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Bithnah Fort is a traditional double story rock, coral and mudbrick fortification located in the
Wadi Ham Wadi Ham is a wadi, a seasonal watercourse, in the Hajar Mountains of Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The wadi runs from Masafi towards Fujairah City, until it reaches the Wadi Ham Dam and the Gulf of Oman. The wadi is crossed ...
, near the village of Bithnah in
Fujairah Fujairah City ( ar, الفجيرة) is the capital of the emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. It is the seventh-largest city in UAE, located on the Gulf of Oman (part of the Indian Ocean). It is the only Emirati capital city on the ...
,
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...
. The fort has played a significant role in the history of the Emirates, particularly in the emergence of Fujairah as an independent emirate in the early 20th century. With a controlling position overlooking the Wadi Ham, the fort replaced an
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...
fortification. Prior to the construction of the metalled road between
Fujairah City Fujairah City ( ar, الفجيرة) is the capital of the emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. It is the seventh-largest city in UAE, located on the Gulf of Oman (part of the Indian Ocean). It is the only Emirati capital city on the ...
and
Masafi Masafi ( ar, مسافي) is a village located on the edge of the Hajar Mountains in the United Arab Emirates. It sits at the inland entrance of the Wadi Ham, which runs down to Fujairah City. The border between the emirates of Fujairah and Ras Al ...
in the 1970s, traffic to the interior from the coast passed through the bed of the
wadi Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water ...
, controlled by Bitnah Fort, which has through the ages been a keenly contested strategic holding and was to form a key mainstay in the fortunes of the Sharqiyin through the 18th and early 19th centuries.


The fort

Bithnah Fort is a rectangular construction with two round corner towers. A rectangular guard's room gives the outward appearance of forming a third tower. It is principally constructed of stone walls, topped with mudbricks bound and covered in mud-based mortar. Wood joists and ceiling beams are made principally from date palm planks, although sparing use of hardwood was also made. The entrance, to the eastern wall of the fort, leads to a 3.3 metre corridor covered with hardwood slabs. This narrow entrance leads, in turn, to a subterranean room and then, via a ladder, to the courtyard. Restoration work in 2008 revealed traces of this room being used as a ''madbasa'', a date storage room with channelled floors to collect the date juice, or ''dhibs''. Although the fort is known to have been in existence by 1808 (it was possessed at that time by Saudi
Wahhabi Wahhabism ( ar, ٱلْوَهَّابِيَةُ, translit=al-Wahhābiyyah) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist and fundamentalist movement associated with the reformist doctrines of the 18th-century Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, an ...
forces), it is thought the fort could have been constructed at any time following 1745. Traditional repairs to the fort have been made using mud-based renders. Bithnah Fort was to preside over a century of conflict between the tribes of the west coast and interior against Muscat, with the outside forces of Wahhabi Saudi Arabia and Persia often becoming involved as alliances shifted and military forces found success or failure. Its eventual fall to the insurgent Sharqiyin of Fujairah was to cement the independence of Fujairah from rule both by Muscat and the Qawasim.


Conflict at Bithnah

Bithnah occupies a strategic location in the Wadi Ham, which links the East Coast port of Fujairah to the inland town of Masafi and stands as one of the three great trade routes (the others are the Wadi Jizzi and the Wadi Hatta) through to the interior and western ports of the Southern Arabian Peninsula. As such, it has long been a flashpoint in the region's conflicts, not least of which was that between the
Qawasim Al Qasimi ( ar, القواسم, spelled sometimes as Al Qassimi or Al Qassemi; plural: Al Qawasem ar, القواسم and, archaically, Joasmee) is an Arab dynasty in the Persian Gulf that rules Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, today forming two of ...
of
Sharjah Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. Sharjah is the capital ...
and
Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْخَيْمَة, historically Julfar) is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. It is the sixth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain ...
and the
Na'im The Na'im () (singular Al Nuaimi ) is an Arab tribe in the United Arab Emirates. The tribe is also present in other gulf countries. The Na'im is divided into three sections, the Al Bu Kharaiban, the Khawatir and the Al Bu Shamis (singular Al Sha ...
of
Buraimi Al Buraimi Governorate ( ar, مُحَافَظَة ٱلْبُرَيْمِي, Muḥāfaẓat Al-Buraimī) is one of the 11 governorates of Oman which was split from the Ad Dhahirah Region. Until October 2006, the area was part of Ad Dhahirah Regi ...
ranged against the Saidi
Sultan of Muscat The sultan of the Sultanate of Oman is the monarchical head of state and head of government of Oman. It is the most powerful position in the country. The sultans of Oman are members of the Busaid dynasty, which has been the ruling family ...
. In 1745, the Qawasim together with the Na’im attempted to fight their way through the Wadi Ham to take the east coast and its great prize, the port of
Sohar Sohar ( ar, صُحَار, also Romanized as Suḥār) is the capital and largest city of the Al Batinah North Governorate in Oman. An ancient capital of the country that once served as an important Islamic port town, Suhar has also been credited ...
. They met the Saidi forces at Bithnah and the Battle of Bithnah ensued, a conflict that was to mark a new era in the history of the area: the drawn-out battle between the Saidi Omani leader Ahmed bin Said Al Busaidi against the Qawasim of Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah, and other tribes of the West coast and interior. The Battle of Bithnah was won by the Qawasim when the troops of Ahmed bin Said deserted him. The conflict rumbled on until, in 1762, a newly resurgent Ahmed bin Said (he had by now unified the querulous Omani tribes) blockaded Julfar, while the Qawasim moved against
Rustaq Rustaq ( ar, ٱلرُّسْتَاق, Ar-Rustāq) is a town and ''Wilayah'' (District) in Al Batinah Region of northern Oman. The wilayah is in the Western Hajar Mountains, in the south of the Batinah. Rustaq was once the capital of Oman, during ...
. These raids across the mountains continued until 1792, when a great raid took place by the Na’im of Buraimi against Sohar, resulting in the fall of the city to the raiders. Reinforced by the
Bani Yas Bani Yas ( ar, بَنُو ياس) is a tribal confederation of Najdi origin in the United Arab Emirates. The tribal coalition which consists of tribes from Dubai to Khawr al Udayd southeast of Qatar, was called the Bani Yas Coalition. The tribe has ...
of
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...
(under their Ruler, Hazza) and the
Bani Qitab The Bani Qitab ( ar, بني كتب) is a tribe of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The singular form of the name, Al Ketbi, is a common family name in the Northern UAE today. Consisting of a settled southern section and a nomadic northern section, t ...
, the Na’im were however defeated, retreating down the Wadi Jizzi to Buraimi. Ahmed bin Said's forces, triumphant, also sacked the important port town of Dibba by sea, killing many members of the Naqbiyin and Sharqiyin tribes.


Background

The Qawasim found a new ally against their traditional enemy in Oman when the Saudis established a presence in Buraimi, zealous with the new message of their Wahhabi faith. Although there had been a brief alliance between the two enemies, the fragmentation once more of Omani authority resulted in the Qawasim taking sides and backing the Omani Said, Badr bin Saif Al Busaidi. As a result, the important eastern port of
Khor Fakkan Khor Fakkan ( ar, خَوْر فَكَّان, Khawr Fakkān) is a city and exclave of the Emirate of Sharjah, located on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), facing the Gulf of Oman, and geographically surrounded by the Emirate of F ...
fell to the Qawasim, backed by Saudi forces. However, when the Qawasim Sheikh,
Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi (1781–1866) was the Sheikh of the Qawasim and ruler variously of the towns of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, Jazirah Al Hamra and Rams, all Trucial States in their time and now part of the United Arab Emirates. Br ...
, resisted Saudi dominance and pressure to harry shipping in the Gulf, he was removed from power and control over the forts of Fujairah, Bithnah and Khor Fakkan was placed in the hands of Saudi-backed forces. By 1809, the Saudis had appointed ''walis'', or officers, over the whole Qawasim territory. Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi escaped Saudi captivity in
Diriyah Diriyah ( ar, الدِرْعِيّة), formerly romanized as Dereyeh and Dariyya), is a town in Saudi Arabia located on the north-western outskirts of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Diriyah was the original home of the Saudi royal family, and served ...
and fled to Mocha and then on to
Muscat Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate was ...
, where he was received by his former foe, the Said bin Sultan Al Busaidi. His arrival coincided with growing exasperation on the part of Oman's ally, the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
, with the Qawasim of Ras Al Khaimah and their constant raids on Omani and other locally flagged shipping. Giving the British further ''casus belli'', Sultan's presence at Muscat helped to inspire the 1809 Persian Gulf Campaign against the Qawasim at Ras Al Khaimah. The action, although punitive, was to be indecisive. In 1813, an expedition by the Sultan of Muscat to Ras Al Khaimah with the objective of restoring Sultan bin Saqr failed. However, a further sally the next year saw Sultan once again installed as Ruler not of Ras Al Khaimah, but of Sharjah and
Lingeh Bandar Lengeh ( fa, بندرلنگه, also Romanized as Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e-Langeh and Bandar Langeh; also known simply as Lengeh, Linja, Linjah or Lingah) is a harbour city and capital of Bandar Lengeh County, in Hormozgan province of ...
, the latter being his principle residence. Ras Al Khaimah remained under the effective rule of the Saudi dependent, Hassan bin Rahmah. However, the 1819 Persian Gulf Campaign proved altogether more decisive and restored Sultan bin Saqr to rule of the Qawasim. Sultan bin Saqr signed the
General Maritime Treaty of 1820 The General Maritime Treaty of 1820 was a treaty initially signed between the rulers of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Great Britain in January 1820, with the nearby island state of Bahrain acceding to the trea ...
on the 4 February 1820 at Falayah Fort inland of Ras Al Khaimah as 'Sheikh of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah'. Hassan bin Rahmah had earlier signed a preliminary agreement giving up control of Ras Al Khaimah to the British and subsequently signed the 1820 treaty as 'Sheikh of Khatt and Falaiha, ''formerly'' of Ras Al Khaimah'. Focused on consolidating his rule over the west coast and rebuilding the shattered town of Ras Al Khaimah, in 1850 Sultan Bin Saqr Al Qasimi ended the long-running conflict with Muscat when he agreed a compromise with the Sultan of Muscat in which Al Qasimi rule was accepted over the area north of the line between Sharjah and Khor Kalba on the East coast, but excluding the rough, high land North of the line between Sha'am on the West and Dibba on the East coast. This effectively saw Muscat cede the ''Shamaliyah'' to Sharjah, recognising Sultan bin Saq's de facto rule over the area.


Independence

After over a century of contested ownership of the east coast, or ''Shamaliyah'', it was nominally under Qawasim control as Sultan bin Saqr consolidated his rule. However, the influence of the Qawasim was weakened following Sultan bin Saqr's death in 1866, his successor killed in single combat by Zayed the Great of Abu Dhabi. By the 1880s, a number of Qawasim dependencies threatened independence from Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi and the head man of Fujairah town, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi, took the opportunity to lead an insurrection in Spring 1879 against Sheikh Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi of
Sharjah Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. Sharjah is the capital ...
, who had placed a slave named Sarur in charge of Fujairah. After his delegation to Salim bin Sultan was rebuffed, Hamad bin Abdullah led a successful sally against Fujairah Fort, leading to a rout. In 1884, Hamad bin Abdullah took Bithnah Fort, taking control of the sole route from the interior to the ''Shamaliyah''.


Rebellion

Saqr bin Khalid chose not to act against the rebels, as indeed the Sultan Turki bin Said of Muscat elected not to offer them protection after they appealed to him to assume suzerainty over them. British advice to the Sultan was not to get embroiled in what would ultimately lead to an inevitable clash with Sharjah. Muscat stayed away and Saqr bin Khalid lost effective control over the whole of the east coast Al Qasimi possessions, from Dibba down to Kalba. Control over the coastal town and trading post of Khor Fakkan, which could only be approached by land via Fujairah or Dibba at the time, was lost by default. Holding the strategic asset of Al Bitnah Fort enabled Hamad bin Abdullah to refuse the Ruler of Sharjah at the time, Sheikh Saqr Bin Khalid Al Qasimi, access to send aid to the beleaguered headman of
Kalba Kalba () is a city in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is an exclave of Sharjah lying on the Gulf of Oman coast north of Oman. Khor Kalba (Kalba Creek), an important nature reserve and mangrove swamp, is located south ...
. This event sealed the de facto independence of Fujairah which was not, however, recognised by the British until 1952. The dispute at Kalba flared up and each side gathered its backers. In April 1902, Saqr bin Khalid gathered a force of 250 mounted
Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arabs, Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert ...
to attack Fujairah, while Hamad bin Abdullah petitioned
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...
and
Ajman Ajman ( ar, عجمان, '; Gulf Arabic: عيمان ʿymān) is the capital of the emirate of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates. It is the fifth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Al Ain. Located along the Persian Gulf, ...
as well as the Sultan of Muscat for their help. The British caught wind of the impending conflict and intervened, warning Muscat and Dubai to stand down. Attempting to mediate the dispute in Sharjah, the British Residency Agent found both Saqr bin Khalid protesting that he could not control his Bedouin and Hamad bin Abdullah refusing to recognise a safe pass to Sharjah as legitimate. In November, repenting of his conciliatory attitude, Saqr bin Khalid had two Fujairah men killed on their way to Ajman, escalating the conflict with Hamad bin Abdullah. The next month, the British Political Resident, Gaskin, travelled to Sharjah and then on to Fujairah in the RIMS ''Lawrence''. Following two days of negotiations between the warring parties, the British gave up their attempt at intervention and left, cautioning both parties not to break the Maritime Peace.


Independence

Declaring his independence in 1901, Sheikh Hamad enjoyed the recognition of this status by all concerned, with the sole exception of the British. In 1903, the British once again decided not to recognise Fujairah but to consider it a dependency of Sharjah. Despite a sally by Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi against Bithnah Fort early in the year, an attempt to regain control of the strategic Wadi Ham, and an exhortation to peace by Curzon during his 1903 vice regal Durbar, Fujairah remained a nominal dependency at best and in 1906 was claimed as a dependency of
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dha ...
, with no opposition from Sharjah.


A Trucial State

In 1939,
Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi (1908 – 6 September 1974) was the Ruler of Fujairah, one of the emirates which today form the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 1938–1974. In 1952 he was to see his father's long-held dream of independence ...
succeeded as Sheikh of Fujairah. He consolidated the Sharqiyin holdings of Fujairah and its surroundings and by 1950, he had won over Dibba to the North, as well as the coastal settlements of Bidayah and Sakamkam and the inland village of Bithnah and the strategically located Bithnah Fort. This considerably strengthened his hand when, in 1952, the British (who had staunchly refused recognition of Fujairah's independence over the past 50 years) opened negotiations with Mohammed bin Hamad for oil exploration concessions for British company PCL, Petroleum Concessions Limited. The British government granted Mohammed bin Hamad recognition as a Trucial Ruler and he acceded in 1952 as the Ruler of the seventh emirate to be so recognised (
Kalba Kalba () is a city in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is an exclave of Sharjah lying on the Gulf of Oman coast north of Oman. Khor Kalba (Kalba Creek), an important nature reserve and mangrove swamp, is located south ...
, previously recognised as a Trucial State in 1939, was subsumed back into Sharjah in 1951).


Collapse

The Bithnah Fort was allowed to collapse into a ruined state over the course of Mohammed bin Hamad's rule, with both towers falling in. Restored in 1974, it was allowed once again to lapse into a state of decay and, by 2006, was in a parlous state. It was restored fully in 2008–2012. Prior to 2009, the fort was inhabited by a local man from Bitnah, Saed Ali Saed Al Yamahi.


References

{{Reflist History of the United Arab Emirates Forts in the United Arab Emirates Castles in the United Arab Emirates