The British became the dominant power in the Arab Gulf in the late eighteenth century. The conventional view has justified British imperial expansion in the Gulf region because of the need to supress Arab piracy. This book, first published in 1988, challenges the myth of piracy and argues that its threat was created by the East India Company for commercial reasons. The Company was determined to increase its share of Gulf trade with India at the expense of the native Arab traders, especially the Qawasim of the lower Gulf. However, the Company did not possess the necessary warships and needed to persuade the British Government to commit the Royal Navy to achieve this dominance. Accordingly the East India Company orchestrated a campaign to misrepresent the Qawasim as pirates who threatened all maritime activity in the northern Indian Ocean and adjacent waters. Any misfortune that happened to any ship in the area was attributed to the ‘Joasmee pirates’. This campaign was to lead eventually to the storming of Ras al-Khaimah and the destruction of the Qawasim. Based on extensive use of the Bombay Archives, previously unused by researchers, this book provides a thorough reinterpretation of a vital period in Gulf history. It also illuminates the style and method of the East India Company at a critical period in the expansion of the British Empire.

What caused the decline of the Ottoman empire in the Persian Gulf? Why has history credited only London, not Istanbul, with bringing about the birth of the modern Gulf States? Using the Ottoman imperial archives, as well as European and Arab sources, Anscombe explains how the combination of poor communication, scarce resources, and misplaced security concerns undermined Istanbul's control and ultimately drove the Gulf shaikhs to seek independence with ties to the British.

A unique memoir by the current emir of Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates

In the Name of the Battle against Piracy discusses antipiracy campaigns in Europe and Asia in the 16th-19th centuries. Nine contributors argue how important antipiracy campaigns were for the establishment of a (colonial) state, because piracy was a threat not only to maritime commerce, but also to its sovereignty. 'Battle against piracy' offered a good reason for a state to claim its authority as the sole protector of people, and to establish peace, order, and sovereignty. In fact, as the contributors explain, the story was not that simple, because states sometimes attempted to make economic and political use of piracy, while private interests were strongly involved in antipiracy politics. State formation processes were not clearly separated from non-state elements. Contributors are: Kudo Akihito, Satsuma Shinsuke, Suzuki Hideaki, Lakshmi Sabramanian, Ota Atsushi, James Francis Warren, Fujita Tatsuo, Murakami Ei, and Toyooka Yasufumi.

The role indigo has played elsewhere has been fairly well documented, but in the case of the Arab world, little or no thorough investigation has been previously undertaken. Sets out to provide comprehensive coverage of the subject from its earliest history to the present day.

Whether called 'Arabian' or 'Persian, ' the Gulf is one of the most politically important regions of the world, and its history is necessary in understanding the contemporary Middle East. Paul Rich draws on previously closed archives to document the actual heritage of the area and dispel the myths, showing that the influences of Britain and India are far deeper than commonly acknowledged, and that the sheikhs are actually the creation of the British Raj

With new and existing evidence being reconsidered, this edited collection takes a multidisciplinary approach to discussing the Qajar system within the context of the wars that engulfed it and the periods of peace that ensued. It throws new light on the decision-making processes, the restraints on action, and the political exigencies at play during the Qajar years.

An innovative legal history of economic life in the Western Indian Ocean, charting the emergence of a trans-oceanic contractual culture.

Visionary statesmen who have created an enduring state edifice through purposeful consensus and persuasion remain a historical rarity. The formation of the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971 under the inspiring leadership of its founding father, H.H. Shaikh Zayid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is a unique example of the building of a prosperous nation that has earned its founder his rightful place among the outstanding statesmen of all time. Against the backdrop of the British withdrawal from the Arabian Gulf region, it was H.H. Shaikh Zayid who accomplished the complex task of unifying the erstwhile Trucial States, creating the only thriving federal state in the Middle East. While fulfilling his personal destiny as the chosen leader, H.H. Shaikh Zayid strengthened the nation by uniting disparate tribal groups and sustained it against formidable challenges. He pioneered the modernization of the country and ultimately realized his dream of an effective framework for collaboration with neighboring Gulf states. The UAE has since become a constructive force within the region and beyond, exemplifying the principles of national unity, regional solidarity, international cooperation and religious tolerance. This book adopts a scholarly approach in analyzing the UAE’s unique federal experience, its phenomenal achievements and H.H. Shaikh Zayid’s far-sighted policies. It is an in-depth study of the birth of a progressive nation and the pivotal role of its leader, based largely on unpublished historical records and documents. The factual foundation of the book and its meticulous documentation make it a valuable record covering an important era in the contemporary history of the Arab Gulf region.