Abdullah II Al-Sabah
Abdullah II Sabah II Al-Jaber I Al-Sabah | |
---|---|
5th Ruler of Kuwait | |
Reign | November 1866 – 1892 |
Predecessor | Sabah II |
Successor | Muhammad I |
Born | c. 1814 Sheikhdom of Kuwait |
Died | 29 May 1892 | (aged 77–78)
Issue | Khalifa Jabir Shekha Haya Fatima |
House | Al-Sabah |
Father | Sabah II |
Mother | Fatma bint Salim Al-Jarrah |
Early life
Under the orders of his father, on 24 April 1841[2] Abdullah II signed a one-year naval truce with Samuel Hennell,[3] who spoke on behalf of the British, which expired and was never renewed.[4] The truce prohibited Kuwait from undertaking any form of maritime offense as well as giving all mediation efforts in maritime disputes over to the British Empire.[5]
Reign
Assuming power from November 1866 to 1892, Abdullah inherited a Sheikhdom experiencing a century of growth in merchant and naval activity, largely stabilized through British support.[6] As ruler, he shifted alliances towards the Ottoman Empire, distancing from British influence while negotiating with the Al Saud family for power retention.[2] Throughout his reign he rebuffed requests from the British Commissioner, Lewis Pelly, speaking on behalf of the British Empire, to oppose the Ottomans.[7] Known for his modesty and simplicity, Abdullah’s leadership marked a strategic transition in regional allegiances.[8]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B2%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A9.jpg/170px-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B2%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A9.jpg)
A great deal of this approval hinged on his relief work during natural disasters. In 1868 a great famine struck and he worked to bring an end to the rampant starvation.[9] In September 1871 disaster struck again, this time in the maritime industry of Kuwait. Hundreds of Kuwaiti pearling vessels were sunk along with their crews due to extremely high waves. Historians are split on whether this was due to great storms in the Indian Ocean[1] or caused by the eruption of Bushehr.[10]
In 1886–87, under Abdullah II, Kuwait began minting coins in copper due to the lack of Indian rupees circulating in the local economy.[11]
Abdullah sided with the Jabir bin Mardaw,
In 1871, in recognition of his significant contributions to the Al-Ahsa expedition, or the Ottoman conquest of Al-Ahsa, Midhat Pasha bestowed him with the honorific title of Kaymakam, signifying a provincial sub-governor.[13][14]
Physical description
In his later years he was described as tall with a heavy athletic body and a long white beard. He wore a purple
Notes
- ^ ISBN 978-0313340734.
- ^ ISBN 9781860643507.
- ISBN 9781860642715.
- ISBN 9781850435709.
- ISBN 9780752483351.
- ISBN 978-0-8225-6589-5.
- ISBN 978-0-521-46308-9.
- ISBN 978-0-86372-081-9.
- ^ Mahmoud Zakaria (5 May 2015). "Spotlight on the history of Kuwait". Kuwait Times. Kuwait. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
- ISBN 978-3-642-28845-6.
- ISBN 9780954479244.
- ISBN 978-1136841750.
- JSTOR 40111134.
- ISBN 9781438105215.
- ^ A. Locher (1889). With Star and Crescent: A Full and Authentic Account of a Recent Journey with a Caravan from Bombay to Constantinope, Comprising a Description of the Country, the People, and Interesting Adventures with the Natives. Aetna publishing Company. pp. 54-68.