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137-751: Piratical activities were common in the Persian Gulf from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century, particularly in the area known as the Pirate Coast which spanned from modern-day Qatar to Oman . Piracy was alleviated from 1820 with the signing of the General Maritime Treaty , cemented in 1853 by the Perpetual Maritime Truce , after which the Pirate Coast began to be known by the British as

274-776: A major non-NATO ally of the United States. Qatar also has particularly strong ties with France, China, Iran, Turkey, as well as a number of Islamist movements in the Middle East such as the Muslim Brotherhood . The country is an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council , as well as a member of the Arab League . Diplomatic missions to Qatar are based in its capital, Doha. Regional relations and foreign policies are characterized by

411-414: A 10-year sentence. Alcohol consumption is partially legal; some five-star luxury hotels are allowed to sell alcohol to non-Muslim customers. Muslims are not allowed to consume alcohol, and those caught consuming it are liable to flogging or deportation. Non-Muslim expatriates can obtain a permit to purchase alcohol for personal consumption. The Qatar Distribution Company (a subsidiary of Qatar Airways )

548-565: A British chronicler, perceives this view as extreme, and believes the Al Qasimi acted within their volition. With military and financial backing from the Emirate of Dir'iyah, Qasimis aimed to spread Wahhabi doctrines across the Gulf region. They had a powerful naval force and sought to end the rising European colonial infiltration on their trade and commercial routes. The strategic port-city of Ras al-Khaimah ,

685-528: A British protectorate on 3 November 1916 when the United Kingdom signed a treaty with Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani to bring Qatar under its Trucial System of Administration . The treaty reserved foreign affairs and defence to the United Kingdom but allowed internal autonomy. While Abdullah agreed not to enter into any relations with any other power without the prior consent of the British government,

822-493: A Persian pirate named Mīr Muhannā. The letter states " In his day, he was a major source of concern for all those who traded along the Persian Gulf and his exploits were an early factor, beyond purely commercial concerns, that led the East India Company to first become entangled in the politics of the region ". Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah was the most notorious pirate to have exploited the Persian Gulf during this era. He

959-558: A Roman Catholic church (2008). Qatar's economy and status as a regional power rapidly grew in the 2000s. According to the UN, the nation's economic growth, measured by GDP, was the fastest in the world during this decade. The basis of this growth lay in the exploitation of natural gas in the North Field during the 1990s. At the same time, the population tripled between 2001 and 2011, mostly from an influx of foreigners. In 2003, Qatar served as

1096-463: A Trucial State by the British in 1936 is today part of the emirate of Sharjah . Kuwait signed protective treaties with Britain in 1899 and 1914 and Qatar signed a treaty in 1916. These treaties, in addition to the earlier treaties signed by the Trucial States and Bahrain, were aimed suppressing piracy and slave trade in the region. Acts of piracy in the Persian Gulf desisted during this period. By

1233-489: A daring freebooter without fear or mercy" (ironically, his first name means "mercy" in Arabic ). He began life as a horse dealer, and used the money he had saved to buy his first ship and with ten companions began a career of buccaneering . He was so successful that he soon acquired a new craft, a 300-ton vessel, manned by 350 men. He would later have as many as 2,000 followers, many of them black slaves. At one point his flagship

1370-529: A dispute over Qatar's support of the Muslim Brotherhood , which is considered a terrorist organization by some Arab nations. The diplomatic crisis ended in January 2021 with the signing of AlUla declaration. On 2 October 2020, Qatari authorities strip-searched 13 Australian women on a plane at Hamad International Airport over a premature baby found in a bathroom at the terminal. This caused an international incident with Australia. In September 2023, Qatar mediated

1507-776: A famous horse and camel breeding centre during the Umayyad period. In the 8th century, it started benefiting from its commercially strategic position in the Persian Gulf and went on to become a centre of pearl trading. Substantial development in the pearling industry around the Qatari Peninsula occurred during the Abbasid era. Ships voyaging from Basra to India and China would make stops in Qatar's ports during this period. Chinese porcelain , West African coins, and artefacts from Thailand have been discovered in Qatar. Archaeological remains from

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1644-569: A few huts in the vicinity. As a result of no centralized authority existing in Qatar from the 18th to 19th centuries, Rahmah was able to establish dominion over much of the peninsula for a period after the Al Khalifa relocated to Bahrain. Rahmah's alliances with regional powers tended to be on the basis of shared opposition to the Al Khalifa: he formed an alliance with the first Saudi dynasty when it conquered Bahrain , and he founded and relocated to

1781-424: A flag being a red rectangle contained within a white border of equal width to the contained rectangle, 'with or without letters on it, at their option'. This flag was to be a symbol of peace with the British government and each other. The vessels of the 'friendly Arabs' were to carry a paper (register), signed by their chief and detailing the vessel. They should also carry a documented port clearance, which would name

1918-470: A flat denial of involvement in the affair from the Al Qasimi who were also at pains to point out they had not undertaken to recognise 'idolotrous Hindus' as British subjects, let alone anyone from the West Coast of India other than Bombay and Mangalore. A small squadron assembled off Ras Al Khaimah and, on Sheikh Hassan continuing to be 'obstinate', opened fire on four vessels anchored there. Firing from too long

2055-409: A great effort and set up at the foot of the hill. The transport of the guns involved running them three miles up a narrow, shallow creek, dragging them through a muddy swamp, and then pulling them over rocky ground. Once they were set up, a message was sent to the defenders offering for their women and children to leave; the defenders ignored it. The guns opened fire at 8:30 AM, and by 10:30, the walls of

2192-434: A great number of casualties on his side, he fled to Bushehr where he sought material and military assistance from the British political resident. Having failed to convince the British for aid, he set off to Dammam with a reinforcement of 35 Balochis from Bushehr and continued waging his war against the Al Khalifa. In October 1826, Rahmah launched a raid on a vessel owned by the Al Khalifa rulers of Bahrain. Upon discovering

2329-537: A mediator, such as for Middle Eastern conflicts; for example, Qatar mediated between the rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas in 2006 and helped unite Lebanese leaders into forming a political agreement during the 2008 crisis. Qatar has also emerged as mediators in African and Asian affairs, notably holding a peace process for Sudan amid the Darfur conflict and facilitating peace talks for Afghanistan , setting up

2466-423: A modesty campaign was launched to remind tourists of the country's restrictive dress code. Female tourists were advised not to wear leggings, miniskirts, sleeveless dresses, or short or tight clothing in public. Men were warned against wearing shorts and singlets. Qatar's international profile and active role in international affairs have led some analysts to identify it as a middle power . Since 2022, it has been

2603-784: A negligible military presence in the area, the Ottomans were expelled by the Bani Khalid tribe and their emirate in 1670. In 1766, members of the Al Khalifa family of the Utub tribal confederation migrated from Kuwait to Zubarah in Qatar. By the time of their arrival, the Bani Khalid exercised weak authority over the peninsula, notwithstanding the fact that the largest village was ruled by their distant kin. In 1783, Qatar-based Bani Utbah clans and allied Arab tribes invaded and annexed Bahrain from

2740-476: A party to the treaty, and it was assumed that Qatar, perceived as a dependency of Bahrain by the British, was also a party to it. Qatar, however, was not asked to fly the prescribed Trucial flag. As punishment for alleged piracy committed by the inhabitants of Al Bidda and breach of treaty, an East India Company warships bombarded the town in 1821. The town was razed to the ground, forcing between 300 and 400 denizens of Al Bidda to flee and temporarily take shelter on

2877-607: A political "office" for the Afghan Taliban to facilitate talks. Ahmed Rashid , writing in the Financial Times , stated that through the office Qatar has "facilitated meetings between the Taliban and many countries and organisations, including the US state department, the UN, Japan, several European governments and non-governmental organisations, all of whom have been trying to push forward

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3014-590: A proposal to install the Sultan of Muscat as Ruler of the whole peninsula. Warden's arguments and proposals likely influenced the shape of the eventual treaty concluded with the Sheikhs of the Gulf coast. In November of that year the British embarked on an expedition against the Al Qasimi, led by Major-General William Keir Grant , voyaging to Ras Al Khaimah with a force of 3,000 soldiers. The British extended an offer to Said bin Sultan of Muscat in which he would be made ruler of

3151-438: A range, the squadron expended some 350 rounds to no effect and disbanded, visiting other ports on the coast. Unsurprisingly given this ineffective 'punishment', Lorimer reports "The temerity of the pirates increased" and further raids on shipping followed, including the taking of "an Arab vessel but officered by Englishmen and flying English colours" just 70 miles North of Bombay. After an additional year of recurring incidents, at

3288-498: A series of attacks in 1808 off the coast Sindh involving 50 Qasimi raiders and following the 1809 monsoon season, the British authorities in India decided to make a significant show of force against the Al Qasimi, in an effort not only to destroy their larger bases and as many ships as could be found, but also to counteract French encouragement of them from their embassies in Persia and Oman. By

3425-461: A short course of time, Rahmah overtook his eldest brother Abdullah in a struggle for leadership of the tribe; consequently, the tribe adopted piracy as a livelihood. His base in Khor Hassan, which would serve as his base of operation against the Al Khalifa, was surrounded by a protected bay which contributed to the area's defensive capabilities. He resided in a fort with mud walls and there were only

3562-639: A significant portion of eastern Arabia in 1521. In 1550, the inhabitants of Al-Hasa voluntarily submitted to the rule of the Ottomans , preferring them to the Portuguese. After the fall of the Jabrid Dynasty with the conquest of Bahrain by the Portuguese, the Arabian coast up to Al Hassa came under the rule and influence of the Portuguese empire. Attempts by the Ottomans to dominate the region were eliminated with

3699-531: Is Islam . The country has the fourth-highest GDP (PPP) per capita in the world and the eleventh-highest GNI per capita (Atlas method) . It ranks 42nd in the Human Development Index , the third-highest HDI in the Arab world . It is a high-income economy , backed by the world's third-largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves. Qatar is one of the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas and

3836-634: Is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani , who holds nearly all executive, legislative, and judicial authority in an autocratic manner under the Constitution of Qatar . He appoints the prime minister and cabinet . The partially-elected Consultative Assembly can block legislation and has a limited ability to dismiss ministers. In early 2017, the population of Qatar was two point 6 million, although only 313,000 of them are Qatari citizens and 2.3 million being expatriates and migrant workers . Its official religion

3973-493: Is a mixture of civil law and Sharia. Sharia is applied to family law, inheritance, and several criminal acts (including adultery, robbery, and murder). In some cases, Sharia-based family courts treat a female's testimony as being worth half that of a man. Codified family law was introduced in 2006. Islamic polygyny is permitted. Judicial corporal punishment is a punishment in Qatar. Only Muslims considered medically fit are liable to have such sentences carried out. Flogging

4110-481: Is also claimed that the principal stronghold was in Ras Al Khaimah . Hermann Burchardt , a 19th-century German explorer and photographer, surmised that the Pirate Coast deserved its designation, and goes on to claim that piracy was the main occupation of the inhabitants who were infamous for their fanatacism and bloodthirstiness. A British customs official named John Malcolm who served in the Persian Gulf area from

4247-445: Is employed as a punishment for alcohol consumption or illicit sexual relations. Article 88 of the criminal code declares that the penalty for adultery is 100 lashes. Stoning is a legal punishment in Qatar, and apostasy and homosexuality are crimes punishable by the death penalty ; however, the penalty has not been carried out for either crime. Blasphemy can result in up to seven years in prison, while proselytising can incur

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4384-474: Is made up of 30 popularly-elected members and 15 appointed by the emir. It can block legislation with a simple majority and can dismiss ministers, including the prime minister, with a two-thirds vote. The assembly had its first elections in October 2021 after several postponements. According to Qatar's Constitution, Sharia law is the main source of Qatari legislation, although in practice Qatar's legal system

4521-419: Is permitted to import alcohol and pork; it operates the only liquor store in the country, which also sells pork to holders of liquor licences. Qatari officials had indicated a willingness to allow alcohol in "fan zones" at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, on 18 November, two days before the start of the games, Qatari officials announced alcoholic beverages would not be permitted within the stadiums. In 2014,

4658-641: Is suggested in the historical literature of the Chronicle of Seert that piracy interfered with the trade network of the Sasanians around the 5th century. The works mention ships en route from India being targeted in attacks along the coast of Fars during the reign of Yazdegerd II . Ibn Hawqal , a 10th-century history chronicler, alludes to piracy in the Persian Gulf in his book The Renaissance Of Islam . He describes it as such: From Ibn Hawqal's book, "The Renaissance Of Islam": — In Richard Hodges ' commentary on

4795-507: Is the 29th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index . Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah Rahmah ibn Jabir ibn Adhbi al-Jalhami ( Arabic : رحمة بن جابر بن عذبي الجلهمي ; c. 1760–1826) was an Arab ruler in the Persian Gulf region and was described by his contemporary, the English traveler and author, James Silk Buckingham , as "the most successful and

4932-633: Is the earliest known site of shellfish dye production, owing to a Kassite purple dye industry which existed on the coast. In 224 AD, the Sasanian Empire gained control over the territories surrounding the Persian Gulf. Qatar played a role in the commercial activity of the Sasanids, contributing at least two commodities: precious pearls and purple dye. Under the Sasanid reign, many of the inhabitants in eastern Arabia were introduced to Christianity following

5069-526: The Trucial Coast (present-day United Arab Emirates ). Piracy flourished in the Persian Gulf during the commercial decline of the Dilmun Civilization (centered in present-day Bahrain ) around 1800 BC. As early as 694 BC, Assyrian pirates attacked traders traversing to and from India via the Persian Gulf. King Sennacherib attempted to wipe out the piracy but his efforts were unsuccessful. It

5206-562: The Al Khalifa , the two had a subsequent falling out after the Al Khalifa refused to share the economic gain made from trade ventures. Rahmah's tribe nonetheless agreed to fight alongside the Al Khalifa in their battle against the Persians in Bahrain in 1783 . After Bahrain was annexed by the Al Khalifa, Rahmah's tribe, feeling dissatisfied with their share of the rewards, moved first to Bushehr and eventually to Khor Hassan in northwest Qatar. Over

5343-569: The Arab Spring . Qatar also forms part of the Gulf Cooperation Council . Pliny the Elder , a Roman writer, documented the earliest account pertaining to the inhabitants of the peninsula around the mid-first century AD, referring to them as the Catharrei , a designation that may have derived from the name of a prominent local settlement. A century later, Ptolemy produced the first known map to depict

5480-581: The General Maritime Treaty of 1820 . This resulted in the area becoming known first as Trucial Oman and then generally the Trucial States . The first article of the treaty asserts: 'There shall be a cessation of plunder and piracy by land and sea on the part of the Arabs, who are parties to this contract, for ever.' It then goes on to define piracy as being any attack that is not an action of 'acknowledged war'. The 'pacificated Arabs' agree, on land and sea, to carry

5617-566: The Persian Gulf campaign of 1809 . The first recorded instances, however, under the rule of Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi are disputed as constituting acts of piracy by Emirati historians. [REDACTED] United Kingdom [REDACTED] Emirate of Diriyah Around 1805, the Wahhabis maintained an unsteady suzerainty over parts of the southern Persian coast. They implemented a system of organized raids on foreign shipping. The vice-regent of

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5754-577: The Persian Gulf campaign of 1819 against the Al-Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah . The operation was carried out after repeated incidents of piracy perpetrated against British-flagged vessels by the Al-Qasimi. In January 1820, he and his crew were in preparation to launch a naval invasion on Bahrain from Qatif 's port but aborted their plans after being warned by the British. The following month, he travelled to Shiraz with three vessels to proffer his assistance to

5891-753: The Qatari Emiri Land Forces , 2,500 in the Navy , 2,000 in the Air Force , and 5,000 in the Internal Security Forces. In 2008 Qatar spent US$ 2.3 billion on its military, which was 2.3% of the GDP, and its military spending increased to US$ 7.49 billion as of 2022. After the Arab spring events in 2011 and a diplomatic incident with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries in 2014, Qatar started expanding its armed forces. The country introduced conscription in 2013,

6028-694: The State of Qatar , is a country in West Asia . It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East ; it shares its sole land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf . The Gulf of Bahrain , an inlet of the Persian Gulf, separates Qatar from nearby Bahrain . The capital is Doha , home to over 80% of

6165-465: The Ubaid period (c. 6500–3800 BC) have been discovered in abandoned coastal settlements. Al Da'asa , a settlement located on the western coast of Qatar, is the most important Ubaid site in the country and is believed to have accommodated a small seasonal encampment. The polity of Dilmun, which is attested to in sources from the 3rd millennium BC onwards, is said to have encompassed Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and

6302-566: The United Arab Emirates . Under an agreement with the United Kingdom, on 3 September 1971, the "special treaty arrangements" that were "inconsistent with full international responsibility as a sovereign and independent state" were terminated. In 1991, Qatar played a significant role in the Gulf War , particularly during the Battle of Khafji in which Qatari tanks rolled through the streets of

6439-539: The United States Central Command headquarters and one of the main launching sites of the invasion of Iraq . In March 2005, a suicide bombing killed a British teacher at the Doha Players Theatre, shocking the country, which had not previously experienced acts of terrorism. The bombing was carried out by Omar Ahmed Abdullah Ali, an Egyptian resident in Qatar who had suspected ties to Al-Qaeda in

6576-498: The 'Nacodah' (today generally spelled nakhuda ), crew and number of armed men on board as well as the port of origin and destination. They would produce these on request to any British or other vessel which requested them. The treaty also makes provision for the exchange of envoys, for the 'friendly Arabs' to act in concert against outside forces and to desist from putting people to death after they have given up their arms or to carry them off as slaves. The treaty prohibits slaving 'from

6713-567: The 18th century to the 19th century wrote that when he questioned an Arab servant named Khudádád about the Jawasmi (the main pirate tribe in the Persian Gulf), Khudádád professed that "their occupation is piracy, and their delight murder; and to make it worse, they give you the most pious reasons for every villainy they commit". One of the earliest mentions of piracy by the British comes from a letter written by William Bowyear dated in 1767. It describes

6850-469: The 20th century, piracy had become a marginal activity, mainly due to the increasingly widespread use of steamships which were too expensive for freebooters to finance. Jamie Krona of the Maritime Liaison Office declared that piracy throughout the Middle East region was not only a threat to the regional economy, but also to the global economy. Iraq experienced a rise in piracy since the start of

6987-412: The 400 to 1000 casualties reportedly suffered by the Al Qasimi. However, the fight for Dhayah was altogether harder and hand-to-hand fighting through the date plantations of Dhayah took place between 18 and 21 December. By 21 December the Al Qasimi defenders had repaired to Dhayah Fort, protected by the slopes around the fortification. Two 24-pounder guns were brought to Dhayah from HMS  Liverpool in

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7124-522: The 9th century suggest that Qatar's inhabitants used greater wealth to construct higher quality homes and public buildings. Over 100 stone-built houses, two mosques, and an Abbasid fort were constructed in Murwab during this period. When the caliphate's prosperity declined in Iraq, so too did it in Qatar. Qatar is mentioned in 13th-century Muslim scholar Yaqut al-Hamawi 's book, Mu'jam Al-Buldan , which alludes to

7261-580: The Arabian Peninsula . The increased influence of Qatar and its role during the Arab Spring , especially during the Bahraini uprising in 2011 , worsened longstanding tensions with Saudi Arabia , the neighboring United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. In 2010, Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup , making it the first country in the Middle East to be selected to host the tournament. The awarding increased further investment and developments within

7398-626: The Bombay Government and its officials which shed doubt on many of the key charges made by Lorimer in his history of the affair. At the time, the Chief Secretary of the Government of Bombay, F. Warden, presented a minute which laid blame for the piracy on the Wahhabi influence on the Al Qasimi and the interference of the East India Company in native affairs. Warden also, successfully, argued against

7535-411: The British, who were dismayed with the acts of piracy committed against them after an arrangement between them and the Al Qasimi broke down in 1815. J.G. Lorimer contends that after the dissolution of the arrangement, the Al Qasimi "now indulged in a carnival of maritime lawlessness, to which even their own previous record presented no parallel". Select instances are given: "In 1815 a British Indian vessel

7672-402: The Islamic prophet Muhammad sent a Muslim envoy to a ruler in eastern Arabia named Munzir ibn Sawa Al-Tamimi and requested that he and his subjects accept Islam. Munzir obliged his request, and accordingly most of the Arab tribes in the region converted to Islam. In the middle of the century, the Muslim conquest of Persia resulted in the fall of the Sasanian Empire. Qatar was described as

7809-405: The Libyan government and special forces to provide training to Libyan rebels. During the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war in September 2015, Qatar sent 1,000 troops, 200 armored vehicles, and 30 Apache helicopters to assist with Saudi military operations. As a result of the diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia that began in June 2017, Qatar withdrew its forces from Yemen. Qatar

7946-440: The Middle East . Qatari law does not permit the establishment of political bodies or trade unions. The eighth emir of Qatar is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani . The emir has the exclusive power to appoint the prime minister and cabinet ministers who, together, constitute the Council of Ministers, which is the supreme executive authority in the country. The Council of Ministers also initiates legislation. The Consultative Assembly

8083-518: The Ottoman rule. Qatari-Ottoman relations stagnated, and in 1882 they suffered further setbacks when the Ottomans refused to aid Al Thani in his expedition of Abu Dhabi-occupied Khor Al Adaid and offered only limited support in the Qatari–Abu Dhabi War , mainly due to fear of British intervention on Abu Dhabi's side. In addition, the Ottomans supported the Ottoman subject Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab who attempted to supplant Al Thani as kaymakam of Qatar in 1888. This eventually led Al Thani to rebel against

8220-422: The Ottomans was met with refusal. In March, Mehmed imprisoned Jassim's brother and 13 prominent Qatari tribal leaders on the Ottoman corvette Merrikh as punishment for his insubordination. After Mehmed declined an offer to release the captives for a fee of 10,000 liras , he ordered a column of approximately 200 troops to advance towards Jassim's Al Wajbah Fort under the command of Yusuf Effendi, thus signalling

8357-564: The Ottomans, whom he believed were seeking to usurp control of the peninsula. He resigned as kaymakam and stopped paying taxes in August 1892. In February 1893, Mehmed Hafiz Pasha arrived in Qatar in the interests of seeking unpaid taxes and accosting Jassim bin Mohammed's opposition to proposed Ottoman administrative reforms. Fearing that he would face death or imprisonment, Jassim retreated to Al Wajbah (16 km or 10 mi west of Doha), accompanied by several tribe members. Mehmed's demand that Jassim disband his troops and pledge his loyalty to

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8494-431: The Persian Gulf, Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, author of The Myth of Piracy in the Gulf , dismisses this as an excuse used by the East India Company to further their agendas in the Persian Gulf. Indian historian Sugata Bose maintains that while he believes the British allegations of piracy were self-serving, he disagrees with Al Qasimi's thesis that piracy was not widespread in the Persian Gulf region. Davies argues that

8631-432: The Persian Gulf. It stated: The case against the Al Qasimi has been contested by the historian, author and Ruler of Sharjah, Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi in his book, 'The Myth of Arab Piracy in the Gulf' in which he argues that the charges amount to a casus belli by the East India Company, which sought to limit or eliminate the 'informal' Arab trade with India, and presents a number of internal communications between

8768-426: The Persian government. The surrender of Ras Al Khaimah and the bombardment of other coastal settlements resulted in the Sheikhs of the coast agreeing to sign treaties of peace with the British. These consisted of a number of 'preliminary agreements' (the foremost of which was that with Hassan Bin Rahmah of Ras Al Khaimah, who signed a preliminary agreement which ceded his town for use as the British Garrison) and then

8905-403: The Persians. The Al Khalifa imposed their authority over Bahrain and retained their jurisdiction over Zubarah. Following his swearing-in as crown prince of the Wahhabi in 1788, Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz moved to expand Wahhabi territory eastward towards the Persian Gulf and Qatar. After defeating the Bani Khalid in 1795, the Wahhabi were attacked on two fronts. The Ottomans and Egyptians assaulted

9042-407: The Pirate Coast if he agreed to assist the British in their expedition. Obligingly, he sent a force of 600 men and two ships. The forces of noted pirate Rahmah ibn Jabir also assisted the British expedition. The force gathered off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah on 25 and 26 November and, on 2 and 3 December troops were landed south of the town and set up batteries of guns and mortars and, on 5 December

9179-425: The Pirate Coast, Husain bin Ali, compelled the Al Qasimi chiefs to send their vessels to plunder all the trade ships of the Persian Gulf without exception. He kept one-fifth of the loot for himself. Arnold Wilson suggests that the Al Qasimi tribe members acted against their will so as not to incur the vengeance of the Wahhabis. However, upon remarking on the rampant increase in piracy starting in 1805, J. G. Lorimer ,

9316-406: The Qasimi tribe of Ras Al Khaimah . Near the end of that year, he commenced a series of predatory attacks on Qatif as punishment for the non-payment of the protection tax owed to him. The British chose not to intervene in his actions provided his attacks were limited to the inhabitants of Qatif. He soon reshifted his focus to the Al Khalifa and went to war with them at the beginning of 1826. After

9453-501: The Qatari counter-attack, prompted British Political Resident, Colonel Lewis Pelly to impose a settlement in 1868. His mission to Bahrain and Qatar and the resulting peace treaty were milestones because they implicitly recognised the distinctness of Qatar from Bahrain and explicitly acknowledged the position of Mohammed bin Thani. In addition to censuring Bahrain for its breach of agreement, Pelly negotiated with Qatari sheikhs who were represented by Mohammed bin Thani. The negotiations were

9590-405: The Qataris' fine striped woven cloaks and their skills in improvement and finishing of spears. Much of eastern Arabia was controlled by the Usfurids in 1253, but control of the region was seized by the prince of Ormus in 1320. Qatar's pearls provided the kingdom with one of its main sources of income. In 1515, Manuel I of Portugal vassalised the Kingdom of Ormus. Portugal went on to seize

9727-426: The Second World War with the independence of India, the creation of Pakistan in 1947, and the development of oil in Qatar. In 1949, the appointment of the first British political officer in Doha, John Wilton, signified a strengthening of Anglo-Qatari relations. Oil exports began in 1949, and oil revenues became the country's main source of revenue; the pearl trade had gone into decline. These revenues were used to fund

9864-496: The US-Iran prisoners swap deal. Iran freed five Americans in exchange for five Iranians held in the US and transfer $ 6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar. In October 2023 United States President Joe Biden thanked the Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his help in mediating a landmark prisoner swap deal with Iran. On September 24, 2024, Qatar was designated as

10001-414: The United States, making its air force one of the largest among the Gulf states. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) found that in 2010–2014 Qatar was the 46th-largest arms importer in the world. SIPRI writes that Qatar's plans to transform and significantly enlarge its armed forces have accelerated. In 2015, Qatar was the 16th largest arms importer in the world, and in 2016, it

10138-502: The capital of the Qawasim, offered ample opportunity for Wahhabi vessels to conduct quick, decisive attacks on British vessels from India and in the Gulf. Half of the booty captured from British ships were sent directly as tribute to the Emir of Diriyah . Throughout the 1800s, Wahhabi-Qasimi navy continually launched numerous naval attacks on British fleet and merchant ships. In the aftermath of

10275-513: The century. There were 70 incidents of piracy reported from June to December 2004, and 25 incidents from January to June 2005. It is usually perpetrated by small groups of three to eight people using small boats. From July to October 2006, there were four reported piracy incidents in the northern Persian Gulf, which targeted mainly Iraqi fishermen. 1. Al Qasimi were also referred to as Joasmi , Jawasmi , Qawasim and Qawasmi in various records and books. Qatar Qatar , officially

10412-632: The coasts of Africa or elsewhere' or the carrying of slaves in their vessels. The 'friendly Arabs', flying the agreed flag, would be free to enter, leave and trade with British ports and 'if any should attack them, the British Government will take notice of it.' The treaty was issued in triplicate and signed at mid-day on 8 January 1820 in Ras Al Khaimah by Major-General Grant Keir together with Hassan Bin Rahmah Sheikh of 'Hatt and Falna' (hatt being

10549-500: The country from his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani , with the support of the armed forces and cabinet, as well as neighbouring states and France. Under Emir Hamad, Qatar experienced a moderate degree of liberalisation, including the launch of the Al Jazeera television station (1996), the endorsement of women's suffrage or right to vote in municipal elections (1999), drafting its first written constitution (2005) and inauguration of

10686-509: The country's inhabitants. Most of the land area is made up of flat, low-lying desert . Qatar has been ruled as a hereditary monarchy by the House of Thani since Mohammed bin Thani signed "an agreement, not a formal treaty" with Britain in 1868 that recognised its separate status. Following Ottoman rule, Qatar became a British protectorate in 1916 and gained independence in 1971. The current emir

10823-591: The eastern portion of Saudi Arabia. Some historians have theorized that the Sumerians may have originated from this region. Kassite Babylonian material dating back to the second millennium BC found in Al Khor Islands attests to trade relations between the inhabitants of Qatar and the Kassites in modern-day Bahrain. Among the findings were crushed snail shells and Kassite potsherds. It has been suggested that Qatar

10960-506: The eastward dispersal of the religion by Mesopotamian Christians. Monasteries were constructed and further settlements were founded during this era. During the latter part of the Christian era, Qatar comprised a region known as 'Beth Qatraye' ( Syriac for "house of the Qataris"). The region was not limited to Qatar; it also included Bahrain , Tarout Island , Al-Khatt, and Al-Hasa . In 628,

11097-452: The end of 1818 Hassan bin Rahmah made conciliatory overtures to Bombay and was "sternly rejected." Naval resources commanded by the Al Qasimi during this period were estimated at around 60 large boats headquartered in Ras Al Khaimah, carrying from 80 to 300 men each, as well as 40 smaller vessels housed in other nearby ports. In 1819 the British wrote a memo regarding the issue of rising piracy in

11234-427: The expansion and modernisation of Qatar's infrastructure. When Britain officially announced in 1968 that it would withdraw from the Persian Gulf in three years' time, Qatar joined talks with Bahrain and seven other Trucial States to create a federation. Regional disputes, however, persuaded Qatar and Bahrain to withdraw from the talks and become independent states separate from the Trucial States, which went on to become

11371-498: The first Arab and Muslim-majority country to do so, and the third Asian country to host it following the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Qatar is officially a semi-constitutional monarchy , but the wide powers retained by the monarchy have it bordering an absolute monarchy ruled by the Al Thani family . The Al Thani dynasty has been ruling Qatar since the family house

11508-471: The first Gulf country to join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), allowing its citizens to travel to the United States for up to 90 days for business or tourism without a visa. The inclusion strengthens security cooperation between the two nations and eases travel for Qatari citizens. U.S. citizens are now permitted to stay in Qatar for up to 90 days without a visa, an increase from the previous 30-day limit. The Qatar Armed Forces consist of 12,000 personnel in

11645-595: The first Gulf state to do so in recent years. It is mandatory for Qatari male citizens to serve for up to 4 months, though not all of them are called up. The national service term was extended to one year in 2018. About 2,000 conscripts pass through the Qatar Armed Forces annually. Military service has become more popular in Qatar due to the recent tensions with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Since 2017, Qatar has also purchased large quantities of equipment from European countries and

11782-516: The first stage in the development of Qatar as a sheikhdom. Under military and political pressure from the governor of the Ottoman Vilayet of Baghdad , Midhat Pasha , the ruling Al Thani tribe submitted to Ottoman rule in 1871. The Ottoman government imposed reformist ( Tanzimat ) measures concerning taxation and land registration to fully integrate these areas into the empire. Despite the disapproval of local tribes, Al Thani continued supporting

11919-477: The fort in Zubarah. The Al Khalifa was effectively returned to power thereafter. As punishment for piracy, an East India Company vessel bombarded Doha in 1821, destroying the town and forcing hundreds of residents to flee. In 1825, the House of Thani was established with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani as the first leader. Although Qatar was considered a dependency of Bahrain, the Al Khalifa faced opposition from

12056-431: The fort of Dammam in 1809. Though some of his exploits were deemed piratical by the British, J. G. Lorimer , a British historian, remarks on Rahmah's scrupulously correct conduct and his compliance with the laws of warfare. He generally avoided encounters with British cruisers so that he would not incur their anger. In 1809, after the British expedition of the Pirate Coast, many Qasimi refugees fled to Khor Hassan. Rahmah,

12193-403: The fort were breached, prompting its defenders to put up a white flag and surrender. Three hundred and ninety-eight fighting men and some 400 women and children left the fort. The town of Ras Al Khaimah was blown up and a garrison was established there, consisting of 800 sepoys and artillery. The expedition then visited Jazirat Al Hamra , which was deserted. The expedition then went on to destroy

12330-401: The fortifications and larger vessels of Umm Al Qawain , Ajman , Fasht , Sharjah , Abu Hail , and Dubai . The expedition also destroyed ten vessels that had taken shelter in Bahrain. The British took counter measures to suppress piracy in the region by relocating their troops from Ras Al Khaimah to the island of Qeshm . They eventually withdrew from the island around 1823 after protests by

12467-424: The girdle round his shirt, and placing his left hand, which was sound, to support the elbow of the right, which was the one that was wounded, he grasped the dagger firmly with his clenched fist, and drew it backward and forward, twirling it at the same time, and saying, that he desired nothing better than to have the cutting of as many throats as he could effectually open with this lame hand! Instead of being shocked at

12604-476: The idea of peace talks." It played a major role in establishing the first ceasefire in the 2023 Israel-Hamas war and the concurrent initial hostage exchange. These high-risk diplomatic middle man endeavors (and its own rigorous defense stance) have thus earned it a reputation as "a prickly Switzerland ". In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen broke diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism . The crisis escalated

12741-402: The increase of trade in the Persian Gulf around 825, he makes references to Bahraini pirate attacks on ships from China , India and Iran. He believes the pirates were attacking ships travelling from Siraf to Basra. Marco Polo made observations of piracy in the Persian Gulf . He states that in the seventh century, the islands of Bahrain were held by the piratical tribe of Abd-ul-Kais, and in

12878-471: The islands between the Qatar and the Trucial Coast. The treaty only granted protection to British vessels and did not prevent coastal wars between tribes. As a result, piratical raids continued intermittently until 1835, when the sheikhs agreed not to engage in hostilities at sea for a period of one year. The truce was renewed every year until 1853, when a treaty was signed with the United Kingdom under which

13015-429: The late 19th and early 20th-century a number of changes occurred to the status of various emirates, for instance emirates such as Rams (now part of Ras Al Khaimah) were signatories to the original 1819 treaty but not recognized as trucial states , while the emirate of Fujairah , today one of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates , was not recognised as a Trucial State until 1952. Kalba , recognized as

13152-646: The latter guaranteed the protection of Qatar from aggression by sea and provide its 'good offices' in the event of an attack by land. This latter undertaking was left deliberately vague. On 5 May 1935, while agreeing an oil concession with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company , Abdullah signed another treaty with the British government which granted Qatar protection against internal and external threats. Oil reserves were first discovered in 1939. Exploitation and development were, however, delayed by World War II . The focus of British interests in Qatar changed after

13289-512: The leader of Khor Hassan, reached a compromise with the British in which he agreed not to harbour any fugitivites in return for the sparing of the town. The British also sent a warning to the Saudi amir to demand the prevention of Rahmah from launching any attacks on the British. He influenced the Saudis to launch an invasion of Bahrain in 1809. That greatly strengthened his position in Qatar, rendering him

13426-547: The local tribes. In 1867, the Al Khalifa, along with the ruler of Abu Dhabi , sent a massive naval force to Al Wakrah in an effort to crush the Qatari rebels. This resulted in the maritime Qatari–Bahraini War of 1867–68, in which Bahraini and Abu Dhabi forces sacked and looted Doha and Al Wakrah. The Bahraini hostilities were in violation of the Perpetual Truce of Peace and Friendship of 1861. The joint incursion, in addition to

13563-490: The mockery, Sheikh Ahmed and his crew boarded Rahmah’s ship, leading to a fierce sword fight. Realizing his death was imminent and learning that his loyal slave, Tarar, had been killed, Rahmah retreated to the inner galley of his ship with his eight-year-old son, Shaheen. There, he lit the gunpowder kegs with charcoal from his hookah causing the ship to explode, killing all of his men and the Al Khalifa men that were raiding his ship. Rahmah's legacy lasted long after his death; in

13700-563: The modern day village of Khatt and Falna being the modern day suburb of Ras Al Khaimah, Fahlain ) and Rajib bin Ahmed, Sheikh of 'Jourat al Kamra' ( Jazirah Al Hamra ). A translation was prepared by Captain JP Thompson. The treaty was then signed on 11 January 1820 in Ras Al Khaimah by Sheikh Shakbout of 'Aboo Dhebbee' (Abu Dhabi) and on 15 January by Hassan bin Ali, Sheikh of Rams and Al Dhaya (named on

13837-451: The morning of 14 November, the military expedition was over and the British forces returned to their ships, having suffered light casualties of five killed and 34 wounded. Arab losses are unknown, but were probably significant, while the damage done to the Al Qasimi fleets was severe: a significant portion of their vessels had been destroyed at Ras Al Khaimah. While the British authorities claimed that acts of piracy disrupted maritime trade in

13974-401: The most generally tolerated pirate , perhaps, that ever infested any sea." As a pirate, he had a reputation for being ruthless and fearless. He wore an eyepatch after losing an eye in battle, which makes him the earliest documented pirate to have worn an eyepatch. He was described by the British statesman Charles Belgrave as "one of the most vivid characters the Persian Gulf has produced,

14111-505: The most powerful tribal leader in the peninsula. Within a short duration, Rahmah had captured eighteen Utub vessels. However, in 1811, the combined forces of Said bin Sultan , Sultan of the Omani Empire and the Al Khalifa successfully drove out the Wahhabi from Qatar and Bahrain. Rahmah then transferred his headquarters from Khor Hassan to his fort in Dammam. In 1816, he allied himself with

14248-514: The motives of the Al Qasimi tribe in particular may have been misunderstood and that it cannot be definitively stated that they were pirates due to issues of semantics. J.B. Kelly comments in his treatise on Britain and the Persian Gulf that the Qasimi are undeserving of their reputation as pirates, and goes on to state that it was largely earned as a result of successive naval incidents with the rulers of Muscat . There were numerous outrages expressed by

14385-537: The name is pronounced [ˈqɑtˤɑr] , while in the local dialect it is [ˈɡɪtˤɑr] . English speakers use different approximate pronunciations of the name as the Arabic pronunciations use sounds not often used in English. Human habitation in Qatar dates back to 50,000 years ago. Settlements and tools dating back to the Stone Age have been unearthed in the peninsula. Mesopotamian artifacts originating from

14522-463: The nation during the 2010s. In June 2013, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani became the emir of Qatar after his father handed over power. Sheikh Tamim has prioritised improving the domestic welfare of citizens, which includes establishing advanced healthcare and education systems, and expanding the country's infrastructure in preparation for the hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup from 21 November to 18 December, becoming

14659-506: The ninth century, the seas were so disturbed that the Chinese ships navigating the Persian Gulf carried 400 to 500 armed men and supplies to beat off the pirates. Towards the end of the 13th century, Socotra was still frequented by pirates who encamped there and offered their plunder for sale. Following the expulsion of the Portuguese from Bahrain in 1602, the Al Qasimi (called by the British at

14796-406: The number perhaps of more than twenty different wounds. He had, besides, a face naturally ferocious and ugly, and now rendered still more so by several scars there, and by the loss of one eye. When asked by one of the English gentlemen present, with a tone of encouragement and familiarity, whether he could not still dispatch an enemy with his boneless arm, he drew a crooked dagger, or yambeah , from

14933-417: The outbreak of World War I , nothing was done to carry this out, and the garrison remained in the fort at Doha, although its numbers dwindled as men deserted. In 1915, with the presence of British gunboats in the harbour, Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani (who was pro-British) persuaded the remainder to abandon the fort, and when British troops approached the following morning they found it deserted. Qatar became

15070-613: The passage to Mocha under the British flags; of the crew only a few survivors remained to tell the tale, and the pecuniary loss was estimated at Rs. 12,00,000." Following the incident involving the Surat vessels (said to have been carried out by Amir Ibrahim, a cousin to the Al Qasimi Ruler Hassan Bin Rahmah ) an investigation took place and the HCS Ariel was despatched to Ras Al Khaimah from Bushire, to where it returned with

15207-439: The peninsula, referring to it as Catara . The map also referenced a town named "Cadara" to the east of the peninsula. The term "Catara" (inhabitants, Cataraei ) was exclusively used until the 18th century, after which "Katara" emerged as the most commonly recognised spelling. Eventually, after several variations—"Katr", "Kattar" and "Guttur"—the modern derivative Qatar was adopted as the country's name. In Standard Arabic ,

15344-537: The prince of Shiraz in his planned expedition of Bahrain. His hostilities against Bahrain continued throughout 1821 and 1822; he and his crew went on to capture 7 Bahraini vessels and kill 20 men. He settled in Bushehr from November 1822 until February 1824, whereupon he returned to his residence in Dammam. He went to Muscat at the beginning of 1825 and lent his assistance to Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Shakhbout in his expedition against

15481-402: The reconquest of the castle of Tarout or Al Qatif in 1551. Archaeological finds are still being excavated from one of the Portuguese fortresses that served as a base to dominate the region as Ruwayda . The first representation of Qatar appears on the Portuguese map by Luis Lázaro in 1563, showing the "city of Qatar" as a fortress, possibly referring to the fort of Ruwayda. Having retained

15618-689: The region. In 2011, Qatar joined NATO operations in Libya and reportedly armed Libyan opposition groups. It was also a major funder of weapons for rebel groups in the Syrian civil war . Qatar participated in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh . Since the 2000s, Qatar increasingly emerged on a wider foreign policy stage especially as

15755-594: The remainder, being wounded, were landed on the Indian coast. The entire armament of the Deriah Dowlut consisted of two 12-pounder and three 2-pounder iron guns; whereas each of the pirate vessels, three in number, carried six 9-pounders and was manned by 100 to 200 Arabs, fully armed." "Matters were at length brought to a head by the capture in the Red Sea , in 1816, of three Indian merchant vessels from Surat , which were making

15892-546: The rulers of Muscat in their failed invasion of Bahrain, and broke his alliance with the Saudis. The Saudis then destroyed the fort of Dammam in July 1816, and he took refuge in Bushehr , bringing around 500 families with him. Said bin Sultan proposed that he become a subject of Muscat and settle in Oman, but Rahmah refused. He moved back to Dammam in 1818. He assisted the British forces in

16029-546: The safe passage of Mehmed Pasha's cavalry to Hofuf by land. Although Qatar did not gain full independence from the Ottoman Empire, the result of the battle forced a treaty that would later form the basis of Qatar's emerging as an autonomous country within the empire. By the Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913 , the Ottomans agreed to renounce their claim to Qatar and withdraw their garrison from Doha. However, with

16166-466: The sheikhs (the Trucial Sheikhdoms ) agreed to a "perpetual maritime truce". As a result of this agreement, the British would in the future refer to the coastal area as the "Trucial Coast" rather than the "Pirate Coast", its earlier moniker. It was enforced by the United Kingdom, and disputes among sheikhs were referred to the British for settlement. Bahrain subscribed to the treaty in 1861. Despite

16303-469: The start of the Battle of Al Wajbah . Effendi's troops came under heavy gunfire by a sizable troop of Qatari infantry and cavalry shortly after arriving at Al Wajbah. They retreated to Shebaka fortress where they were again forced to draw back from a Qatari incursion. After they withdrew to Al Bidda fortress, Jassim's advancing column besieged the fortress, resulting in the Ottomans' concession of defeat and agreement to relinquish their captives in return for

16440-636: The stolen goods, his nephew, Sheikh Ahmed bin Salman Al Khalifa, decided to recover the items and intercept Rahmah at sea. To ensure he could reach his uncle swiftly, Sheikh Ahmed augmented his boat’s speed by borrowing the oars from the vessel of Isa bin Tarif Al Binali , the chief of the Al Binali tribe. As the confrontation neared, Rahmah, who was nearly blind due to cataracts , noticed an approaching boat and inquired about its captain. When informed it

16577-415: The strategy of balancing and alliance building among regional and great powers. It maintains independent foreign policy and engages in regional balancing to secure its strategic priorities and to have recognition on the regional and international level. As a comparatively small state in the gulf, Qatar established an "open-door" foreign policy where Qatar maintains ties to all parties and regional players in

16714-602: The time Joasmee or Jawasmi ) – the tribes extending from the Qatari Peninsula to the Ras Musandam – adopted maritime raiding as a way of life due to the lack of any maritime authority in the area. European piracy in the Persian Gulf was frequent in the 16th and 17th century, targeting mainly Indian vessels en route to Mecca . Edward Balfour asserts that the Muscat Arabs were "highly predatory" from 1694 to 1736, but it

16851-413: The time. He ruled Qatar for a short period and the British considered him to be the leading pirate of the Pirate Coast. In his book Blood-Red Arab Flag , Charles E. Davies alleges that the issue of piracy in the Persian Gulf appeared to have escalated in 1797. This date corresponds with some of the most prominent acts of piracy committed against the British by the Al Qasimi tribe, eventually giving rise to

16988-460: The town and provided fire support for Saudi Arabian National Guard units that were engaging Iraqi Army troops. Qatar allowed coalition troops from Canada to use the country as an airbase to launch aircraft on combat air patrol duty and also permitted air forces from the United States and France to operate in its territories. In 1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani seized control of

17125-546: The town was bombarded from both land and sea. Continued bombardment took place over the following four days until, on 9 December, the fortress and town of Ras Al Khaimah were stormed and found to be practically deserted. On the fall of Ras Al Khaimah, three cruisers were sent to blockade Rams to the North and this, too was found to be deserted and its inhabitants retired to the 'impregnable' hill-top fort of Dhayah . The rout of Ras Al Khaimah led to only 5 British casualties as opposed to

17262-481: The treaties, piracy remained a problem until the coming of steamships capable of outrunning piratical sail ships. Much of the piracy in the late nineteenth century was triggered by religious upheavals in central Arabia. In 1860, the British opted to concentrate its forces on suppressing the slave trade in adjacent East Africa. This decision left its trade vessels and steamers in the Persian Gulf vulnerable to piracy, prompting some to take their business elsewhere. During

17399-874: The treaty document as 'Sheikh of 'Zyah'). The treaty was subsequently signed in Sharjah by Saeed bin Saif of Dubai (on behalf of Mohammed bin Haza bin Zaal, the Sheikh of Dubai was in his minority) on 28 January 1820 and then in Sharjah again by Sultan bin Suggur, Sheikh of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah (at Falayah Fort ) on 4 February 1820. On 15 March 1820 Rashid bin Humaid, Sheikh of Ajman and Abdulla bin Rashid, Sheikh of Umm Al Qawain both signed at Falayah. Bahrain became

17536-708: The utterance of such a brutal wish, and such a savage triumph at still possessing the power to murder unoffending victims, I know not how to describe my feeling of shame and sorrow, when a loud burst of laughter, instead of execration, escaped from nearly the whole assembly, when I ventured to express my dissent from the general feeling of admiration for such a man. He was born in Grane (present-day Kuwait ) around 1760. Rahmah's father, Jabir bin Adhbi, led their tribe from Kuwait to Zubarah in Qatar around 1766. After his tribe migrated alongside

17673-529: The western front, while the Al Khalifa in Bahrain and the Omanis launched an attack against the eastern front. Upon being made aware of the Egyptian advance on the western frontier in 1811, the Wahhabi amir reduced his garrisons in Bahrain and Zubarah in order to redeploy his troops. Said bin Sultan , ruler of Muscat , capitalised on this opportunity and raided the Wahhabi garrisons on the eastern coast, setting fire to

17810-502: The world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide per capita. In the 21st century, Qatar emerged as both a major non-NATO ally of the United States and a middle power in the Arab world. Its economy has risen rapidly through its resource-wealth, and its geopolitical power has risen through its media group, Al Jazeera Media Network , and reported support for rebel groups financially during

17947-424: Was captured by the Jawasmi near Muscat, the majority of the crew being put to death and the rest being held for ransom." "On the 6th of January 1816, the H.E.I. Company's armed pattamar "Deriah Dowlut," manned entirely by natives of India, was attacked by Jawasmi off Dwarka , and eventually taken by boarding. Out of 38 individuals on board, 17 were killed or murdered, 8 were carried prisoners to Ras-al-Khaimah, and

18084-450: Was described by the English traveller and author, James Silk Buckingham , as ‘the most successful and the most generally tolerated pirate , perhaps, that ever infest any sea.’ He moved to Khor Hassan in Qatar around 1785. In 1810, the Wahhabis attempted to strengthen their position in the Persian Gulf region by aligning themselves with him as he was the most influential personage in Qatar at

18221-459: Was established in 1825. In 2003, Qatar adopted a constitution that provided for the direct election of 30 of the 45 members of a legislature. The constitution was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum, with almost 98% in favour. Despite this, the government remains authoritarian . According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Qatar is 2023 the second least electoral democratic country in

18358-405: Was his nephew, Sheikh Ahmed, he ridiculed him, remarking, “The son of Maryoom sails?”—a reference to Ahmed’s mother, Maryam, who was Rahmah’s sister. His astonishment stemmed from maritime tradition, where young men typically only commanded ships after marriage, as this signified their readiness for responsibility. Rahmah retorted, “How can he set sail if he has not approached fair maidens?” Despite

18495-500: Was not until 1787 that the Bombay records made mention to the systemic recurrence of piracy in the Persian Gulf. The designation Pirate Coast was first used by the British around the 17th century and acquired its name from the raiding activities that the local Arab inhabitants pursued. Edward Balfour proclaims that the Pirate Coast was comprehended to have encompassed the area between Khasab and Bahrain, an area circumscribing 350 miles. It

18632-561: Was the "Al-Manowar" (derived from English). His name, Rahmah ibn Jabir ibn Adhbi Al Jalhami, means Rahmah son of Jabir son of Adhbi of the Jalahimah. His name should be written "Al Jalhami" if transliterated from Arabic, as " Al Jalahimah " is the plural name for his tribe. Rahmah was described by James Silk Buckingham : Rahmah ben-Jaber's figure presented a meagre trunk, with four lank members, all of them cut and hacked, and pierced with wounds of sabres, spears, and bullets, in every part, to

18769-471: Was the 11th largest, according to SIPRI. Qatar has signed defense pacts with the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. The forward headquarters of United States Central Command , Al Udeid Air Base , is located in Qatar and houses about 10,000 American military personnel. During the 2011 military intervention in Libya , Qatar deployed six Mirage 2000 fighter jets to assist the NATO air campaign against

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