Oil Politics and Tribal Rulers in Eastern Arabia: The Reign of Shakhbut (1928–1966)

Abstract

This paper examines one of the least known chapters of Middle Eastern history, that of Abu Dhabi before the discovery of oil. It reassesses the reign of Shakhbut bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan , which has been of little interest to scholars. This article's analysis has two strands. First, it examines the nature of the emirate of Abu Dhabi before the advent of oil, and in doing so looks at the complexity of tribe-state relations. Based on a kind of modus vivendi with the tribes, Shakhbut's Abu Dhabi provides some clear examples of how remote areas of tribal societies were administered. The second part of the analysis concerns developments in the 1960s, in particular the discovery of oil in Abu Dhabi and the British decision to withdraw from the Gulf and end British protection of the sheikdom and other Trucial States. These profound changes overwhelmed Shaykh Shakhbut and caused his tribal state to lose its vitality. A particular emphasis is given to the anomalous relationship between Shaykhbut and the British authorities, brought about by the changing circumstances, that eventually led to his removal from power.

Language contact in the United Arab Emirates

“…That disappointment was tempered, however, by the effect of the coming to power of the formidable Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi in 1966 (Al Fahim 1995; Heard‐Bey 1996; Davidson 2006). He replaced his frugal elder brother, Shaikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, as Ruler of Abu Dhabi (Rabi 2006), and immediately began to use the growing oil revenue for the purposes of development. He not only renegotiated the terms and conditions of the concession agreements with the oil companies, but he also ensured that local people benefited substantially from the growing wealth of the country (Al Fahim 1995).…”

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“…For example, if a ruler refused to cooperate with British representatives, they were replaced with more "pro-British" members of the family, as was the case with Sheikh Zayed's takeover from his brother Sheikh Shakhbut in 1966 (Bristol-Rhys, 2009;Razzaq Takriti, 2019). According to the British narrative, Sheikh Shakhbut's negligence in spending oil funds on the people increased anti-British sentiment in the land and thus caused a problem for British state and companies interests (Joyce, 1999;Rabi, 2006;Davidson, 2009). The British implemented a similar policy in Sharjah; when Sheikh Saqr supported the Arab League and adopted increasingly pan-Arabic policies, effectively challenging British interests in the region, he was replaced with Khalid Muhammad in 1965 (Rugh, 2007;Sato, 2016Sato, : 1964Razzaq Takriti, 2019;Bradshaw and Curtis, 2022; Secrets and Deals: How Britain left the Middle East, 2022).…”

Discourse and oppositionality in the Arab Spring: The case of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UAE

“…While, for example, the first Brotherhood branch was opened in Bahrain in 1941and in Kuwait in 1952(Al Tae, 2010, the UAE branch was founded in 1974. This lag can be attributed in large part to the late discovery of oil in the UAE and the relative isolation of its powerhouse, Abu Dhabi (Rabi, 2006). Lacking other financial means, the UAE therefore could not initiate its own state building program until the 1960s, 2 which delayed the Brotherhood's expansion into the country.…”