ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA).
143
Belarab bin Sultan, son of the preceding, succeeded his father, after the Imâmship had
“ been confirmed to him.” On this occasion also “ great dissensions arose between Belarab
“ and his brother, Seif bin Sultan, and many sided with the latter.” Ultimately, “ the
majority of the peofie of Oman met together to confer the Imâmship on Seif bin Sultan,”
who had prevailed against his brother, and besieged him in one of his forts, where he
died.
Seif bin Sultan ruled over all Oman, and on his death the Imainship was given to Sultan
bin Seif bin Sultan. When the latter died “ grave disputes arose among the people of
Oman ; some of the unlearned were for setting up his son, Seif bin Sultan bin Seif, as the
‘‘ successor to his father ; but at that time he was under age, and had not attained to years of
^‘discretion. Others, again, and these loere the wise and learned, loere for preferring Mo-“
henna bin Sultan, another brother, loho was in every way fit for the office. They deemed the
“ Imâmship of a child improper in every way. It was not lawful in prayer {reference is
“ here made to the one who leads in the Mohammedan services, and who is also styled ‘ Imâni
how then could “ he administer the Government, have the control of the finance, and exercise
“ the power of life and death ?... But as the people appeared intent on this matter,
“ the Sheihh, Acia bin Soleiman, in order to quell the disturbances which had arisen, pro-“
claimed Seif bin Sultan as their Imâm. Subsequently, hmoever, Mohenna bin Sultan, his
“ brother, teas introduced into the citadel, and the Imâmship was conferred on him.”
On the accession of Mohenna bin Sultan the people of Rastak urged his cousin Yaarab
bin Belarab bin Sultan to dispute the sovereignty with him. They were so far successful
that Mohenna bin Sultan was treacherously killed. Yaarab bin Belarab ruled at first as
regent for his cousin Seif bin Sultan, hut the tribes subsequently absolved him from his
treachery, and “ confirmed him in the Imâmship.”
This arrangement, however, gave dissatisfaction to the people of Rastak, who adhered to
Seif bin Sultan, and the latter was eventually proclaimed imam, his uncle, Belarab bin
Nasir, acting as Regent. Mohammed bin Nasir, another uncle, took part against Belarab,
and, after many battles, overcame him. “ Then Mohammed bin Nasir sent for the chiefs
“ of the tribes, and for the learned men of Oman, and requested them to appoint a Regent
“ with Seif bin Sultan. The council was held with closed doors, Mohammed bin Nasir himself
“ being with them. They proposed that he should succeed to the Imâmship, which he at first
“ refused, but, being urged thereto, he at length consented, they taking oath to obey him.”
Mohammed bin Nasir was killed at the siege of Sohar about a.d. 1724, when his
nephew. Seif bin Sultan, succeeded him. Hearing of this, his other uncle, Belarab bin
Nasir, laid claim to the sovereignty, and was recognised as Imam by several of the tribes.
Intestine wars followed, and Seif bin Sultan called for the assistance of the Persians, and
was present with them at a later siege of Sohar, then ably defended by Ahmed Bin Saeed,
the grandfather of the late Seyyed Saeed. Alienated from the cause of Seif bin Sultan on
account of his confederacy with the Persians, and regarding him as the cause of all the
disasters which the foreign troops had brought upon Oman, “ the learned men of Nehla,
“ Nezwa, and Ozha, with the chiefs of the Beni Ghafer and those of Maawel, met together,
“ and conferred the Imâmship on Sultan bin Moorshid” (who also appears to have been
an uncle to Seif bin Sultan).
Sultan bin Moorshid effectually checked the advance of the Persians, and was recognised
as Imâm by most of the tribes of Oman. On his death, which occurred at the siege of
Sahar, Ahmed bin Saeed followed up his successes, eventually expelling the Persians, and
reducing the entire country to obedience. “ Then the chief men Oman assembled
“ together, and conferred the Irnânship on Ahmed bin Saeed.” This occurred about
A.D. 1738.
On the death of Ahmed, “ the chiefs of Rastak and others of Oman chose Saeed bin
“ Ahmed (second son) as his successor. They wished to elect Hilal, as being the eldest
“ and wisest, but he suffered from a cataract in his eye, and proceeded W Scinde to
“ have it cured, and died there.”
Saeed bin Ahmed soon became obnoxious to his subjects, and they consulted together
to remove him, and to appoint Kees bin Ahmed (his next brother) in his stead. The usual
disturbances followed, some of the brothers siding with one party, and some with the other.
Saeed bin Ahmed eventually triumphed, chietly through the energy of his fourth son,
Hamed Saeed, who virtually became the ruler of the kingdom. “After Ilamed bin Saeed
“ had taken Muscat (from the opposite party), and his father, Saeed bin Ahmed, had made
“ over to him all the furls which he possessed in Omán the chiefs of Omán recoqnised
“ him.”
Hamed bin Saeed was opposed by his uncle. Seif bin Ahmed, until the latter died. Then
his uncle, Sultan bin Ahmed, disputed the sovereignty with him, and civil wars continued
till the death of Hamed bin Saeed by small-pox, about a.d. 1790. At this time Saeed bin
Ahmed, the father of Hamed, was still living at Rastak, and again assumed the imâmship.
He confided Muscat to the governorship of his eldest son^Ahmed bin Saeed, and the
province of Burk a to his nephew, Ali bin Hilâl, retiring himself to Rastak, and so far
“ neglecting the Government and the people that the kingdom was transferred to Sultan bin
Ahmed” (his fifth brother).
Sultan j3Ín Ahmed reigned about 14 years, and was killed in one of his expeditions to the
Persian Gulf. He left three sons, viz. : —
Salim bin Sultan.
Saeed bin Sultan.
Hamed bin Sultan.
0.116. s 4 On.
Appendix, No. S.
