Mubarak Al-Sabah: The Foundation of Kuwait

174 Pages·2014·2.685 MB·English

by  Souad Al-Sabah

Mubarak Al-Sabah

Published in 2014 by I.B.Tauris & Co. Ltd
6 Salem Road, London W2 4BU
175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010
www.ibtauris.com
Distributed in the United States and Canada
Exclusively by Palgrave Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010
Copyright © 2014 Dr Souad M. Al-Sabah
English translation copyright © 2014 I.B.Tauris & Co. Ltd
The right of Dr Souad M. Al-Sabah to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in
or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Every attempt has been made to gain permission for the use of the images in this book. Any omissions will be rectified in
future editions.
ISBN: 978 1 78076 454 2
A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
A full CIP record is available from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: available
Typeset by Data Standards Ltd, Frome, Somerset
To my immediate family; to the spirit of my husband Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mubarak; to my
children Mohammed, Mubarak, Omniya and Shayma; to my grandchildren and to my larger
family, the people of Kuwait – I dedicate these pages devoted to the history of our founder
and the rise of a nation.
Table of Contents
List of Plates
Preface
Introduction
1 Making a State
2 The Building of a Nation
3 Social Development and the Outside World
4 Economic Development
5 Regional Relations and the Employment of Political Resources
6 The International Struggle for Kuwait
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
List of Plates
1Sheikh Mubarak in 1901.
2Sheikh Mubarak with officers of the Russian naval ship Varyag, 1901.
3Sheikh Mubarak, mounted, receiving Lord Curzon, 1903.
4Sheikh Mubarak and his friend Sheikh Khaz‘al of Muhammurah, 1907.
5Sheikh Mubarak standing on a bridge that connected the old and new sections of Al-Seif Palace.
6The Summer Palace, 1907.
7Sheikh Mubarak in his outdoor council.
8Sheikh Mubarak with Emir ’Abd al-’Aziz Al-S’aud on his right hand, among a group of the two families, 1910.
9Sheikh Mubarak, 1912.
10Sheikh Mubarak in his last years. Standing at the back to his left is his son, Sheikh Jaber.
11Sheikh Mubarak with the commander of Basra forces, most likely before the battle of Basra, 1914.
12Mubarak’s seal and signature, in the archives of the Kuwaiti Research and Studies Center, 1908.
13A certificate issued by the Sheikh attesting to the identity of Kuwaiti merchants and a certificate issued by Sheikh
Mubarak for Kuwaiti ships, 1908.
14A document prepared by the Sheikh to prevent the dealing of arms in Kuwait, 1900.
15A document showing the Sheikh’s approval for British and Iranian ships to be inspected and searched for smuggled
weapons, 1900.
16A certificate issued by Sheikh Mubarak authorizing weapons for self-defence onboard ships.
17The Sheikh pledges to oppose the arms trade, 1900.
Preface
This book seeks to throw new light on the life of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah and his reign,
which ran from 1896 to 1915. While most works on this period concentrate on mere
chronology without giving due credit to the significance of certain events, I have sought to
provide a different perspective on the internal social and political situation in Kuwait during
Sheikh Mubarak’s reign. With unprecedented access to primary sources, this publication
seeks to shed new light on the life and character of the Sheikh. It offers an analysis of the
history of the period, and explores social and economic developments as well as the military
campaigns and developments in foreign relations that punctuate Kuwait’s history. The book’s
central theme is that of the construction of the state. This is inevitably linked to the
demarcation of its political boundaries and international relations. Sheikh Mubarak insisted
that Kuwait should have autonomous control over its internal affairs, and he also strove to
enhance the country’s influence in the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula.
The book not only deals with political and military matters, but also closely examines the
factors constraining social and economic development. It covers the beginnings of Kuwait’s
opening to aspects of modern life in various social spheres, such as education, the
introduction of postal and telegraphic services, the development of healthcare, the
organization of customs services and taxation and the facilitation of economic and trade
activities. It also seeks to place political and social development in Kuwait in the context of
regional and international changes taking place contemporaneously in the Gulf, examining
the increasing strategic significance of Kuwait at the close of the nineteenth century and the
international rivalries in which it played a part.
The text draws upon a wide variety of primary sources, as well as published books and
studies hitherto little used. I am aware that the history of the Gulf in this period makes
extensive use of the diplomatic correspondence of the great powers. When the subject of
study is the international struggles in which Kuwait was concerned this is, of course, a valid
approach. This book, however, places emphasis on Kuwait itself and developments within
the state to give a new perspective of the nation, drawn from Kuwaiti sources. The issues at
stake relate to Sheikh Mubarak’s internal, regional and international policies, and how he
strove to achieve independence for Kuwait.
In my portrayal of Sheikh Mubarak, I have attempted to give a picture of a man who was
obliged to work under difficult and complicated circumstances, but who contrived,
nevertheless, to preserve the independence of his country (whose economic and strategic
importance was increasing) amidst conflict and competition between the European powers
who sought to impose their influence in the Gulf region. Sheikh Mubarak’s compass was
always directed towards the independence of Kuwait, to the enhancement of its wealth and
trade and to the introduction of modern life into the country. He skilfully made use of the
rivalry between European countries to achieve these aims.
In writing this book, my aim has been to offer the new generation in Kuwait a picture of
the events that took place a century ago but whose importance remains undiminished for
understanding the nature of Kuwait today and its position in the world.
Souad Al-Sabah
March 2014
Introduction
The Role of Sheikh Mubarak in Founding the Modern State of
Kuwait
I n their contemplation of nations, historians have focused on certain moments because they
are turning points between one period and another. One of these turning points in the Gulf
and perhaps the whole Middle East took place on 17 May 1896, when Sheikh Mubarak
became the ruler of Kuwait, which he led from that day until 28 November 1915. He was the
seventh sheikh of Kuwait to belong to the Al-Sabah family. During his reign and thanks to
his efforts the foundations of the state were laid and he attracted the sobriquet ‘Mubarak the
Great’ and has been credited as the founder of modern Kuwait.
Mubarak laid down the principles of sovereignty in the country. He established Kuwait’s
independence in its internal affairs and boosted its role in the area to a degree that led some
to believe he sought to make himself the emir of the whole of Arabia. When Sheikh Mubarak
became the ruler of Kuwait, a new period in the history of the region began. This was a time
marked by fierce international rivalry and continuous interference on the part of the Ottoman
Empire, together with local struggles and wars. The Sheikh was to steer his ship skilfully to
guarantee Kuwait’s independence.
Sheikh Mubarak, like all founder-leaders of states, has generated his share of glorification.
One Kuwaiti historian has written: ‘Mubarak is all of Kuwait. He is the one who raised it
above its peers and made its reputation in various countries. Mubarak is the one who let his
name be known in the capitals and cities of the world and made it prominent in forums and
conferences. It is through his efforts that Kuwait achieved fame and prosperity. His reign was
one of security and safety, a time of power and respect. Upon his death, Kuwait lost a
courageous man, who did not fear death. Without him, Kuwait would have remained obscure.
[...] Without him, its reputation would not have travelled throughout the desert.1
Sheikh Makki bin Azzouz described Kuwait during Mubarak’s reign thus: ‘In those days,
Kuwait was as famous as Basra. Anyone who was involved in politics knew about its emir,
Mubarak Al-Sabah. They knew his country, Kuwait, because Kuwait became known through
him.’ Stanley Mylrea, who worked in Kuwait for several years, described him as follows:
‘Sheikh Mubarak was a man who was ahead of his time by a generation. He was very
interested in the art of war and his skill in using maps astonished me.’ In April 1914, Omar
Fawzi, the Ottoman minister of war, called him ‘the sheikh of politics’. The British Political
Agent in Kuwait from 1929 to 1936, Harold Dickson, described him as a first-class ruler,
military leader and diplomat.
Mubarak combined fighting skill with political acumen. He was bold, adventurous and