The Arab Emirate of Ahwaz: A Study of its Location and Historical Developments up to 1914 CE.

Abstract

This study explores the history of Ahwaz from ancient times until 1914 CE. Ahwaz was part of the empires that arose in ancient Iraq, including the Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian empires. It was also the land where the Elamite state was established before Christ. Later, it became part of the Arab Islamic state during the Umayyad and Abbasid eras. Ahwaz served as a base for many revolutionary and rebellious movements within the Abbasid Caliphate, such as the Qarmatian movement, the Zanj Rebellion, the Kharijite movement, and others. The Arab Musha'sha'i Emirate was established (1436-1724 CE), with its capital in the city of Hawizeh in Ahwaz. This state ruled southern and central Iraq, parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and Al-Ahsa. Ottoman-Safavid treaties, particularly the Treaty of Zuhab in 1639 CE, recognized Ahwaz's independence. After the collapse of the Musha'sha'i state, the Arab Bani Ka'b Emirate (the Ka'bi State) was established in Ahwaz. (1690-1925 CE), which exploited the weakness of the Qajar state and expanded its borders. The first Treaty of Erzurum in 1823 CE established the Zagros Mountains as the dividing line between the Ottoman and Qajar states. Ahwaz retained its sovereignty without interference. In October 1837, the governor of Baghdad, Ali Reza al-Laz, launched a campaign that succeeded in restoring Ottoman control over Mohammareh, subduing it, and withdrawing to Basra. This led to a diplomatic crisis between the Ottoman and Qajar states, prompting British and Russian intervention to resolve the border disputes between the two countries. In the second Treaty of Erzurum in 1847 CE, the Ottoman state ceded Ahwaz to Persia, granting it the right to intervene in the affairs of the Arab emirate. Ahwaz became a destination for European powers that reached the Arabian Gulf, both politically and economically, including the Portuguese, Dutch, and French invasions. British influence and interests were heavily concentrated in Ahwaz to protect trade routes with India. Relations transformed into economic and strategic ones after the discovery of oil in the region. The Emirate of Ahwaz at the beginning of the twentieth century, and it turned into an alliance with Sheikh Khazal al-Kaabi, and Britain sent its forces to protect Ahwaz to ensure control and protect the oil wells