninsula and Persia 1622 CE to 1810 CE.”

This monumental opus spans 33 volumes, bringing together an unparalleled collection of writings on the region’s history. It incorporates Dutch, British, French, and Ottoman documents, seamlessly woven into a cohesive narrative. With this work, His Highness builds upon his earlier publication “The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman,” presenting a comprehensive chronicle of the region in meticulously ordered annals, in both Arabic and English, and grounded in 1,473 authentic documents.

In "The Compendium of the Histories", His Highness undertook the painstaking task of reviewing, organizing, and classifying a vast array of historical sources. This extraordinary scholarly endeavour, nearly forty years in the making, reflects His Highness’s commitment to accuracy and depth. He personally translated the documents from their original languages into Arabic, preserving the essence of events that unfolded across the Arabian Peninsula and Persia as recorded in their diverse primary sources.

The Dutch

The Dutch succeeded in securing a formidable foothold in the region following the decline of Portuguese dominance—an era-defining shift highlighted by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in the introduction to Volume One of "The Compendium of the Histories". This volume chronicles twenty-four pivotal years (1622–1645), beginning with the fall of Hormuz in 1622 to the English–Persian alliance—an event that marked the definitive end of Portuguese control over the Gulf’s most vital maritime gateway.

His Highness notes that the Dutch were quick to seize the opportunity created by this turning point, rapidly strengthening their position. From that moment onwards, recurring naval confrontations erupted between the Dutch and the Portuguese near Qeshm, Larak, and Muscat. At the same time, new plans were set in motion to establish direct trade routes between the Netherlands and Persia, fuelled by the ambition to dominate the lucrative export of Persian silk to India and Europe.

This volume also uncovers many intricate details: from Portuguese attempts to preserve their waning influence by forming alliances with the Persians, to imposing tribute on Qeshm and reinforcing their presence in Muscat. Yet these efforts ultimately collapsed—undermined by the growing power of the Dutch and English and challenged by the rise of assertive Arab forces determined to reclaim their regional authority. Meanwhile, the Ottoman Empire closely observed these shifts, issuing a series of imperial firmans between 1642 and 1643 to the governors of Baghdad, Basra, Al-Ahsa, and Madinah, in a bid to preserve regional balance and deter increasing foreign intrusion into the Gulf waters.

Pivotal Events

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah documents an additional twenty-year period (1694–1713), rich with transformative events that shaped the history of the Arabian Gulf and Basra. These years unveil the intricate and ever-shifting dynamics among regional powers—the Ottomans, the Persians, and the Omanis—alongside the influential European actors of the age: the Dutch, the English, and the Portuguese.

In Volume Five of "The Compendium of the Histories", His Highness highlights the prominent role of the Omanis, who emerged as a central force in the region’s unfolding events. They spearheaded successive naval campaigns, challenged Persian influence, and rose as a formidable regional power determined to dismantle Portuguese dominance. Their efforts were reinforced by the involvement of several Arab tribes, whose participation deepened the contest over Basra, turning the city into a continuous arena of political and military confrontation.

As noted earlier, this period also witnessed deliberate Ottoman intervention, while the Persians sought to draw the Dutch to their side in an attempt to balance Omani maritime expansion. Yet these developments reveal far more than shifting alliances: they shed light on the lives of Arab merchants, the evolution of shipping routes, the conditions of the ports, and other crucial elements that shaped the economic and political landscape of the Gulf.

The years between 1714 and 1727 ushered in another wave of turbulence. The Omanis carried out repeated attacks on vital ports, while Persian appeals for Dutch support intensified. The Ottomans, too, reinforced their authority, issuing directives to the governors of Basra and Baghdad to restore security, quell uprisings, and regulate the administration of ports and trade.

The Sublime Porte

The historical narrative presented by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in "The Compendium of the Histories" continues, guiding us into the events of 1764, which detail the final undertakings of the Dutch in Gombroon—a Persian coastal city now known as Bandar Abbas. These accounts include correspondence with Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mu‘eini, the ruler of Hormuz, as well as the last invitation extended to him to return to Gombroon or Hormuz—an indication of the Dutch retreat and their diminishing role in the region.

Volume Fourteen of "The Compendium of the Histories" offers meticulous documentation of this period, including records of ship movements, wool exports from Kerman, and the financial ledgers of sales and expenditures from the English Company’s office in Basra. It also captures the customs duties imposed by local authorities on the company’s commercial activities.

The same period documents the efforts of English agents to secure an official firman from the Sublime Porte appointing a consul to represent the company in Basra—a process that unfolded between April and June of 1764.

Politically, the narrative notes the death of Ali Pasha, the Mutasellim of Basra, the appointment of his successor, and the subsequent reshuffling of government posts and its implications for English trade. It also highlights the continuing negotiations pursued by English representatives to obtain further commercial privileges within the port.

Turmoil Caused by the English

The events of 1767—particularly those between April and October, as recorded in "The Compendium of the Histories"—were pivotal in documenting the efforts of the English East India Company’s agents in Basra to negotiate with the Sheikh of Bani Ka‘b. Their correspondence during this period focused on offering gifts in hopes of persuading him to cease attacking their ships and to protect their maritime trade.

In May of the same year, the English agents in Basra encountered serious challenges. One sought to sell the Company’s residence in Basra due to its deteriorating condition, while they also attempted to liquidate large stocks of English wool that had accumulated in storage amid the overall decline in trade. The situation was further exacerbated by continued unrest with the Sheikh of Bani Ka‘b, compounding their difficulties in the region.

Trade Conditions

The month of October 1768, as recorded in Volume 23 of "The Compendium of the Histories", witnessed several notable events, particularly concerning trade as reported by the English office in Basra. Merchants in Basra who conducted business with Surat in India submitted a petition and complaint to the English agent. Their request cantered on being allowed to ship their goods from Surat to Basra on English vessels while paying the customary fees, as had been the practice previously. However, the English raised the transport charges to double the usual rate, causing substantial losses to the local merchants.

The records also include correspondence between Henry Moore, the English agent in Basra, and the Company’s agents in Bushahr and Shiraz. They detail the joint Persian English campaign against Mir Mahna on the island of Kharg, as well as the efforts of Commander Muhammad Zaki Khan to mobilize his forces. These events present a complex picture of the political and economic balances in the Gulf, revealing the intertwined interests of Britain and Persia in securing trade routes and protecting shipping, and highlighting Basra’s role as a key centre for diplomatic and commercial coordination in the region.

Interactions

The period between 1796 and 1810 witnessed a series of events that documented the political, commercial, and diplomatic interactions in the Arabian Gulf during a time of profound shifts in the balance of power between the Ottoman Empire and European nations, particularly France and Britain.

The records highlight the activities of the French mission in Muscat, with correspondence revealing the role of Monsieur Bouchamp. His responsibilities extended beyond commerce to include strengthening relations between the Imam of Oman and the French Republic, as well as defining strategic interests in the Black Sea. These developments underscore France’s growing engagement in the region and its efforts to access the Arabian Gulf through diplomacy. The documents further indicate that, at the request of the Imam of Oman, the French government appointed Bouchamp as its first permanent consul in Muscat.

In contrast, Ottoman records reveal a series of orders and decrees directed to the governors of Baghdad, Basra, Egypt, and the Hijaz, emphasizing the protection of Basra. The correspondence also addresses conditions in Persia and Iraq, including economic and political unrest. Taken together, these events suggest that the Ottoman Empire maintained a constant state of administrative vigilance to preserve its control over Arab provinces amid internal and external challenges.

Source: Al Khaleej Newspaper – Othman Hassan