Emirate of Jabal Shammar

The Emirate of Jabal Shammar is an emirate that arose in the Hail region, and it came to govern the region after the Emirate of Al Ali that preceded it. In its history, the Emirate of Al Ali was connected with the First Saudi State and then the Second Saudi State.[1]

The emirate's princes relied on the notables of Hail close to them in its affairs, among whom was Abdulaziz bin Hamoud bin Zaid.[5] In the last years of its era the emirate stood alongside the Ottoman State before the outbreak of the First World War, and then its era ended with the annexation of Hail to the Saudi State in the reign of King Abdulaziz in 1340 AH.[2][3]

The Emirate of Hail was loyal to the Ottoman State before the outbreak of the First World War, and Ibn Rashid stood with it in that phase. He went at the head of a force to the outskirts of Iraq in Rabi' al-Thani 1334 AH, then returned to Hail in the last days of Ramadan 1334 AH.[2]

The Ottoman State entered the war in November 1914 on the side of the Central Powers, and the north-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula thus turned into a battlefield. The British armies invaded southern Iraq in the wake of that.[4]

In 1334 AH/1916, the position of the ruler of Najd, Prince Abdulaziz Al Saud, was closer to neutrality, while the ruler of Hail, Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Rashid, held to his loyalty to the Ottoman State.[4]

The Ottoman authorities planned in October 1914 that Prince Saud Al Rashid, in cooperation with the tribes of Al Ruwala, Al Huwaitat, Bani Sakhr and Al Shararat and the rest of the Arab tribes adjacent to the Hejaz Railway, would advance on Sinai and Egypt. This plan was not put into effect.[2]

Forces of Ibn Rashid reached Al Zubair and Al Khumaisiyah in Iraq, and the senior political officer in Basra wrote to him explaining the British position on that. He advised him to adopt a position of neutrality and not to provoke the British patrols.[2]

King Abdulaziz took part with his father and the ruler of Kuwait in defending Kuwait against the dangers of Abdulaziz bin Mut'ib bin Rashid and his ambitions to control it.[3]

King Abdulaziz took control of Hail in 1340 AH, after a course of unification that began with his entry into Riyadh on the fifth of Shawwal 1319 AH.[3] In 1334 AH/1915 the Treaty of Al Uqair was concluded, among whose contents was recognition of the sovereignty of the Saudi State.[3]

The notables of Hail gave allegiance to King Abdulaziz after the annexation of Hail, and among these notables was Abdulaziz bin Hamoud bin Zaid, who was appointed a member of the Shura Council and then ambassador in Damascus and Beirut.[5]

Al Qishlah Palace, the archaeological palace in the centre of Hail, was built of mud, mud brick and stone in accordance with the architectural and decorative style known in the Najd region.[6] Eight cylindrical defensive towers appear on its outer walls, and it has two large gates and a mosque within.[6]

The Barzan Grand Mosque in Hail was opened after the completion of the decoration and restoration work carried out by the Charitable Association for the Care of Mosques in the Hail Region.[7] The Barzan Market is described as an ancient archaeological market whose course has extended more than 100 years in the heart of Hail, and the region's municipality organises its events.[8]

The Governor of the Hail Region visited the site of the project to develop the old town in the Al Olaya district of Hail, in the presence of the director of the branch of the Heritage Commission in the region. The project includes developing the old town in Barzan and improving the urban landscape.[9]

The King Abdulaziz Foundation published an episode of the series "Men of King Abdulaziz" documenting an oral account by Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Quraishi about one of King Abdulaziz's visits to the Hail region.[10]

The seventeenth forum of the Saudi Historical Society was opened at the University of Hail with the conference "The History and Civilisation of Hail through the Ages", attended by some 150 specialists in history, and it continued for three days.[11]

Q: Where did the Emirate of Jabal Shammar arise? A: In the Hail region, and it came to govern the region after the Emirate of Al Ali that preceded it.[1]

Q: What was the position of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar towards the Ottoman State during the First World War? A: It was loyal to the Ottoman State before the war, and its ruler, Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Rashid, held to his loyalty to it in 1334 AH/1916.[2][4]

Q: When was Hail annexed to the Saudi State? A: King Abdulaziz took control of Hail in 1340 AH, after a course of unification that began with his entry into Riyadh on the fifth of Shawwal 1319 AH.[3]

Q: What are the most prominent heritage landmarks associated with the era of the emirate in Hail? A: Al Qishlah Palace, the Barzan Grand Mosque and the Barzan Market.[6][7][8]

The era of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar in the Hail Region was connected with a rule that the Emirate of Al Ali had preceded it to, and then it ended with the annexation of Hail to the Saudi State in the reign of King Abdulaziz in 1340 AH, the year in which the course of unification that began with the Capture of Riyadh on the fifth of Shawwal 1319 AH was accomplished.[1][3] The urban heritage of Hail preserves landmarks from that era such as Al Qishlah Palace, the Barzan Grand Mosque and the Barzan Market.[6][7][8] Related topics on the platform include the Unification of Saudi Arabia.