Recapture of Riyadh 1902: Unpublished British Documents
12 replies842 viewsJanuary 15, 2024 at 11:30 AM
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Dr. Ahmad Al-OmariResearcher· King Abdulaziz Foundation
January 15, 2024 at 11:30 AM
Peace be upon you,
During my research at The National Archives in London, I found a collection of previously unpublished documents related to the recapture of Riyadh in 1902 by King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud.
These documents include:
1. Reports from the British Political Resident in the Arabian Gulf about the event
2. Correspondence between British officials describing regional reactions
3. A military map showing the political situation in Najd immediately before the recapture
These documents provide a new perspective that complements the well-known Arabic narratives, especially those by Ibn Isa and Amin Rihani.
I attach here the translated texts of the three documents and hope fellow researchers will discuss them and share their observations.
Replies (5)
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Dr. Fatimah Al-ZahraniResearcher· King Saud University
#1 · January 16, 2024 at 09:15 AM
Wonderful discovery, Dr. Ahmad!
The third document (the military map) is particularly interesting because it shows tribal alliances during that period. I noticed the map references areas of influence not mentioned in available Arabic sources.
I am currently working on a comparative study between Arabic and British narratives of this historical event. May I review the original copies? Or do you have reference numbers in the British archive I can look up?
I also suggest organizing a seminar at Darah to discuss these documents with specialists.
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Dr. Abdulrahman Al-AnsariResearcher· King Abdulaziz University
#2 · January 17, 2024 at 12:45 PM
Thank you for sharing these valuable documents. From my experience studying European archives, I recommend also checking the Ottoman Archive in Istanbul (BOA) as there are Ottoman documents covering the same period that may complete the picture.
The classification number for Najd-related files in the Ottoman archive is: DH.MKT/2614
I agree with Dr. Fatimah about organizing a seminar. Darah is an ideal venue for this type of academic discussion.
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Mohammed Al-HarbiMember
#3 · January 18, 2024 at 05:30 PM
Great to see this kind of research! As someone interested in Saudi history, I wonder if the British documents specifically addressed Ibn Rashid's reaction after the recapture of Riyadh? This aspect has not been adequately covered in available sources.
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Dr. Ahmad Al-OmariResearcher· King Abdulaziz Foundation
#4 · January 20, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Thank you all for the wonderful engagement.
Regarding Mohammed's question about Ibn Rashid's reaction: yes, the second document discusses in detail the Al Rashid reaction and the military preparations they immediately began after the recapture of Riyadh. It also mentions Ibn Rashid's attempts to seek Ottoman support.
Regarding Dr. Abdulrahman: thank you for the Ottoman classification number. I will make sure to review it on my next visit to Istanbul.
Reference numbers in the British Archive:
- FO 371/149 (Political Reports)
- IOR/R/15/1/504 (Correspondence)
- WO 106/6366 (Military Map)
I will contact Darah's seminar department about organizing a seminar.
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Noura Al-QahtaniModeratorVerified· King Abdulaziz Foundation
#5 · January 20, 2024 at 03:22 PM
Thread has been pinned due to its importance. We thank Dr. Ahmad for this valuable contribution. Regarding the seminar, a proposal has been submitted to Darah's events department and we will update you.
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