were very poor, and the Dutch put the pearl trade of Bahrain : to do so: some years earlier they had gained control of rich pearl were even better for the European market, even though their gloss was less durable: they were whiter than the Gulf pearls. new boom in the pearl market in Europe and the monetary

doi:10.4324/9780203038017-163

Chapter

were very poor, and the Dutch put the pearl trade of Bahrain

ABSTRACT

In1754,therewasaquarrelbetweenthelocalgovernmentof BasraandtheDutchresident,VanKniphausen.Itendedinthe closureoftheDutchestablishmentinBasra,theblockingoftheShatt alArabbyDutchships,andthebuildingofasmallfortressonthe islandofKharag:thefirsttimeEuropeansbuiltafortressinthearea afterthedepartureofthePortuguese.16Itwasasignificantmove:a EuropeanpowerwasgettingmoreinterestedintheArabsthaninthe greatpowersPersiaandTurkey.Themovewasmotivatedbyan extensivereportonthesituationoftheArabtribesintheGulf:avery importantsourceforourknowledgeofthehistoryoftheArabtribes inthiscrucialperiod.17Kniphausenalsoplannedtominesulphurin Kuwait,andhetriedoutthepearlfisheriesaroundKharagand submittedtotheBataviaHighGovernmentaprojectforthe conquestofBahrain,whichwastheninthepossessionofShaikhNasr ofBushire,anoldenemyoftheDutch.18ButtheBataviaHigh GovernmentonlypartiallyapprovedofKniphausen'splans.The establishmentofafortressonKharagwasapproved,buttheresidents ofKharagwereforbiddentomixwiththetribalpoliticsoftheGulf: inthiswaytheywouldbeunableinfuturetoconcludeallianceswith neighbouringArabtribesfortheirdefence.However,itsoonbecame clearthattheHighGovernmentwasnotpreparedtobeartheheavy expensesofdefendingtheisland,soitwouldinthelongrunbecome anuntenablepossession.