Emirate of Nejd

Emirate of Nejd
إمارة نجد
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Capital Riyadh
Languages Gulf Arabic, Western Persian, Ottoman Turkish
Religion Sunni Islam
Government Monarchy
Imam
 •  1819–1820 Turki ibn Abdallah ibn Muhammad(first)
 • 1889–1891 Abdul Rahman bin Faisal(last)
History
 •  Reconquest of Riyadh 1824
 •  Battle of Mulayda with the Al Rashid 24 January 1891
Today part of  Saudi Arabia
 Qatar[1]
 United Arab Emirates[2]
 Oman[3]
 Bahrain[4]
 Kuwait
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The Emirate of Nejd was the second Saudi state, existing between 1824 and 1891[5] in Nejd, the regions of Riyadh and Ha'il of what is now Saudi Arabia. Saudi rule was restored to central and eastern Arabia after the Emirate of Diriyah, the First Saudi State, having previously been brought down by the Ottoman Empire's Egypt Eyalet in the Ottoman–Wahhabi War (1811-1818).

The second Saudi period was marked by less territorial expansion and less religious zeal, although the Saudi leaders continued to be called Imam and still employed Wahhabist religious scholars. Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad's reconquest of Riyadh from Egyptian forces in 1824 is generally regarded as the beginning of the Second Saudi State. Severe internal conflicts within the House of Saud eventually lead to the dynasty's downfall at the Battle of Mulayda in 1891, between the forces loyal to the last Saudi imam, Abdul Rahman ibn Faisal ibn Turki, and the Rashidi dynasty of Ha'il.

History

The first Saudi to attempt to regain power after the fall of the Emirate of Diriyyah in 1818 was Mishari ibn Saud, a brother of the last ruler in Diriyah, Abdullah bin Saud but he was soon captured by the Egyptians and killed. In 1824, Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad, a grandson of the first Saudi imam Muhammad bin Saud who had managed to evade capture by the Egyptians, was able to expel Egyptian forces and their local allies from Riyadh and its environs and is generally regarded as the founder of the second Saudi dynasty as well as being the ancestor of the kings of modern-day Saudi Arabia. He made his capital in Riyadh and was able to enlist the services of many relatives who had escaped captivity in Egypt, including his son Faisal ibn Turki Al Saud.

Turki was assassinated in 1834 by Mishari ibn Abdul-Rahman, a distant cousin. Mishari was soon besieged in Riyadh and later executed by Faisal, who went on to become the most prominent ruler of the Saudis' second reign. Faisal, however, faced a re-invasion of Najd by the Egyptians four years later. The local population was unwilling to resist, and Faisal was defeated and taken to Egypt as a prisoner for the second time in 1838.

The Egyptians installed Khalid ibn Saud, last surviving brother of Muhammad bin Saud, had spent many years in the Egyptian court, as ruler in Riyadh and supported him with Egyptian troops. In 1840, however, external conflicts forced the Egyptians to withdraw all their presence in the Arabian Peninsula, leaving Khalid with little support. Seen by most locals as nothing more than an Egyptian governor, Khalid was toppled soon afterwards by Abdullah ibn Thuniyyan, of the collateral Al Thuniyyan branch. Faisal, however, had been released that year and, aided by the Al Rashid rulers of Ha'il, was able to retake Riyadh and resume his rule, later appointing his son Abdallah ibn Thunayyan ibn Ibrahim ibn Thunayyan ibn Saud as crown prince, and divided his dominions between his three sons Abdullah, Saud ibn Faisal ibn Turki, and Muhammad.

Upon Faisal's death in 1865, Abdullah assumed rule in Riyadh but was soon challenged by his brother, Saud. The two brothers fought a long civil war, in which they traded rule in Riyadh several times. A vassal of the Saudis, Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Rashid of Ha'il took the opportunity to intervene in the conflict and increase his own power. Gradually, Ibn Rashid extended his authority over most of Najd, including the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Ibn Rashid finally expelled the last Saudi leader, Abdul-Rahman bin Faisal, from Najd after the Battle of Mulayda in 1891.

Rulers

Abdul Rahman bin Faisal, last ruler of the Emirate

See also

References

  1. ↑ Alexei Vassiliev, The History of Saudi Arabia, London, UK: Al Saqi Books, 1998, p. 185
  2. ↑ Vassiliev, p. 165, 186
  3. ↑ Vassiliev, p. 165, 186
  4. ↑ Vassiliev, p. 177
  5. ↑ Front Cover George Walter Prothero, Great Britain. Foreign Office. Historical Section. Peace Handbooks: Turkey in Asia (II), no. 61-66. H. M. Stationery Office, 1920. Pp. 20

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