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102-555: The fort was the location of the Battle of Jahra in 1920. The building of the fort started one year after the accession of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah as seventh ruler of Kuwait in 1897. Its primary purpose was the defense of agriculture in Al-Jahra. The four towers are built with bricks made from mud mixed with local desert shrubs. The towers were designed to give infantrymen a view and line of fire in all directions. The walls around

204-543: A commercial hub. Sheikh Salem planned to construct a fort to protect the harbor and facilitate trade. According to the Anglo-Ottoman Treaty of 1913, Kuwait’s southern border extended to Ras Manifa, marking the starting point of the Ottoman Al-Ahsa Brigade’s territory. However, the expansion into Khor Bulbul raised concerns for Emir Abdulaziz Al Saud of Najd, who feared the new settlement might rival

306-546: A confrontation that lasted only a few hours. Sheikh Salem and his troops, stationed in the southeastern part of the village, were surprised to find the Ikhwan face-to-face with them, resulting in a brief battle that forced Sheikh Salem to retreat to the Red Palace . As a consequence, chaos ensued among the remaining defending forces, who scattered in disarray in search of safety. By 9:00 AM, the village of Jahra had fallen into

408-628: A delegation to Faisal al-Duwaiish, the leader of the Ikhwan, urging him to abandon his plans for another assault on Kuwait. Under this combined pressure from both the British and Ibn Saud, the Ikhwan withdrew from their camp in Subaihiya and returned to Najd. Ultimately, the ruler of Muhammara, Sheikh Khazʽal Ibn Jabir , played a key role in mediating the conflict. He facilitated a reconciliation between Sultan Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Najd and Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah of Kuwait, bringing an end to

510-611: A diplomatic solution, appealing to the British High Commissioner in Baghdad , but his concerns were ignored. With few options left, he resorted to military action, sending a force of 300 men under the command of Daej Al-Sabah to confront the Ikhwan at Hamdh. Daej threatened the Ikhwan, demanding they leave the Qaryat al-Ulya or face attack. In response, the Ikhwan called for reinforcements from Faisal al-Duwaish ,

612-635: A disagreement over command arose between Dhari bin Tawalah and Sheikh Daej during their advance, leading to their retreat to Jahra without launching an attack. Additionally, it was noted that while en route, one of the Ikhwan loyalists managed to escape and alert Hayef bin Shuqair and his followers of the approaching Kuwaiti forces. This revelation heightened the Kuwaiti forces' awareness of the difficulties they would face, prompting them to withdraw. Following

714-399: A fourth gate designated for the emir, each resembling a fortress. When closed and secured with locks and large wooden planks, the city transformed into an impregnable stronghold, with the gates referred to as Al-Darwaza. The wall was further fortified with twenty-six towers, each equipped with firing openings. In October of the same year, Sheikh Salem received reports that large contingents of

816-467: A letter to Al-Dawish and instructed Ibn Ibrahim to deliver it to him discreetly. Upon reading the letter, Al-Dawish was displeased and dismissed the men from Al-Zubair who had come to reclaim the deposits, subsequently declaring war against them. In retaliation, Ibn Ibrahim traveled to Basra to seek assistance from the British political officer, who supplied him with five hundred rifles and a contingent of soldiers to bolster Al-Zubair's defenses. An aircraft

918-524: A letter to Faisal Al-Duwaish, feigning submission to the reconciliation terms, on the condition that the Ikhwan withdraw from the palace and Jahra. As a result, the Ikhwan withdrew to Subaihiya in southern Kuwait on 12 October 1920. The Ikhwan, after their initial siege and failed assault on the Red Palace during the Battle of Jahra, attempted to negotiate with Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to finalize

1020-782: A small number of urban trading settlements, such as Mecca and Medina , located in the Hejaz in the west of the peninsula. Archaeology has revealed the existence of many civilizations in pre-Islamic Arabia (such as the Thamud ), especially in South Arabia . South Arabian civilizations include the Himyarite Kingdom , the Kingdom of Awsan , the Kingdom of Ma'īn , and the Sabaean Kingdom (usually considered to be

1122-681: A third warship docked, carrying Sir Arnold Wilson, the acting civil commissioner in Iraq. In response to the escalating tensions, an aircraft subsequently flew over the Ikhwan camp in Al-Sabihiya, dropping leaflets that issued warnings against any attacks on the city of Kuwait . The Ikhwan withdrew from Al-Sabihiya but returned in mid-December with a substantial force led by Faisal Al-Dawish. They launched an attack on Mazid bin Faisal Al-Dawish in northern Kuwait, resulting in his death and

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1224-452: A week, Sheikh Salem finally met with Jafran Al-Fagham, who was accompanied by Major John Moore, the British political resident in Kuwait. During the meeting, Jafran Al-Fagham sought the implementation of the terms outlined in the peace agreement, but Sheikh Salem rejected these conditions. Major Moore presented Al-Fagham with an official letter containing a warning from the British government to

1326-485: A well in the center, but its water is salty and not drinkable. During the battle of Jahra, well water was used to treat the wounded and was drunk mixed with date palm to sweeten the taste. Battle of Jahra Kuwaiti victory [REDACTED] Nejd and Hasa [REDACTED] Kuwait The Battle of Jahra occurred on 10 October 1920 during the Kuwait–Najd War , pitting Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah ,

1428-793: Is Saudi Arabia. In the classical era, the Sinai Peninsula was also considered a part of Arabia. The Arabian Peninsula formed as a result of the rifting of the Red Sea between 56 and 23 million years ago, and is bordered by the Red Sea to the west and southwest, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the northeast, the Levant and Mesopotamia to the north and the Arabian Sea and

1530-552: Is a large volcanic field that extends from northwestern Arabia into Jordan and southern Syria . The Peninsula's constituent countries are (clockwise from north to south) Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the east, Oman on the southeast, Yemen on the south, and Saudi Arabia at the center. The island country of Bahrain lies just off the east coast of the Peninsula. Due to Yemen's jurisdiction over

1632-614: Is known for its rich oil, i.e. petroleum production due to its geographical location. According to NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite data (2003–2013) analysed in a University of California, Irvine (UCI) -led study published in Water Resources Research on 16 June 2015, the most over-stressed aquifer system in the world is the Arabian Aquifer System , upon which more than 60 million people depend for water. Twenty-one of

1734-766: Is located in the continent of Asia and is bounded by (clockwise) the Persian Gulf on the northeast, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman on the east, the Arabian Sea on the southeast, the Gulf of Aden , and the Guardafui Channel on the south, and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait on the southwest and the Red Sea, which is located on the southwest and west. The northern portion of the peninsula merges with

1836-669: Is the location of the Kaaba , Islam's holiest site, and the Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque) in Medina is the location of Muhammad 's grave; as a result, from the 7th century, Mecca and Medina became the pilgrimage destinations for large numbers of Muslims from across the Islamic world . Despite its spiritual importance, in political terms Arabia soon became a peripheral region of

1938-407: Is unsuited to agriculture, making irrigation and land reclamation projects essential. The narrow coastal plain and isolated oases, amounting to less than 1% of the land area, are used to cultivate grains, coffee and tropical fruits . Goat, sheep, and camel husbandry is widespread elsewhere throughout the rest of the Peninsula. Some areas have a summer humid tropical monsoon climate , in particular

2040-739: The Al Saud , began in Najd in central Arabia in 1744, when Muhammad bin Saud , founder of the dynasty, joined forces with the religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab , founder of the Wahhabi movement , a strict puritanical form of Sunni Islam. The Emirate of Diriyah established in the area around Riyadh rapidly expanded and briefly controlled most of the present-day territory of Saudi Arabia, sacking Karbala in 1802, and capturing Mecca in 1803. The Damascus Protocol of 1914 provides an illustration of

2142-788: The Arabs ' ), or Arabia , is a peninsula in West Asia , situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate . At 3,237,500 km (1,250,000 sq mi), comparable in size to India , the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the Arabian Peninsula includes Bahrain , Kuwait , Oman , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen , as well as southern Iraq and Jordan . The largest of these

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2244-455: The Dhofar and Al Mahrah areas of Oman and Yemen. These areas allow for large scale coconut plantations. Much of Yemen has a tropical monsoon rain influenced mountain climate. The plains usually have either a tropical or subtropical arid desert climate or arid steppe climate . The sea surrounding the Arabian Peninsula is generally tropical sea with a very rich tropical sea life and some of

2346-533: The Emirate of Hail . A critical turning point occurred in 1913, when Najd captured the Ottoman district of Al-Ahsa in eastern Arabia, bringing its borders into direct contact with Kuwait. Tensions heightened in 1919 when Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah , the ruler of Kuwait, attempted to establish a settlement at Khur Bulbul, a strategic location on Kuwait's southern border. Emir Abdulaziz Al Saud of Najd opposed

2448-597: The First Islamic State - a single Arab Muslim religious polity in the Arabian Peninsula. Under the subsequent Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates , rapid expansion of Arab power well beyond the Arabian peninsula formed a vast Muslim Arab Empire with an area of influence that stretched from the northwest Indian subcontinent , across Central Asia , the Middle East , North Africa , southern Italy , and

2550-585: The Hejaz ( Tihamah for the western coast), as described by Ibn al-Faqih . In antiquity, the term "Arabia" encompassed a larger area than the current term "Arabian Peninsula" and included the Arabian desert and large parts of the Syrian-Arabian desert . During the Hellenistic period , the area was known as Arabia ( Ancient Greek : Ἀραβία ). The Romans named three regions "Arabia": One of

2652-721: The Iberian Peninsula , to the Pyrenees . With Muhammad's death in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community. Umar ibn al-Khattab , a prominent companion of Muhammad, nominated Abu Bakr , who was Muhammad's intimate friend and collaborator. Others added their support and Abu Bakr was made the first caliph . This choice was disputed by some of Muhammad's companions, who held that Ali ibn Abi Talib , his cousin and son-in-law, had been designated his successor. Abu Bakr's immediate task

2754-684: The Ikhwan , a militant group aligned with the Mutair tribe, established a settlement at the site in May 1920. Sheikh Salem objected, claiming the wells were within Kuwait's borders, as defined by the Anglo-Ottoman Agreement of 1913. Despite his protests, the Ikhwan refused to cease their activities without direct orders from Emir Abdulaziz Al Saud, indicating that the settlement had likely been sanctioned by Najd. Sheikh Salem initially sought

2856-581: The Indian Ocean to the southeast. The peninsula plays a critical geopolitical role in the Arab world and globally due to its vast reserves of oil and natural gas . Before the modern era, the region was divided into primarily four distinct regions: the Central Plateau ( Najd and Al-Yamama ), South Arabia ( Yemen , Hadhramaut and Oman ), Al-Bahrain (Eastern Arabia or Al-Hassa ), and

2958-497: The Islamic world , in which the most important medieval Islamic states were based at various times in such far away cities as Damascus , Baghdad , and Cairo . However, from the 10th century (and, in fact, until the 20th century) the Hashemite Sharifs of Mecca maintained a state in the most developed part of the region, the Hejaz . Their domain originally comprised only the holy cities of Mecca and Medina but in

3060-637: The Nefud Desert dates to approximately 90,000 years ago and is the oldest human fossil discovered outside of Africa and the Levant. This indicates human migrations from Africa to Arabia occurred around this time. The Arabian Peninsula may have been the homeland of a ' Basal Eurasian ' population, which diverged from other Eurasians soon after the Out-of-Africa migration, and subsequently became isolated, until it started to mix with other populations in

3162-759: The Rashidun or "rightly guided" Caliphate . Under the Rashidun Caliphs, and, from 661, their Umayyad successors , the Arabs rapidly expanded the territory under Muslim control outside of Arabia. In a matter of decades Muslim armies decisively defeated the Byzantine army and destroyed the Persian Empire , conquering huge swathes of territory from the Iberian peninsula to India. The political focus of

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3264-742: The Socotra Archipelago , the Peninsula's geopolitical outline faces the Guardafui Channel and the Somali Sea to the south. The six countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers the greater part of the Peninsula. The majority of the population of the Peninsula lives in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Peninsula contains

3366-466: The Syrian Desert with no clear borderline, although the northern boundary of the peninsula is generally considered to be the northern borders of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, also southern regions of Iraq and Jordan. The most prominent feature of the peninsula is desert , but in the southwest, there are mountain ranges, which receive greater rainfall than the rest of the peninsula. Harrat ash Shaam

3468-513: The Tuwayr , Shammar and Dhofar generally do not exceed 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in height. Not all mountains in the peninsula are visibly within ranges. Jebel Hafeet in particular, on the border of the UAE and Oman, measuring between 1,100 and 1,300 m (3,600 and 4,300 ft), is not within the Hajar range, but may be considered an outlier of that range. Most of the Arabian Peninsula

3570-472: The United States –led 2003 invasion of Iraq . Despite its historically sparse population, political Arabia stands out for its rapid population growth, driven by both significant inflows of migrant labor and persistently high birth rates. The population is characterized by its relative youth and a heavily skewed gender ratio favoring males. In several states, the number of South Asians surpasses that of

3672-464: The nomes of Ptolemaic Egypt was named Arabia . Arabians used a north–south division of Arabia: ash-Sham vs. al-Yaman , or Arabia Deserta vs. Arabia Felix . Arabia Felix had originally been used for the whole peninsula, and at other times only for the southern region. Because its use became limited to the south, the whole peninsula was simply called Arabia. Arabia Deserta was the entire desert region extending north from Arabia Felix to Palmyra and

3774-655: The 13th century it was extended to include the rest of the Hejaz . Although, the Sharifs exercised at most times independent authority in the Hejaz , they were usually subject to the suzerainty of one of the major Islamic empires of the time. In the Middle Ages, these included the Abbasids of Baghdad , and the Fatimids , Ayyubids , and Mamluks of Egypt . The provincial Ottoman Army for Arabia (Arabistan Ordusu)

3876-539: The 1913 agreement, deeming it non-binding since it was signed with the Ottoman Empire and not with him. To resolve the dispute, the Royal High Commissioner in Baghdad decided on July 9, 1920, to notify Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah that the Anglo-Ottoman Agreement of 1913 was now null and void, having been invalidated by the British government's conclusion of the Darin Agreement with Ibn Saud in 1915. Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah forces in Jahra ranged between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters, including 500 residents of Kuwait City. He

3978-410: The Anglo-Ottoman Agreement of 1913, which stated that Kuwait's borders extended to Ras Minifa in the south. However, he was unaware that the Darin Agreement, signed in 1915 between the British government and the Emirate of Najd , which recognized Ibn Saud as the ruler of Al-Ahsa, Qatif , and Jubail, did not delineate the borders of Kuwait. On the other hand, Emir Abdulaziz Al Saud refused to recognize

4080-410: The Battle of Hamdh, there was a prevailing sentiment regarding the urgent need to construct a protective wall around Kuwait to safeguard against potential threats and repulse enemy incursions. In response, Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah ordered the construction of a new wall, marking the city's third fortification. Work on the wall commenced on May 22, 1920, funded by a tax imposed on citizens. Responsibilities for

4182-547: The Crown Prince of Kuwait at the time. The delegation also included Sheikh Kasib, the son of Sheikh Khazal, as well as Abdul Latif Pasha Al-Mundhil and Abdul Aziz Al-Badr. The delegation traveled on the Khazali yacht to Bahrain , where they were hosted by Sheikh Isa Al-Khalifa , the ruler of Bahrain. They then proceeded to Al-Ahsa , where they received a warm welcome from Prince Abdullah bin Juluwi , before continuing their journey to Riyadh to meet with Sultan Abdulaziz Al Saud of Najd . Before departing Riyadh to return to Kuwait,

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4284-466: The Euphrates, including all the area between Pelusium on the Nile and Babylon. This area was also called Arabia and not sharply distinguished from the peninsula. The Arabs and the Ottoman Empire considered the west of the Arabian Peninsula region where the Arabs lived 'the land of the Arabs' – Bilad al-'Arab ( Arabia ), and its major divisions were the bilad al-Sham ( Levant ), bilad al-Yaman ( Yemen ), and Bilad al-'Iraq ( Iraq ). The Ottomans used

4386-445: The Gulf Cooperation Council's mediation. He eventually handed power to Vice President Hadi, who was sworn in as President of Yemen on 25 February 2012. Hadi launched a national dialogue to address new constitutional, political and social issues. The Houthi movement , dissatisfied with the outcomes of the national dialogue, launched an offensive and stormed the Yemeni capital Sanaa on 21 September 2014. In response, Saudi Arabia launched

4488-410: The Ikhwan against any attacks on Kuwait. This letter was later disseminated over the Ikhwan's camp in Al-Sabihiya via aerial drops. Following the meeting, Jafran Al-Fagham returned to Al-Dawish, relaying a message to Abdulaziz Al Saud regarding the events discussed. On October 21, the warships Especle and Lawrence arrived at the port of Kuwait, accompanied by two British aircraft. The following day,

4590-453: The Ikhwan were advancing from the south. He departed Kuwait for Jahra, accompanied by 500 local men. On October 7, the Ikhwan reached Al-Wafra, south of Kuwait, swelling their ranks to 4,000, which included 500 cavalry. They continued their advance from Al-Wafra to Al-Sabihiya on October 8, ultimately proceeding to Jahra, where the battle would erupt on October 10 Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak, the ruler of Kuwait, based his border dispute with Najd on

4692-476: The Ikhwan, Sheikh Salem dispatched a military force comprising 200 men and 100 cavalry, led by Sheikh Daej bin Salman Al-Sabah. The Kuwaiti force established its position in Hamdh, strategically situated near the Ikhwan’s settlement. Kuwaiti historian Abdulaziz Al-Rashid contended that Sheikh Salem's intent was to instill fear in the Ikhwan and deter them from continuing their activities in Quraiya. Conversely, historian Ameen Rihani reported that upon reaching Hamdh,

4794-447: The Kuwaiti forces sent a menacing message to the Ikhwan in Quraiya, threatening them with death if they did not vacate the area. Upon the arrival of the Kuwaiti military force in Hamdh, the Ikhwan sent a distress signal to Faisal al-Duwaish , the Emir of Al Al Artawiyah , who swiftly mobilized a contingent of 2,000 men to assist them. The Ikhwan then launched an offensive against the Kuwaiti forces stationed in Hamdh . In response to

4896-416: The Middle East since around 25,000 years ago. These different Middle Eastern populations would later spread Basal Eurasian ancestry via the Neolithic Revolution to all of Western Eurasia. There is evidence that human habitation in the Arabian Peninsula dates back to about 106,000 to 130,000 years ago. The harsh climate historically prevented much settlement in the pre-Islamic Arabian Peninsula, apart from

4998-459: The Muslim world then shifted to the newly conquered territories. Nevertheless, Mecca and Medina remained the spiritually most important places in the Muslim world . The Qur'an requires every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, as one of the five pillars of Islam , to make a pilgrimage, or Hajj , to Mecca during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah at least once in his or her lifetime. The Masjid al-Haram (the Grand Mosque) in Mecca

5100-403: The Saudi Arabian border and rallied popular support. The royalist side received support from Saudi Arabia, while the republicans were supported by Egypt and the Soviet Union. Both foreign irregular and conventional forces were also involved. The Egyptian President , Gamal Abdel Nasser , supported the republicans with as many as 70,000 troops. Despite several military moves and peace conferences,

5202-430: The Shammar tribe, who were stationed in Safwan , north of Kuwait. He allocated funds to Dhari and planned a raid on Hayef bin Shuqair and the Ikhwan in Quraiya. Consequently, Sheikh Salem dispatched Dhari bin Tawalah along with Sheikh Daej bin Salman Al-Sabah to confront Hayef bin Shuqair and the Ikhwan in Quraiya Al-Ulya. However, the forces sent by Sheikh Salem did not engage the Ikhwan in Quraiya. Reports indicate that

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5304-405: The attack, Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Sultan of Najd, reprimanded Faisal Al-Dawish for exceeding his orders, which had restricted him to defensive maneuvers only. The Ikhwan justified their actions by asserting that the Kuwaitis were the aggressors, having advanced to within a mere four hours of their position. In Kuwait, Sheikh Salem sought reinforcements by summoning Dhari bin Tawalah and his men from

5406-461: The biblical land of Sheba ). From 106 AD to 630 AD northwestern Arabia was under the control of the Roman Empire , which renamed it Arabia Petraea . Central Arabia was the location of the Kingdom of Kinda in the 4th, 5th and early 6th centuries. Eastern Arabia was home to the Dilmun civilization . The earliest known events in Arabian history are migrations from the peninsula into neighbouring areas. The Arabian Peninsula has long been accepted as

5508-409: The biggest ongoing threat believed to be coastal construction activity altering the marine environment. The fertile soils of Yemen have encouraged settlement of almost all of the land from sea level up to the mountains at 10,000 feet (3,000 m). In the higher elevations, elaborate terraces have been constructed to facilitate grain, fruit, coffee, ginger and khat cultivation. The Arabian peninsula

5610-714: The delegation was informed of the death of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, news that brought joy to King Abdulaziz Al Saud. On December 2, 1922, the Aqeer Treaty was signed, establishing the borders between Kuwait and Najd. The treaty was signed by Abdullah Al-Damlouji on behalf of King Abdulaziz, and by Major John Moore, the British political agent, representing Sheikh Ahmad Jaber Al-Sabah. Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula ( / ə ˈ r eɪ b i ə n p ə n ɪ n sj u l ə / ; Arabic : شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَة الْعَرَبِيَّة , shibhu l-jazīra l-ʿarabiyya , "Arabian Peninsula" or جَزِيرَةُ الْعَرَب , jazīratu l-ʿarab , lit.   ' Island of

5712-435: The east) constituting only a quarter of people aged between 20 and 40. The eleven most populous cities on the Arabian Peninsula are: The rocks exposed vary systematically across Arabia, with the oldest rocks exposed in the Arabian-Nubian Shield near the Red Sea, overlain by earlier sediments that become younger towards the Persian Gulf. Perhaps the best-preserved ophiolite on Earth, the Semail Ophiolite , lies exposed in

5814-421: The eastern Al-Qassim Province , which would indicate that many prehistoric sites, located along a network of rivers, had once existed in the area. Acheulean tools found in Saffaqah, Riyadh Region reveal that hominins lived in the Arabian Peninsula around 188,000 years ago. Human habitation in Arabia may have occurred as early as 130,000 years ago. A fossilized Homo sapiens finger bone found at Al Wusta in

5916-444: The eastern, southern and northwestern borders of the peninsula. Broadly, the ranges can be grouped as follows: From the Hejaz southwards, the mountains show a steady increase in altitude westward as they get nearer to Yemen, and the highest peaks and ranges are all located in Yemen. The highest, Jabal An-Nabi Shu'ayb or Jabal Hadhur of the Haraz subrange of the Sarawat range, is 3,666 metres (12,028 ft) high. By comparison,

6018-483: The expulsion of Shiites, the prohibition of smoking and other perceived immoral practices, and a public denunciation of the Turks, despite their departure from the region years earlier during World War I . As the sun set without any representatives from the Ikhwan arriving, the night progressed, and the Ikhwan raised their banners to initiate an assault on the palace. However, they encountered heavy gunfire from within. Despite their efforts, they made two attempts to storm

6120-403: The fort and offered terms of reconciliation to Sheikh Salem, which he refused. This prompted the Ikhwan to launch an attack on the palace, but they failed to breach its defenses. Despite the successes of the Kuwaiti forces in repelling the attackers, the defenders faced severe difficulties due to a lack of water, making it hard to endure the siege. As the second day of fighting began, their patience

6222-408: The fort house firing holes for infantrymen and sharpshooters. The fort is almost square, surrounded by a wall about 15 feet high and 2 feet thick, and houses thirty-three rooms and six courtyards. The fort is around 60,720 square feet. The eastern and western walls are 289 and 298  feet long respectively. The northern and southern walls are 211 and 203 feet long respectively. It has

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6324-407: The hands of the Ikhwan, while Sheikh Salem and approximately 600 men took refuge inside the Red Palace. Faisal Al-Dawish dispatched Mandil bin Ghanayman to Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak to negotiate a truce, threatening that failure to accept the terms would result in the Ikhwan being permitted to attack the palace. The conditions proposed by the Ikhwan for peace included adherence to Islamic principles,

6426-409: The inevitable battle. In 1919, relations between the Emirate of Najd and Kuwait were strained due to a border dispute that emerged when Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait, attempted to establish a settlement at Khur Bulbul, located near Ras Manifa on Kuwait’s southern frontier. The area, noted for its natural harbor and proximity to pearl diving grounds and water wells, was intended to become

6528-456: The labor were divided among prominent figures in the city, who were tasked with various duties, including digging, sourcing clay , transportation, providing mortar, feeding the workers, and supplying water. By September of that year, the wall was completed, extending over three miles and effectively isolating the city from the land. It reached into the sea to thwart any attempts at maritime entry. The fortifications included three gates, along with

6630-411: The leader of the Ikhwan and a relative of the Mutair, urging him to halt any construction activities within Kuwait's southern borders. Hayef, however, refused to comply, stating that he would only act upon orders from a superior authority. This defiance incited Sheikh Salem's anger, prompting him to impose an embargo on the export of grains and other goods to Ibn Saud's followers. In a bid to confront

6732-424: The leader of the Mutair tribe. This escalated into the Battle of Hamdh , where the Kuwaiti forces were defeated. Following this setback, Sheikh Salem sought help from the ruler of Hail, a rival of Abdulaziz Al Saud . Hail sent Dhari bin Tawalah, who joined forces with Daej Al-Sabah in preparing for a renewed assault on Quraiya. Upon learning of these preparations, Abdulaziz Al Saud ordered Faisal Al-Dawish to defend

6834-402: The modern era, the term bilad al-Yaman came to refer specifically to the southwestern parts of the peninsula. Arab geographers started to refer to the whole peninsula as 'jazirat al-Arab', or the peninsula of the Arabs. The railway was started in 1900 at the behest of the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II and was built largely by the Turks , with German advice and support. A public subscription

6936-437: The modern state of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis absorbed the Emirate of Asir , with their expansion only ending in 1934 after a war with Yemen . Two Saudi states were formed and controlled much of Arabia before Ibn Saud was even born. Ibn Saud, however, established the third Saudi state. The second major development has been the discovery of vast reserves of oil in the 1930s. Its production brought great wealth to all countries of

7038-472: The mountains of the UAE and northern Oman. The peninsula consists of: Arabia has few lakes or permanent rivers. Most areas are drained by ephemeral watercourses called wadis , which are dry except during the rainy season. Plentiful ancient aquifers exist beneath much of the peninsula, however, and where this water surfaces, oases form (e.g. Al-Hasa and Qatif , two of the world's largest oases ) and permit agriculture, especially palm trees , which allowed

7140-418: The move, claiming that Khur Bulbul was part of the Qatif region, which was under his control. The situation led to a political crisis that was quickly mediated by Britain, in the region following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire . As a result, Sheikh Salem abandoned plans to develop Khur Bulbul. However, in 1920, another border dispute emerged over the ownership of wells in the Qaryat al-Ulya . Members of

7242-436: The native population. The four smallest states (by area), with coastlines entirely bordering the Persian Gulf, showcase the world's most extreme population growth, nearly tripling every two decades. In 2014, the estimated population of the Arabian Peninsula was 77,983,936 (including expatriates). The Arabian Peninsula is known for having one of the most uneven adult sex ratios in the world, with females in some regions (especially

7344-482: The nearby city of Jubail in terms of trade and pearl diving. Abdulaziz wrote to Sheikh Salem, urging him to halt construction, but Sheikh Salem refused. In response, Abdulaziz escalated the issue by informing Major John More, the British political agent in Kuwait, of his objection, claiming that Khor Balbul was part of the Qatif region, which belonged to Najd. Despite his initial resistance and insistence that Khor Bulbul

7446-510: The original Urheimat of the Semitic languages by most scholars. The seventh century saw the rise of Islam as the peninsula's dominant religion. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca in about 570 and first began preaching in the city in 610, but migrated to Medina in 622. From there he and his companions united the tribes of Arabia under the banner of Islam and created

7548-516: The palace but were unable to breach its defenses. Sheikh Ahmad Jaber Al-Sabah , the deputy emir, organized a military force in Kuwait City to assist those besieged in the Red Palace in Jahra. This force comprised several sailing ships laden with men and supplies, along with a ground contingent led by Dhari bin Tawalah. Faisal Al-Dawish attempted to gauge the situation of those besieged inside

7650-607: The palace by sending one of the Ikhwan's scholars, named Uthman bin Sulayman, to discuss the previously mentioned peace terms. The defenders inside the palace were suffering from severe thirst. When Uthman bin Sulayman arrived, he produced a letter from Faisal Al-Dawish outlining the peace terms previously presented by Mandil bin Ghanayman. Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak pretended to accept these conditions, despite having no intention of taking them seriously. At that moment, his only concern

7752-399: The peninsula to produce more dates than any other region in the world. In general, the climate is extremely hot and arid , although there are exceptions. Higher elevations are made temperate by their altitude, and the Arabian Sea coastline can receive cool, humid breezes in summer due to cold upwelling offshore. The peninsula has no thick forests. Desert-adapted wildlife is present throughout

7854-400: The reconciliation process. However, Sheikh Salem declined their terms and instead sought British military assistance. In response, the British deployed military forces to Kuwait and issued a stern warning to the Ikhwan via aerial leaflet drops over their camp in Subaihiya, advising them to halt any further attacks on Kuwait. Simultaneously, Ibn Saud, the ruler of Najd, intervened by dispatching

7956-636: The region, with the exception of Yemen. The North Yemen Civil War was fought in North Yemen between royalists of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen and factions of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1962 to 1970. The war began with a coup d'état carried out by the republican leader, Abdullah as-Sallal , which dethroned the newly crowned Muhammad al-Badr and declared Yemen a republic under his presidency. The Imam escaped to

8058-419: The region. A plateau more than 2,500 feet (760 m) high extends across much of the Arabian Peninsula. The plateau slopes eastwards from the massive, rifted escarpment along the coast of the Red Sea, to the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. The interior is characterized by cuestas and valleys, drained by a system of wadis . A crescent of sand and gravel deserts lies to the east. There are mountains at

8160-613: The regional relationships. Arabs living in one of the existing districts of the Arabian peninsula, the Emirate of Hejaz , asked for a British guarantee of independence. Their proposal included all Arab lands south of a line roughly corresponding to the northern frontiers of present-day Syria and Iraq. They envisioned a new Arab state, or confederation of states, adjoining the southern Arabian Peninsula. It would have comprised Cilicia – İskenderun and Mersin , Iraq with Kuwait, Syria, Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate , Jordan, and Palestine . In

8262-495: The ruler of Kuwait , against the Ikhwan forces led by Faisal al-Duwaish , the sheikh of the Mutayr tribe. The confrontation took place in the village of Al-Jahra , located west of Kuwait City. The battle resulted in a costly victory for the Ikhwan, who succeeded in capturing Jahra village. Sheikh Salem, along with some of his forces, took refuge in th e Red Palac e, where they fortified themselves. The Ikhwan then besieged

8364-838: The ruling Ottoman Empire and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen. During World War I, the Sharif Hussein entered into an alliance with the United Kingdom and France against the Ottomans in June 1916. These events were followed by the foundation of Saudi Arabia under King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud . In 1902, Ibn Saud had captured Riyadh . Continuing his conquests, Abdulaziz subdued Al-Hasa, Jabal Shammar , Hejaz between 1913 and 1926 founded

8466-576: The seizure of his wealth before advancing northward to raid Al-Dhafir. After successfully capturing Al-Dhafeer , Faisal Al-Dawish established a position near Al-Zubair and sent a message to its ruler, Ibn Ibrahim, expressing his desire to meet and requesting assistance in retrieving deposits that had been left in Al-Dhafir during the raid. Meanwhile, the British political agent in Basra became aware of these developments through various channels. He wrote

8568-479: The tensions between the two sides. The Battle of Jahra was outcomes of the border conflict between the Emirate of Kuwait and the Emirate of Najd , which escalated into a violent confrontation between the two entities. The conflict originated from the territorial expansion of Najd, which had annexed much of the Arabian Peninsula , including most cities and towns in central Arabia, with the exception of

8670-629: The term Arabistan in a broad sense for the region starting from Cilicia , where the Euphrates river makes its descent into Syria, through Palestine , and on through the remainder of the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas. The provinces of Arabia were: Al Tih, the Sinai peninsula, Hejaz, Asir, Yemen, Hadramaut, Mahra and Shilu, Oman, Hasa, Bahrain, Dahna, Nufud, the Hammad, which included the deserts of Syria, Mesopotamia and Babylonia. The Arabian Peninsula

8772-489: The terms of the truce. Sheikh Salem refused this request, insisting that if Al-Dawish wished to negotiate, he should send someone from his side. Subsequently, Al-Dawish sent Jafran Al-Fagham, who arrived in Kuwait City on October 18; however, Sheikh Salem declined to meet with him. During this period, additional forces arrived to reinforce the Ikhwan in Al-Sabihiya, leading Sheikh Salem to request British assistance. After

8874-549: The thirty seven largest aquifers "have exceeded sustainability tipping points and are being depleted" and thirteen of them are "considered significantly distressed". Stone tools from the Middle Paleolithic age along with fossils of other animals discovered at Ti's al Ghadah, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, might imply that hominins migrated through a "Green Arabia" between 300,000 and 500,000 years ago. 200,000-year-old stone tools were discovered at Shuaib Al-Adgham in

8976-480: The village. Recognizing the strength of the Ikhwan forces, Dhari and Daej retreated to the village of Jahra. In response, Sheikh Salem launched three raids: the first led by Ibn Tawalah on the wells at Al-Lahaba, the second by Ibn Majid on Al-Rumah, and the third by Kiran on Al-Shibak. These raids were initially successful, but the Ikhwan forces quickly pursued the raiders back to Jahra. As the Ikhwan advanced, Sheikh Salem left Kuwait City and headed to Jahra to prepare for

9078-511: The war in Yemen as analogous to the United States ' role in the Vietnam War . In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. The invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces led to the 1990–91 Gulf War . Egypt, Qatar, Syria, and Saudi Arabia joined a multinational coalition that opposed Iraq. Displays of support for Iraq by Jordan and Palestine resulted in strained relations between many of the Arab states. After

9180-484: The war sank into a stalemate. Egypt's commitment to the war is considered to have been detrimental to its performance in the Six-Day War of June 1967, after which Nasser found it increasingly difficult to maintain his army's involvement and began to pull his forces out of Yemen. By 1970, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia recognized the republic and a truce was signed. Egyptian military historians refer to Egypt's role in

9282-643: The war, a so-called "Damascus Declaration" formalized an alliance for future joint Arab defensive actions between Egypt, Syria, and the GCC member states. The Arab Spring reached Yemen in January 2011. People of Yemen took to the street demonstrating against three decades of rule by President Ali Abdullah Saleh . The demonstration led to cracks in the ruling General People's Congress (GPC) and Saleh's Sanhani clan. Saleh used tactics of concession and violence to save his presidency. After numerous attempts, Saleh accepted

9384-517: The world's largest reserves of oil. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are economically the wealthiest in the region. Qatar, the only peninsular country in the Persian Gulf on the larger peninsula, is home to the Arabic-language television station Al Jazeera and its English-language subsidiary Al Jazeera English . Kuwait, on the border with Iraq, is an important country strategically, forming one of the main staging grounds for coalition forces mounting

9486-578: The world's largest, undestroyed and most pristine coral reefs. In addition, the organisms living in symbiosis with the Red Sea coral, the protozoa and zooxanthellae , have a unique hot weather adaptation to sudden rise (and fall) in sea water temperature. Hence, these coral reefs are not affected by coral bleaching caused by rise in temperature as elsewhere in the indopacific coral sea. The reefs are also unaffected by mass tourism and diving or other large scale human interference. The Persian gulf has suffered significant loss and degradation of coral reefs with

9588-463: Was deployed to fly over the Ikhwan's forces in an effort to intimidate them, ultimately prompting their retreat back to Najd Khazʽal Ibn Jabir , the ruler of Mohammerah, undertook the responsibility of mediating peace between Kuwait and Riyadh. He traveled to Kuwait to meet with Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to facilitate this process. It was agreed to send a delegation to Riyadh to engage in peace negotiations, led by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah ,

9690-581: Was headquartered in Syria , which included Palestine, the Transjordan region in addition to Lebanon ( Mount Lebanon was, however, a semi-autonomous mutasarrifate ). It was put in charge of Syria, Cilicia, Iraq, and the remainder of the Arabian Peninsula. The Ottomans never had any control over central Arabia, also known as the Najd region. The emergence of what was to become the Saudi royal family, known as

9792-404: Was nearly exhausted. However, the arrival of reinforcements by sea to Kuwait City provided much-needed relief. Faisal Al-Duwaish, in an attempt to gauge the condition of the besieged, sent a Ikhwan jurist to negotiate terms of reconciliation. Sheikh Salem pretended to accept these terms but had no intention of honoring them, focusing instead on ending the siege. He instructed his secretary to draft

9894-675: Was opened throughout the Islamic world to fund the construction. The railway was to be a waqf , an inalienable religious endowment or charitable trust. The major developments of the early 20th century were the Arab Revolt during World War I and the subsequent collapse and partitioning of the Ottoman Empire . The Arab Revolt (1916–1918) was initiated by the Sherif Hussein ibn Ali with the aim of securing independence from

9996-414: Was spread across several directions of the village, while the Ikhwan cavalry focused on distracting the defending cavalry assigned to protect the flanks of the defending force. Sheikh Salem positioned his forces in Jahra, placing Dhari bin Tawalah and the cavalry from Shammar on the right flank, and Sheikh Daej Al-Sabah and his cavalry on the left. The Ikhwan's attack was fierce and relentless, leading to

10098-745: Was supported by Sheikh Dhari bin Tawalah and his men from the Shammar tribe, as well as Mubarak bin Dri'e and his followers from the Awazim and Al-Diyaheen tribes of Mutair. In contrast, the Ikhwan forces were composed of inhabitants from the settlements of Al Artawiyah , Qaryat al-Ulya, Al-Sufla, Mabayid, Al-Athlah, and Farihan. Their strength was approximately 4,000 men, including 500 cavalry. The Ikhwan formations included four banners ( rayat ), each consisting of around 1,000 fighters. Ikhwan launched their attack on Jahra at 6:00 AM on October 10. The infantry assault

10200-455: Was to avenge a recent defeat by Byzantine (or Eastern Roman Empire ) forces, although he first had to put down a rebellion by Arab tribes in an episode known as the Ridda wars , or "Wars of Apostasy". On his death in 634, he was succeeded by Umar as caliph, followed by Uthman ibn al-Affan and Ali ibn Abi Talib . The period of these first four caliphs is known as al-khulafā' ar-rāshidūn :

10302-431: Was to escape the siege. He instructed his secretary to draft a response to Faisal Al-Dawish, indicating his compliance with the peace terms on the condition that the Ikhwan forces withdraw from the palace and Jahra. Consequently, the Ikhwan left Jahra towards Al-Sabihiya on October 12. On October 14, Faisal Al-Dawish sent a letter to Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, requesting the envoy of Helal Al-Mutairi to negotiate

10404-474: Was within Kuwait’s borders, Sheikh Salem eventually abandoned his plans to develop the site. In early 1920, members of the Ikhwan , a militant group primarily composed of the Mutair tribe, established a settlement around the wells in the village of Quraiya, claiming ownership of the land. Upon learning of this encroachment, Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait , sent a message to Hayef bin Shuqair,

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