Portuguese Influence in the Arabian Gulf

Major Events

• 1498 CE - 1650 CE: Portuguese presence in the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
• 1600 CE - 1800 CE: Resistance and revival of Qawasim, Bani Yas, and other towns.
• 1620 CE - 1761 CE: Dutch presence in the Gulf.
• 1718 CE - 1760 CE: Sheikh Rahma bin Matar Al-Qasimi's growth of Ras Al-Khaimah.
• 1750 CE - 1820 CE: British arrival.
• 1761 CE: Al Nahyan and Bani Yas move to Abu Dhabi.

The Portuguese Empire and the Arabian Seas (1500-1620)

• The Ottoman Empire controlled much of the Mediterranean and western Asia.
• European exploration and expansion led to maritime empires and colonies.
• Vasco da Gama's voyage (1497) connected Western Europe and India.
• The Portuguese began controlling areas of South Asia and the Arabian Gulf.

The Portuguese and the UAE

• Afonso de Albuquerque, a Portuguese naval commander, attacked Oman and UAE.
• The Portuguese landed in Khor Fakkan, seized the town, and took everything.
• Khor Fakkan is described as having good houses.

Hormuz and the Portuguese in the Arabian Gulf

• The Portuguese sought control of Hormuz Island in the Persian Gulf.
• Capturing Hormuz was challenging.
• Hormuz eventually came under Portuguese control.
• A revolt, supported by the eastern UAE coast, forced the Portuguese to abandon Hormuz.
• The Portuguese put down the revolt.

The Dutch in the Gulf

• During the 1760s, Arabian Gulf merchants traded extensively in the Indian Ocean.
• Trade routes connected Basra, Bahrain, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Muscat to Indian ports like Cochin.

British Arrival

• After the Dutch withdrawal (1765), the British became the most powerful in the region.
• The British used their naval power to attack and limit local shipping and development.
• Attacks and bombings targeted coastal towns like Ras Al-Khaimah.

The Tribal Origins of the Modern UAE

• The Qawasim and Bani Yas tribes are pivotal to the UAE.
• The Bani Yas were prominent in the interior, involved in pearl fisheries.
• The Qawasim were merchants and sailors navigating the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
• The sheikh, community leader, governed with community involvement.
• The UAE, despite being a modern nation, has ancient governing traditions.

Trade in the UAE

• The UAE's location facilitated significant trade in pearls.
• Dutch accounts record the wealth of some merchants and ship owners.
• Qawasim expanded influence over important ports like Khor Fakkan and Dibba.