Jabrids

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The Jabrids (Arabic: الجبريون ,الدولة الجبرية, or الجبور‎) were a bedouin dynasty that dominated eastern Arabia in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were descendents of the tribe of Uqayl, a branch of Bani 'Amir.

Their most prominent ruler was Ajwad ibn Zamil, who died in 1507. He was described by his contemporaries as having been "of Najdi origin." Ajwad's elder brother had earlier established the dynasty in the early 1400's by deposing and killing the last Jarwanid ruler in Qatif. At their height, the Jabrids controlled the entire Arabian coast on the Persian Gulf, including the islands of Bahrain, and regularly led expeditions into central Arabia and Oman. One contemporary scholar described Ajwad ibn Zamil as "the king of al-Ahsa and Qatif and the leader of the people of Najd." Following his death, his kingdom was divided among some of his descendents, with Migrin ibn Zamil (possibly his grandson) inheriting al-Hasa, Qatif, and Bahrain. Migrin fell in battle in Bahrain in a failed attempt to repel an invasion of Bahrain by the Portugues in 1521.

The Jabrid kingdom collapsed soon afterwards on the mainland, after an invasion of al-Hasa by Muntafiq tribe of Basrah, and later by the Ottoman Turks. One branch of the Jabrids remained active in Oman, however, for nearly another three centuries. It is unknown for sure what became of the non-Omani Jabrids. Some believe they left to Iraq, while others believe they are identical with the "Jubur" section of the Bani Khalid confederation, who eventually took control of the region after the Jabrids.