The First Saudi Dynasty and Oman, 1795-1818

Abstract

In the year 1740, the reformer Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abdulwahab started his ministry and propagated his teachings of Unitarianism at ‘Uyayna in Najd. The First Saudi dynasty began in 1745 when Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abdulwahab fled, because of religious persecution, to Dariyya where he found protection with its chief Mohammed ibn Saud whom he proclaimed Imam of the Moslems. It took the new dynasty up until 1779 to conquer most of the towns of Najd, and between 1793-1796 the Saudi put an end to the power of the Chiefs of the Bani Khalid tribe in Al-Hasa. These events paved the way for the inevitable confrontation between the Saudis and Oman.

We are going to treat the relations between the First Saudi dynasty and Oman in these five points.

1. Early Saudi Expeditions
2. Oman at the end of the 19th Century
3. The Saudis and Oman between 1800-1818
4. British and Saudi activities in Oman
5. The attitude of Oman towards the Saudis