Al-Ureier King Saud's Materrnal Ancestry
The Al‑Oreir family belongs to the Al‑Humaid clan, one of the principal branches of the ‘Adnani Banu Khalid tribe, originally settled in the Hijaz. The Al‑Humaid in particular were based in Bisha, as noted by Sheikh Hussein Khaz‘al in his work “The Arabian Peninsula in the Era of Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al‑Wahhab” (p. 255). It is not known precisely when the tribe expanded into Al‑Ahsa, Al‑Qassim (especially ‘Unayzah), Sudair (Al‑Zulfi), and Al‑‘Aridh in Najd, nor when it spread along the Gulf coast from Kuwait in the north to Oman in the south, including Al‑Qatif, Bahrain, and Jazirat al‑Musallamiyyah.
The Bedouin branches of the tribe roamed the vast triangle of land stretching from Wadi Maqta‘ in the north, toward the Najud al‑Saman highlands in the west, and Al‑Bayad in the south. They were known for breeding horses and livestock and for owning extensive palm groves. Meanwhile, the more settled segments of the tribe were active in pearl diving along the Gulf coast. (For further details on the tribe and its branches in the early twentieth century, see pp. 77, 81, 139, 140, 300, 330, and 331 of Arabian Personalities of the Early Twentieth Century, a work based on information collected by prominent members and officers of British intelligence.)
The tribe emerged prominently in regional history when it abruptly ended nearly eight decades (some say 78 years) of Ottoman dominance in the region by seizing Al‑Ahsa in 1080 AH / 1669 CE under the leadership of Barak bin Ghuraire bin Othman bin Mas‘ud Al‑Humaid. He also succeeded in killing Rashid bin Mughamis Al‑Shabib, chief of Banu Al‑Muntafiq—upon whom the Ottomans relied—during the following year, and subsequently captured the formidable Al‑Koot fortress in Al‑Hofuf.
This ruling family was able to assert its authority over vast areas of eastern Arabia, beginning with Al‑Ahsa, known for its abundant fresh water, palm cultivation, and commercial activity, serving as a gateway to the heart of the Arabian Peninsula—particularly Najd and Jabal Shammar. Historically, the Al‑Ahsa region extended from the borders of Basra to the coasts of Oman.
It is noteworthy that Al‑Ahsa consists of a group of oases, the largest being the Al‑Ahsa Oasis and the Al‑Qatif Oasis. Approximately half of Al‑Ahsa’s population is Shi‘a, primarily farmers or merchants, commonly referred to as al‑Bukhārnah.
After the death of Barak bin Ghuraire in 1093 AH / 1682 CE, he was succeeded by Muhammad bin Barak (1093–1103 AH / 1682–1691 CE), followed by Saadun bin Muhammad (1103–1135 AH / 1691–1722 CE), then Ali bin Muhammad (1135–1143 AH / 1722–1731 CE), then Sulayman bin Muhammad (1143–1165 AH / 1731–1752 CE), and finally Ar‘ar bin Dujain (1166–1188 AH / 1752–1774 CE).
The reigns of Sulayman bin Muhammad and Ar‘ar bin Dujain coincided with the founding of the First Saudi State and the rise of the reform movement of Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al‑Wahhab. Prince Sulayman, who faced no rival in his time, was the one who ordered ‘Uthman bin Mu‘ammar, ruler of Al‑‘Uyaynah, to expel the Sheikh from his town.
Ar‘ar mobilized his forces and marched on Al‑Dir‘iyyah in 1172 AH / 1658 CE in alliance with the ruler of Najran, Husayn ibn Hibbat Allah Al‑Makrami, and Duwas ibn Dahham, ruler of Riyadh. While Al‑Makrami defeated the Saudi state and returned home after a truce, Ar‘ar’s campaign failed due to poor coordination with his allies. Nevertheless, Al‑Dir‘iyyah continued to send him gifts in an effort to appease him and acknowledge his power.
During his rule, Prince Abdulaziz bin Muhammad invaded Al‑Ahsa in 1176 AH / 1762 CE. Ar‘ar attempted to retaliate in 1178 AH / 1764 CE, descending near Al‑Dir‘iyyah, where a battle ensued in which 40 of his men were killed, while Al‑Dir‘iyyah lost 12 men. Ar‘ar returned to his domain without achieving his objective. He launched other campaigns, including the occupation and plunder of Buraydah in 1188 AH / 1774 CE. He died before launching another planned raid on Najd that same year. After him, Saud bin Ar‘ar raided Al‑Kharj in 1192 AH / 1778 CE, but Abdullah bin Muhammad Al‑Saud inflicted a severe defeat on him at Hafr al‑‘Atak.
The Saudi state was able to intervene in the affairs of Banu Khalid after the Battle of Al‑Ghuraymil, when Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz defeated Duwis bin Ar‘ar and his uncle and guardian Abdulmuhsin in 1204 AH / 1790 CE. Prince Saud then appointed Zaid bin Ar‘ar as ruler of the emirate.
The last independent ruler of the family to surrender to Prince Saud was Barak bin Abdulmuhsin in 1209 AH / 1793 CE, after a rule that lasted 124 years—since approximately 1081 AH / 1669 CE. He was then appointed governor of the region on behalf of the Saudi state.
Majid and Muhammad, sons of Ar‘ar, attempted to restore their family’s independence during the Egyptian campaign against Arabia under Ibrahim Pasha. They succeeded in seizing control of Al‑Hofuf and Al‑Qatif around 1234 AH / 1819 CE during the reign of Turki bin Saud. Majid, the elder brother, was killed in 1244 AH / 1829 CE at the Battle of Al‑Khafisat (Al‑Mahmari). Muhammad withdrew and fortified himself in a stronghold in Kuwait, but ultimately surrendered under honorable terms. Thus, the Emirate of Al‑Ahsa returned once again to Saudi authority in 1245 AH / 1830 CE.
The news of the death of Princess Wadha Al‑Oreir
المصدر: السلطان غالب القعيطي