Mubarak Al-Sabah - 1901 Campaign

1901 Campaign

Mubarak, comforted by British protection felt free to pursue his own policies and mounted an invasion into Najd (Central Arabia) with an army of Kuwaiti townspeople, Saudi loyalists, and Bedouins from every important eastern Arabian tribe. The objective was to claim the southern portion of the Rashidi dominions in hopes that Mubarak’s dream of becoming the new, undisputed Arabian leader would be realized. The campaign was moderately successful until the Battle of Sarif on March 17, 1901 where most of Mubarak’s force was destroyed, including the deaths of his brother and two nephews. This marked not only the end of Mubarak’s dream but also put him on the verge of losing control of Kuwait. However, B.J. Slot challenges Anscombe’s claim that Mubarak had a dream of being the Arab leader of the Arabian Peninsula; rather, Slot contends, it was a maneuver to contain and balance the power in the region that resulted from an alliance between the Rashidi Amir in al-awadhi, Mubarak’s enemy Yusuf Al-Ibrahim, and the Baghdad Military Command.

Mubarak’s major defeat at Sarif severely threatened his rule. He requested on May 28, 1901 for British protectorate status (the British were still debating the meaning of the 1899 Agreement, and it was a secret anyway), but it was denied due to the international tensions surrounding Kuwait. The Ottomans tried to capitalize on Mubarak’s major defeat by deliberating a military solution to gain direct control of Kuwait. The Ottomans slowly realized that the growing British presence around Kuwait was a sign of Mubarak’s secret dealing with the British. The Ottomans attempted to firmly reestablish their control and influence by opening up customs and harbormaster posts. Through these posts the Ottomans tried to forcefully compel Mubarak to accept the new Ottoman presence, therefore showing real loyalty to the Ottomans. However, the British publicly reinforced Kuwait as they began solidifying the meaning of the 1899 Agreement. This showdown caused a crisis between the Ottomans and the British over Kuwait’s status as a state.