Timeline Lessons 2-4 UAE 1500 to 1971

In 1498 the Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope in south Africa and arrived at the coast of Southern India. In 1507, the Portuguese, led by Afonso de Albuquerque (1453-1515) launched a series of naval and land attacks along the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean region. This resulted in a violent disruption of a peaceful and prosperous Indian Ocean based trading system for the Southern Arabian Gulf and the area of the UAE. After a series of violent attacks on the coastal areas of Oman and the town of Khor Fakkan, here in the UAE, the Portuguese built forts to maintain their occupation of the coast. Resistance to this occupation persisted over the next 150 years and by 1650 the Omani town of Muscat was retaken from the Portuguese.

The ruling dynasty of Julfar was the Qawasim of  Ras al-Khaimah, to whom one paid a tax in order to engage in commerce, including the local agricultural fields of dates.  Pearl diving and trade was also lucrative.  Ships from Ras al-Khaimah returned yearly with approximately 80,000 rupees from selling the dates.   A tenth of this amount went to their sheikhs as a local tax or customs fee.
By the late 18th century the Qawasim had a fleet of large ships that frequented the ports of India, Yemen, Sind, Cochin and Basra.  Each sailor’s share or pay on the voyage varied.  For the trip to India it was from 50 to 80 rupees;  to Yemen 70 rupees;  to Africa 40 rupees;  to Sind and Cochin 25 – 30 rupees; and finally back to Muscat 12 rupees.  The Qawasim sailors did not earn any money from their trips to Basra, because their ships were loading up both fresh and dried dates which they then sold at the other ports.

During the Dutch period of trading in the Gulf to about 1760, the Arabian Gulf had favored conditions for Arabian Gulf based merchants and shipping to trade long distance across the Indian Ocean.  From the Russian historian Lionovich’s study of the Dutch period records, we find evidence of substantial trading profit along the Southern Arabian Gulf coast.  Arab trade ships of various size made regular voyages between Basra, Bahrain, Ras al-Khaimah, Muscat, and to the Indian trade ports of Cochin.  From the Dutch residency documents in Basra, we have limited but insightful evidence of relative rates of profit and amounts paid, distributed to ordinary seamen on these voyages (Lionovich).  The end of the Dutch period in the 1760s also seemed to be a high water mark for Arab commercial seamen, for from the 1780s onward, increased rivalry between the growing and more aggressive British presence and internal developments in Arabia that responded to these changed conditions.

During the rule of Sheikh Rahma bin Matar al-Qasimi (ruled 1718-1760 CE) the coastal town around Ras al-Khaimah grew wealthy from its development of shipping, pearling and trade with other Gulf towns, the Oman coast, East Africa and India.

After 1763 the British increased their presence in the Gulf and became the most powerful foreign power after the withdrawal of the Dutch from the Gulf region in 1765. The British used their sea power to attack and limit local shipping and development along the coast. They wrongly accused the Qawasim sailors and ships of being pirates. In 1809 and again in 1819 they attacked and bombed port towns along the Southern Gulf, including Ras Al-Khaimah. The images here were drawn by a British artist after the attack on Ras Al-Khaimah.

One of the myths or false ideas spread by the British after their arrival in the late 18th century (after 1760) was that the Qawasim sailors and fleets of ships were engaged in acts of piracy by attacking British and other shipping in the Gulf. In his book on this subject, Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qassemi, and Ruler of Sharjah, proved that this was a false story made up by the British without substantial evidence. In fact, the Qawasim shipping up unti about 1809 was prosperous and growing its trade across the region in peaceful ways.

In 1761 the Bani Yas tribe under the leadership of Sheikh Diyab of the Al Nahyan family relocated and settled in the Island and coastal area of Abu Dhabi.

In two separate attacks the British used marines and naval forces to attack and burn to the ground buildings and towns of Ras al-Khaimah and other coastal towns in the Southern Gulf region. After destroying the local ships of the Qawasim and Omani towns they forced the signing of the General Maritime Treaty (1820) see page 122 of textbook.

In 1830 Sheikh Maktoum ibn Butti established the Emirate of Dubai. By 1833 the Al Maktoum family relocated in Dubai. In 1894 Sheikh Maktoum bin Hasher al-Maktoum became ruler of Dubai. Over the next few generations, Dubai grew and developed its port. (p. 126 of textbook)

In 1853 the British forced local coastal rulers to sign the Perpetual Maritime Treaty. in 1892 a new treaty called the Exclusive Treaty of 1892 gave the British a monopoly or complete control over what ships could sail from Gulf ports, limited the size and number of these ships and forced local resident seamen to obtain permits after they paid fees for the right to sail and engage in trade.