Power struggles and trade in the Gulf 1620-1820
Between the death of Nadir Shah, in 1747, and the establishment of the Qajar dynasty in 1795 there were 48 years of Zand rule in Persia, during which time Gulf trade declined and European factories closed down in several ports. Historians have offered varied and insubstantial reasons for this decline. In this thesis an attempt has been made, through the detailed use of primary sources, to offer a more logical and more reasoned interpretation of these developments in place of the older, ill-founded arguments. In our view, the prime cause of the decline in trade and the withdrawal of the trading settlement from Bandar Abbas was the 'commotions', or power struggles in the region. On one hand was the struggle for overall control of Persia whose consequence was the ruin of trade. On the other, the commotion in the area of Bandar Abbas, brought about by MuUa Ali Shah, the Banu Ma in Shaikh, Shaikh Rashid and the Charak Arabs, which was the main cause of the withdrawal from that port. The cessation of trading at Bandar Riq and Khark island was caused by disturbances fomented by Mir Muhanna. According to the English, the main cause of the withdrawal of their settlement from Bandar Rlq was the conflict between Mir
al-Qasimi, Sultan bin Muhammad
History
Power struggles and trade in the Gulf 1620-1820. Between the death of Nadir Shah, in 1747, and the establishment of the Qajar dynasty in 1795 there were 48 years of Zand rule in Persia, during which time Gulf trade declined and European factories closed down in several ports. Historians have offered varied and insubstantial reasons for this decline. In this thesis an attempt has been made, through the detailed use of primary sources, to offer a more logical and more reasoned interpretation of these developments in place of the older, ill-founded arguments. In our view, the prime cause of the decline in trade and the withdrawal of the trading settlement from Bandar Abbas was the 'commotions', or power struggles in the region. On one hand was the struggle for overall control of Persia whose consequence was the ruin of trade. On the other, the commotion in the area of Bandar Abbas, brought about by MuUa Ali Shah, the Banu Ma in Shaikh, Shaikh Rashid and the Charak Arabs, which was the main cause of the withdrawal from that port. The cessation of trading at Bandar Riq and Khark island was caused by disturbances fomented by Mir Muhanna. According to the English, the main cause of the withdrawal of their settlement from Bandar Rlq was the conflict between Mir
power_struggle trade gulf death establishment dynasty rule persia time gulf trade decline european factory close several port historians offer varied reason decline attempt_make detailed use primary_source offer logical reason interpretation development place old ill founded argument view prime cause decline trade withdrawal trading settlement power_struggle region one_hand struggle overall control persia whose consequence ruin trade area bring arabs main cause withdrawal port cessation trading island cause disturbance according english main cause withdrawal settlement conflict