IOR/R/15/1/474

This file contains correspondence between various British officials, translated copies of telegrams exchanged between Ottoman officials and Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ (the ruler of Kuwait) and direct correspondence between British officials in the Gulf region and Shaikh Mubārak.

The correspondence relates to the Ottoman state's efforts to re-assert its control over Kuwait and the nature of the relationship between Britain and Shaikh Mubārak's Kuwait. Shaikh Mubārak's desire for Kuwait to formally be made a British Protectorate is discussed in detail.

The file contains a number of reports (in their original Arabic with English translations attached) concerning political affairs in Kuwait that were written by Ali bin Ghulam Reza [‘Alī Ghulām Riḍā] , a news agent in Kuwait employed by the British. Many of these reports are addressed (in Arabic) to Hajji Abbas bin Muhmmad bin Fadhil, a munshi employed by the British in Bahrain and it appears that he translated the reports into English.

The file also contains correspondence that discusses the rivalry and conflict between Shaikh Mubārak and the ruler of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar and head of the Rashidi tribal dynasty, Abdul Aziz Ibn Mitab [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin Mit‘ab], in addition to correspondence regarding Russian intentions towards Kuwait.