Davies The Blood-Red Arab Flag

An Investigation Into Qasimi Piracy 1797-1820
Erscheinungsjahr 2024
ISBN: 978-1-80413-176-3
Verlag: University of Exeter Press
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 500 Seiten

During the years 1797-1820 the Qasimi Arabs or Qawasim, inhabitants of the present day United Arab Emirates, acquired an enduring reputation as ruthless pirates. Some of their victims flew the British flag, and thus their actions were to provide the initial stimulus and justification for 150 years of British involvement in the Gulf.

Recently, however, it has been doubted whether the Qawasim were in fact pirates. In a scholarly but accessible account founded on contemporary sources, illustrated with testimonies of eye-witnesses and participants, this book sets out to decide this controversial question. By making use of valuable and hitherto untapped archival material, Charles Davies strongly evokes a flavour of life in the Gulf in this turbulent and formative period in the Gulf's history.

This book represents the first in-depth investigation into this controversial subject. It is based on original research and and helps to explain why the Gulf is as it is today.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Davies, Charles E., Dr.

Davies, Charles E.

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtswissenschaft Allgemein
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Kriminalsoziologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Asiatische Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Geschichte der Schifffahrt

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Illustrations

Acknowledgements

Preface

A Brief Chronology of Events

Dramatis Personae

Part One: Introductory

Prologue

1 Outline

2 The Setting

3 The Players

Part Two: Of the Evidence

4 The Question of Piracy

  a) Tableux

5 Incidents at Sea, in the Years 1797-1819, Which are Attested by Virtue of Admissions or Possession

6 The Most Important Cases of Alleged Piracy by the Qawasim Against British Vessels

   b) Perspectives

7 Local Opinion

8 Cruiser Commanders' Blunders

9 Off the Indian Coast

Part Three: Interpretation

10 Preliminary Sketch

11 Political History

12 The Port of Ras al-Khaima, Her Society and Economy

13 Some More Piquant Ingredients in Qasimi Maritime Plunder,

Conclusion

Afterword: The Motivation behind Britain's Two Expeditions Against Ras al-Khaima in 1809/10 and 1819/20

Appendix A The Qawasim's Seizures off the Coast of India

Appendix B Qasimi Voyages to South Arabia

Appendix C Ras al-Khaima's War with Muscat, and the Political Fortunes of the Za'ab and the Tanaij, 1808-1809

Appendix D Hostilities Between Muscat and the Wahhabis in the Aftermath of the First Ras al-Khaima Expedition of 1809/10

Notes

Bibliography

Index