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40-756: The Perpetual Maritime Truce was conceived by the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf Colonel Samuel Hennell following a series of seasonal treaties intended to preserve peace at sea between the coastal communities of the region during the annual pearling season and was signed in August 1853 by the Rulers of the area during meetings at Basidu on the island of Qeshm and at Bushire . After decades of incidents where British shipping had fallen foul of

80-501: A British obligation to maintain peace. The trucial system took explicit form in 1835, when raids by Bani Yas tribesmen, rivals of the Qawasim, led to a British-imposed truce during the summer pearling season. The truce was made year-long in 1838 and renewed annually until 1843 when it was extended for ten years. The trucial system received formal permanency with the 1853 Perpetual Maritime Truce The British policy of non-involvement in

120-686: A force of 600 men and two ships. Following the invasion and sacking of Ras Al Khaimah and Rams and Dhayah , the British expeditionary force then blew up the town and established a garrison of 800 sepoys and artillery, before visiting Jazirat Al Hamra , which was found to be deserted. They went on to bombard and destroy the fortifications and larger vessels of the coastal communities of Umm Al Quwain , Ajman , Fasht , Sharjah , Abu Hail , and Dubai . Ten vessels that had taken shelter in Bahrain were also destroyed. The Royal Navy suffered no casualties during

160-592: A large French mission under General Gardane galvanized the British, both in London and Calcutta . They responded by sending a mission under Sir Harford Jones , which resulted in establishing the Preliminary Treaty of Friendship and Alliance with the Shah in 1809. Despite being modified during subsequent negotiations, this treaty provided the framework within which Anglo–Persian foreign relations operated for

200-565: A maritime truce between the Gulf Sheikhdoms which would cement the provisions already agreed in the 1820 General Maritime Treaty. The new treaty would run for the pearling season, between May and November and bind all of the Rulers to avoid hostilities at sea, give full redress for any infractions committed by their subjects, avoid retaliation but report incidents to the Resident, let the Resident know if any hostilities were intended at

240-824: A pearling season arrangement. The series of truces led to the signatory Sheikhdoms of the Lower Gulf becoming referred to as the ' Trucial States '. On 1 June 1843, a ten-year treaty was signed by the rulers. The Perpetual Maritime Truce of 4 May 1853 was then agreed upon. The perpetual truce prohibited any act of aggression at sea and was signed by Abdulla bin Rashid Al Mualla of Umm Al Quwain; Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman; Saeed bin Butti of Dubai; Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan ('Chief of

280-516: Is not derived from the dynastic name of the Bu Saidi sultans of Oman who in fact ruled Qeshm Island and vicinity until the mid 19th century. Instead, the name is the ancient Greek / Hellenistic Poseidonia, named after the sea god, Poseidon . Further up the Persian Gulf, ports of Apollonia ( Obolla ) and Apollodorus ( Abadan ), among others, likewise carry ancient Hellenistic names. At

320-587: The Foreign Office on 1 April 1947. British activity in the Persian Gulf was primarily a commercial pursuit. Thus, the British Raj was slow to take action in protecting British and Indian shipping against raids from Qawasim pirates . By 1817, the Qawasim were spreading terror along the Indian coast to within 70 miles of Bombay. This threat generated a British military expedition in 1819, which crushed

360-550: The Persian Gulf , including what is today known as the United Arab Emirates (formerly called the " Trucial States ") and at various times southern portions of Iran , Bahrain , Kuwait , Oman , and Qatar . British interest in the Persian Gulf originated in the sixteenth century and steadily increased as British India 's importance rose in the imperial system of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In

400-728: The Bani Yas and Qawasim respectively. The treaty effectively established a British protectorate on the Trucial Coast, the Rulers all agreeing to escalate any disputes or acts of aggression to the British Resident, who was resident in Sharjah, or the 'Commodore at Bassidore' and submit to their judgement. That protectorate, reinforced by the Exclusive Agreement of 1892, was to last until British withdrawal from

440-829: The Beniyas') and Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi ('Chief of the Joasmees'). Although it was to be the culmination of Hennell's diplomacy and peace-making between the Trucial Rulers, the perpetual treaty was actually signed on the British side by Hennell's former deputy and successor, Arnold Burrowes Kemball . Three of the signatory Rulers signed as 'Chief' of their towns (Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Dubai) and two, Saeed bin Tahnoon and Sultan bin Saqr signed as head of their tribes -

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480-556: The Iranian oil industry backfired, and led to an extension of the concession operated by the British government-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company . From their new base in Bahrain, the British resident directed other political agents in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman until those regions became independent. On 1 April 1947, the British political residency came under the authority of the Foreign Office, 'graded' as an ambassador in

520-609: The Persian Gulf was implemented in accordance with the British Foreign Jurisdiction Acts of 1890–1913, which empowered the Crown to establish courts and legislate for the categories of persons subject to jurisdiction by means of Orders in Council. Regarding the resident's role in concluding concession agreements between rulers and foreign oil companies, Hay says: 'The oil companies naturally bulk largely in

560-540: The Persian Gulf. The political resident accomplished his obligations by using a network of representatives known as political agents , operating in Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Additionally, political officers were retained for the remaining Trucial states, acting under the British Agency at Dubai. Foreign relations in Muscat were conducted by a Consul-General , who was also, administratively, answerable to

600-554: The Qawasim confederation and resulted in ratification of the General Maritime Treaty on 5 January 1820. Through extension and modification, this treaty formed the basis of British policy in the Persian Gulf for a century and half. The ruler of Bahrain as well as sheikhs along the northern coast of Oman pledged to maintain peace between their tribes and Britain and accepted clauses prohibiting slavery and cruel treatment of prisoners. The treaty further stipulated that

640-553: The Qawasim, an aggressive Arab maritime force that was opposed to British hegemony in the Persian Gulf, an expeditionary force embarked from Bombay, at the behest of the British East India Company , for Ras Al Khaimah in 1809 . The force bombarded, but did not invade, Ras Al Khaimah. This campaign led to the signing of a peace treaty between the British and Hussan Bin Rahmah Al Qasimi , the leader of

680-632: The Qawasim. Following the breakdown of that arrangement in 1815 and a number of maritime incidents, in November 1819, the British embarked on a further punitive expedition against the Qawasim, led by Major-General William Keir Grant , sailing to Ras Al Khaimah with a force of 3,000 soldiers. The British extended an offer to their ally (and the bitter enemy of the Qawasim) Said bin Sultan of Muscat to assist them in their expedition. Obligingly, he sent

720-662: The Trucial States in 1971 and the foundation of the United Arab Emirates on 2 December 1971. Persian Gulf Residency The Persian Gulf Residency ( Arabic : المقيمية السياسية البريطانية في الخليج الفارسي ) was a subdivision of the British Empire from 1822 until 1971, whereby the United Kingdom maintained varying degrees of political and economic control over several states in

760-554: The Trucial sheikhs pledged themselves not to allow the exploitation of oil resources in their territories except by "persons appointed by the British government". Even more restrictive was the ultimatum issued by the political resident in 1937 requiring Trucial states to do business exclusively with Petroleum Concessions Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the London-based Iraq Petroleum Company , which

800-578: The action. The General Maritime Treaty of 1820 followed, initially signed by the rulers of Abu Dhabi , Sharjah , Ajman , Umm Al Quwain and the deposed Sheikh of Ras Al Khaimah (who signed as Sheikh of Khatt and Falaya) and Great Britain in January 1820. Bahrain acceded to the treaty in the following February. The treaty prohibited piracy in the Persian Gulf , banned slavery and required all usable ships to be registered with British forces by flying distinctive red and white flags which exist today as

840-719: The beginning, the agenda was primarily of a commercial character. Realizing the region's significance, the English fleet supported the Persian emperor Shāh Abbās in expelling the Portuguese from Hormuz Island in 1622. In return, the East India Company ("the Company") was permitted to establish a trading post in the coastal city of Bandar 'Abbās , which became their principal port in the Persian Gulf. Empowered by

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880-714: The charter of Charles II in 1661, the Company was responsible for conducting British foreign policy in the Persian Gulf, as well as concluding various treaties, agreements and engagements with Persian Gulf states in its capacity as the Crown's regional agent. In 1763, the British East India Company established a residency at Bushehr , on the Persian side of the Gulf: this was followed by another residency in Basra several years later. The arrival in Persia in 1807 of

920-594: The diplomatic pillar of British authority in the Trucial states. In the years following World War I , the Trucial sheikhs found their capacity to act independently being continuously curtailed by the British. This was partially a result of Britain shifting attention away from Iran , where Reza Shah 's nationalist assertion of power undercut their hegemony. It also reflected growing commercial and imperial communications interests, such as air route facilities. For example, according to agreements concluded in February 1922,

960-620: The economically important annual pearling season. Hennell reported that news “came in from all quarters of the joy and satisfaction diffused amongst the inhabitants of the whole line of the Arabian Coast of the Gulf on the intelligence reaching them of the establishment of the Truce.” Celebrated as a great success, Hennell's seasonal truce was to be renewed in subsequent years, becoming a year-round agreement from 1838 onwards rather than purely

1000-563: The end of the truce and in turn obliged the Resident to enforce the truce and act to obtain reparations for any injuries inflicted by one Ruler's subjects on another's. The treaty effectively made the British the chief broker of peace in the region and was received with enthusiasm during a meeting at Basidu on the island of Qeshm , between Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi , Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah and Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan , Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The two Rulers approved of

1040-458: The flags of the respective emirates. In 1829, a series of long-running conflicts broke out between Abu Dhabi and its northern neighbours, principally involving Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah and later the newly secessionist town of Dubai. These culminated in a blockade of Abu Dhabi by the Rulers of Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Lingeh in 1833. A short-lived peace was arranged, followed by a more enduring arrangement in 1834 under which Abu Dhabi agreed that

1080-715: The idea and Hennell invited Obeid bin Said bin Rashid of Dubai and Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi of Ajman to join them. The Truce as proposed by Hennell was signed by all four Rulers in Bushire on the 21 August 1835. Umm Al Quwain at the time was subject to Ras Al Khaimah and so did not sign independently. Although signed in August, the Treaty bound its signatories from May 1835 to November 1835, so ensuring peace at sea during

1120-470: The internal affairs of the Trucial sheikhs was abandoned with passage of the "Exclusive Agreement" in March 1892. This agreement prohibited the Trucial rulers from yielding territorial sovereignty without British consent. Britain, moreover, assumed responsibility for foreign relations and thus, by implication, their protection. This treaty marked Britain's shift from commercial to strategic priorities and formed

1160-711: The new position of "British Resident for the Persian Gulf." A chief political resident was the chief executive officer of the political unit, and he was subordinate to the Governor of Bombay until 1873 and the Governor-General of India until 1947, when India became independent. In 1858, the East India Company’s agency was transferred to the India Office , who assumed authority of British foreign policy with Persian Gulf states: this responsibility went to

1200-558: The next half century. Britain appointed Harford Jones as their first resident envoy to the Persian court in 1808. Until the appointment of Charles Alison as Minister in Tehran in 1860, the envoy and his staff were, with rare exceptions, almost exclusively recruited from the East India Company. In the absence of formal diplomatic relations, the political resident conducted all necessary negotiations with Persian authorities and

1240-482: The people of Dubai should be subjects of Sharjah. The conflict, the most enduring and damaging so far of any between the coastal communities of the Persian Gulf, prepared the ground for the Perpetual Maritime Truce of 1853, commencing with a series of treaties negotiated by the British to cover a truce for the annual pearling season, which took effect from 1835 onwards. Hennell conceived the idea of

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1280-448: The political resident's portfolio. He has to closely watch all negotiations for new agreements or the amendment of existing agreements and ensure that nothing is decided which will seriously affect the position or the rulers of the British government…' The same author also refers to what he terms political agreements , to which, he says, oil companies’ are all bound… with the British government… in addition to their concession agreements with

1320-484: The possibility of complications with foreign powers, such as civil aviation , posts and telegraphs." However, Hay added that "constant advice and encouragement are… offered to various rulers regarding improvement of their administrations and development of their resources, mostly in an informal manner". The resident also administered British extraterritorial jurisdiction , which had been exercised in certain Persian Gulf territories since 1925. Extraterritorial jurisdiction

1360-432: The resident in Bahrain. Through his political agents the resident preserved close connections with Persian Gulf rulers – simultaneously protecting their political and economic interests and the British government's on the basis of established treaties and agreements. According to Rupert Hay, the sheikhs enjoyed control over internal affairs, with Britain "ordinarily only exercises control in matters involving negotiations or

1400-630: The rulers…' 'One of the main objects of these', he continues, 'is to ensure that their relations with the rulers in all matters of importance are conducted through, or with, the knowledge of British political officers'. Agents: Chief political residents of the Persian Gulf ;: Basaidu Basaidu ( Persian : باسعيدو ) is a village in Dulab Rural District of Hara District , Qeshm County , Hormozgan province, Iran . Despite phonetic similarity, Basaidu

1440-544: The ships of maritime tribes would be freely admitted at British ports. While the treaty obviously served British interests, because it was sensibly magnanimous and aimed at securing all parties' interests, it effectively ended piracy in the Persian Gulf. Articles 6 and 10 authorized the British Residency in the Persian Gulf to act as maritime police to administer the treaty's conditions and resolve tribal disputes. Article 7 condemned piracy among Arab tribes and implied

1480-472: The time of the 2006 National Census, the village's population was 1,662 in 359 households, when it was in Shahab District . The following census in 2011 counted 1,989 people in 465 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the village as 2,228 people in 520 households. It was the most populous village in its rural district. In 2017, the rural district was separated from the district in

1520-612: Was ceded to Britain in the 19th century by virtue of informal agreements with various rulers. In Muscat it was based on formal agreements that were renewed periodically. Extraterritorial jurisdiction was originally applied to all resident classes in Persian Gulf states, but was later limited to British subjects, Commonwealth nationals and non-Muslim foreigners. Britain relinquished extraterritorial jurisdiction in Kuwait on 4 May 1961, transferring jurisdiction over all classes of foreigners to Kuwaiti courts. British extraterritorial jurisdiction in

1560-587: Was described by Sir George Curzon as "the Uncrowned King of the Persian Gulf." Whether Persia liked it or not, the political resident had at his disposal naval forces with which to suppress piracy, slave trading, and gun running, and to enforce quarantine regulations; he also could, and did, put landing parties and punitive expeditions ashore on the Persia coast. In 1822, the Bushehr and Basra residencies were combined, with Bushehr serving as headquarters for

1600-563: Was itself partly owned by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC). Instead of reflecting higher demand for oil (Britain then had adequate supply), this ultimatum was designed to block other parties out of the economic and political affairs of the Trucial States. In 1946, the Persian Gulf residency left its location in Bushehr and relocated to a new base in Bahrain. However, while Reza Shah succeeded in removing Britain from Iranian territory, his efforts to curtail their role in

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