Al Huwaila

Al Huwaila (; also spelled Lehwaila) is an abandoned town in Qatar in the municipality of Al Shamal. Prior to the 18th century, and as perhaps as early as the 16th century, it served as Qatar's main town before its population migrated elsewhere.

Nearby areas include Jebel Jassassiyeh to the immediate west and Ras Laffan to the east.

Etymology

The town's name comes from the Arabic word "tahawala", which is translated as "to divert". This name is due to the area's low elevation which allowed it to divert the flow of water from a nearby valley.

History

Early history

Ottoman records make the earliest known mention of Al Huwaila in 1555. The records state that, at that time, the Qatar Peninsula was ruled by Mohammed bin Sultan bani Muslim of the Al-Musallami tribe and that he had his seat of power in Al Huwaila.

Carsten Niebuhr made a map of Qatar in 1765 depicting the settlement as ''Huali''.

Battle of Al Huwaila

In the early 19th century, the settlement was the site of an internal conflict within the ruling Al Khalifa family of Bahrain. The incident, later known as the Battle of Al Huwaila, arose when three sons of Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmad Al Khalifa (Muhammad, Ahmed, and Ali) broke from their father and took up residence in Al Huwaila. Their mother belonged to the powerful Al Bin Ali tribe, a prominent group in the region with considerable influence and resources.

With the support of their maternal relatives, the three sons sought to challenge their father's authority and assert political autonomy. Sheikh Abdullah attempted to resolve the matter peacefully, warning his sons of the dangers of rebellion; however, his appeals were rejected. In response, Sheikh Abdullah instructed his nephew, Muhammad bin Khalifa bin Salman, to organize a military expedition against the dissident faction. Around 1820, Muhammad led a naval force from Bahrain and launched an attack on Al Huwaila. Following intense fighting, the rebellious sons were defeated and surrendered. They later sought their father's forgiveness, which was granted, and they returned to Bahrain. The incident forced Sheikh Abdullah to abandon a planned campaign toward Qatif and contributed to the loss of strategic territories such as Saihat.

Later 19th century

In the 1820s, George Barnes Brucks carried out the first British survey of the Persian Gulf. He recorded the following notes about Al Huwaila, which he referred to as ''Al Owhale'':

A survey conducted by the British Hydrographic Office in 1890 reflects on Al Huwaila's drastic decline during the mid-19th century, describing the town as such:

20th century

John Gordon Lorimer mentions Al Huwaila in his 1908 manuscript of the ''Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf'', stating:

Gallery

Map of Qatar Peninsula in 1824 - Al Huwaila.jpg, Al Huwaila (''Al Owhale'') in G.B. Bruck's 1824 map
Sign to Al Huwailah.jpg, A road sign for Al Huwaila
Road to Al Huwaila.jpg, Road to Al Huwaila

References

{{Al Shamal Municipality

Al Shamal