King Abdul Aziz: Political Correspondence 1904

King Abdul Aziz: Political Correspondence 1904–1953

ISBN: (13) 978-1-85207-705-1 Extent: 4 volumes, 2,000 pages
Editor: A. Burdett Published: 1996
Paper: Printed on acid free paper
Binding: Library bindings with gilt finish

See sample pages: not available
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RESUMÉ

This publication presents, for the first time, an extensive collection of personal correspondence, letters to neighbouring Arab States and to foreign governments, from and to the Saudi leader over half a century. The first items date from the years after his fabled recapture of Riyadh in 1902, when Abdul Aziz emerged as Amir of Nejd. The last letters are from the year of King Abdul Aziz´s death, 1953. The correspondence reflects the evolution over 50 years of the status, authority, style and statesmanship of King Abdul Aziz. The documents are in the original Arabic, sometimes with contemporary English translations; a minority are in English in the original.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

This publication organises and presents for the first time an extensive collection of letters from and to the Saudi leader over half a century. The first items date from the years after his fabled recapture of Riyadh in 1902, when Abdul Aziz emerged as Amir of Nejd. The last letters are from the year of King Abdul Aziz´s death, 1953. In between there are such historical highlights as the resistance to the Turks culminating in their defeat and removal; relations with the Sharif of Mecca; correspondence with Philby; relations with Al-Rashid, tribal raiding and the problems of controlling the Ikhwan; relations with Hijaz; and the boundary with Jordan; regional politics with Iraq, Kuwait and Yemen; and in the later years concerns with customs, oil exploitation and development.
For the most part the letters are in both Arabic and English. The correspondence holds up a mirror to the life of King Abdul Aziz, and reflects the evolution over 50 years of his status, authority, style and statesmanship.

DOCUMENTARY IMPORTANCE

Some 2000 pages of letters between King Abdul Aziz and a variety of correspondents have been established by extensive research in British Government records, including Foreign Office correspondence files and the files of the former India Office Records. The letters form an admirable research source for those interested in the character and style of the king, as well as in the historical process of his increasing ascendancy in the Arabian peninsula. The letters are reproduced in facsimile in order to convey the authentic appearance of the original document. The letters are listed and described in chronological sequence in a detailed schedule of contents at the front of each volume.

KEY DOCUMENTS

Documents include coverage of major events
Letter - Major J.C. More to King Abdul Aziz, 22 August 1921, on the occasion of his becoming Sultan of Nejd and its Dependencies.
Letter - Lt.-Col. H.R.P. Dickson to King Abdul Aziz on behalf of a repentent Ikwan leader, Zunaifir bin Huwaila of the Ajman, 28 November 1932.
Letter - King Abdul Aziz to King George the Fifth, 11 April 1932, over arrangements for Amir Faisal to visit England to strengthen relations.
Letter - King Abdul Aziz to Shaikh Salman ibn Hamad al Khalifah regarding the Bahrain- Saudi Arabia boundary, 3 November 1949.

Notable personnages are featured in the correspondence or occur as correspondents including:

Among the family of Abdul Aziz: his father: Abdur Rahman; his brothers: Saud, Muhammad, Abdullah (etc.); his sons: Turki, Saud, Faisal, Fahd (etc.).
Among Arab Rulers: Kuwait: Shaikh Mubarak; Shaikh Jabir; Shaikh Salim; Shaikh Ahmad; Bahrain: Shaikh Isa; Shaikh Hamad; Shaikh Salman; Qatar: Shaikh Abdullah; Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hamdan; Yemen: the Imam Yahya; Iraq: Amir Abdullah; Syria: Amir Faisal; Hijaz: Sharif Husain and his sons
Among Arab notables: Algosaibi brothers (agents of Abdul Aziz); Faisal bin Sultan ad Darwish; Taufiq bin Faraon; Khazal Khan, Shaikh of Muhammerah; Shaikh Abdul bin Rashid, Amir of Hail ad Shammar; Mohammed bin Saad bin Ghannam, Amir of Tarabah
Among British notables: King George V, King George VI; Sir Winston Churchill