Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalhami facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah رحمة بن جابر بن عذبي الجلهمي أو الجلاهمة
A sketch of Rahmah ibn Jabir drawn by Charles Ellms in his 1837 book The Pirates Own Book
Born	c. 1760 Grane (now Kuwait)
Died	October 1826
Piratical career
Type	Captain
Allegiance	Al Jalahma clan
Years active	19th century
Rank	Captain
Base of operations	Arabian Gulf
Commands	Al-Manowar Al-Ghatroushah

Rahmah ibn Jabir ibn Adhbi al-Jalhami (Arabic: رحمة بن جابر بن عذبي الجلهمي) was an Arab leader in the Persian Gulf region. He lived from about 1760 to 1826. An English traveler named James Silk Buckingham once called him "the most successful and most tolerated pirate." This means he was a very skilled sea raider who many people accepted.

Rahmah was known for being brave and tough. He wore an eyepatch because he lost an eye in a battle. This makes him one of the earliest pirates known to have worn one. Even though his first name "Rahmah" means 'mercy' in Arabic, he was described as a "daring freebooter without fear or mercy."

He started his career by selling horses. He used the money he saved to buy his first ship. With ten friends, he began a life of buccaneering, which is another word for piracy. He was so good at it that he soon got a bigger ship. This boat weighed 300 tons and had 350 men. Later, he had as many as 2000 followers, including many enslaved people. His main ship was called the 'Al-Manowar'.

Understanding Rahmah's Name

Rahmah's full name is Rahmah ibn Jabir ibn Adhbi Al Jalhami. This name tells us his family history. It means Rahmah, son of Jabir, son of Adhbi, from the Jalahimah tribe. When written from Arabic, his name should be 'Al Jalhami'. 'Al Jalahimah' is the name for his whole tribe.

What Rahmah Looked Like

An English writer named James Silk Buckingham described Rahmah. He said Rahmah was thin, with many old wounds from swords, spears, and bullets. He had more than twenty scars on his body. His face looked fierce and was made even more so by scars and the loss of one eye.

Someone once asked him if he could still fight an enemy with his injured arm. Rahmah showed how he could hold a dagger. He said he wished for nothing more than to fight many enemies with his strong hand. People were often amazed by his tough spirit.

Rahmah's Early Life and Beginnings

Rahmah was born in Grane, which is now Kuwait, around 1760. When he was about six years old, his father moved their tribe from Kuwait to Zubarah in Qatar. Later, his tribe had a disagreement with the House of Khalifa family. This was because the Al Khalifa did not want to share money from their trading.

Even with this disagreement, Rahmah's tribe fought with the Al Khalifa against the Persians in Bahrain in 1783. After the Al Khalifa took over Bahrain, Rahmah's tribe felt they did not get enough rewards. So, they moved to Bushehr and then to Khor Hassan in northwest Qatar. Rahmah soon became the leader of his tribe, taking over from his older brother. After this, the tribe began to live by piracy.

Rahmah's base in Khor Hassan was a good place for his operations. It had a protected bay that helped defend the area. He lived in a fort with mud walls, and there were only a few small huts nearby. Because there was no strong government in Qatar during this time, Rahmah was able to control much of the area.

Working with the Saudis

Rahmah often made alliances with other powerful groups. He usually did this if they also opposed the Al Khalifa family. For example, he teamed up with the first Saudi dynasty when they took over Bahrain. In 1809, he moved to and built a fort in Dammam.

Even though the British sometimes saw his actions as piracy, a British historian named J. G. Lorimer noted that Rahmah usually followed rules of warfare. He tried to avoid fighting British ships so they would not get angry with him. In 1809, after the British fought pirates on the coast, many people fled to Khor Hassan. Rahmah made a deal with the British. He agreed not to hide anyone who was running from them, and in return, the British would not attack his town.

Rahmah also encouraged the Saudis to invade Bahrain in 1809. This made him the most powerful tribal leader in Qatar. He quickly captured eighteen ships. However, in 1811, forces from Muscat and the Al Khalifa worked together. They drove the Saudi forces out of Qatar and Bahrain. Rahmah then moved his main base from Khor Hassan to his fort in Dammam.

Working with the Omanis

In 1816, Rahmah changed his alliance. He joined the rulers of Muscat in their attempt to invade Bahrain, which failed. This meant he broke his alliance with the Saudis. The Saudis then destroyed his fort in Dammam in July 1816. Rahmah had to find safety in Bushehr, taking about 500 families with him.

The Sultan of Muscat, Said bin Sultan, offered Rahmah a deal. He suggested Rahmah become a subject of Muscat and live in Oman. But Rahmah said no. He moved back to Dammam in 1818.

Later Campaigns and Battles

Rahmah helped the British forces in 1819. They were fighting against the Al-Qasimi tribe in Ras Al Khaimah. This operation happened because the Al-Qasimi had repeatedly attacked British ships.

In January 1820, Rahmah planned a sea invasion of Bahrain. He was going to launch it from Qatif's port. But he stopped his plans after the British warned him. The next month, he traveled to Shiraz with three ships. He offered to help the prince of Shiraz in his planned trip to Bahrain.

Rahmah continued his fights against Bahrain in 1821 and 1822. He and his crew captured 7 Bahraini ships and killed 20 men. He lived in Bushehr from November 1822 to February 1824. Then he went back to his home in Dammam. In early 1825, he went to Muscat. He helped Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Shakhbout in his fight against the Qasimi tribe of Ras Al Khaimah. Later that year, he started attacking Qatif. This was because they had not paid him a "protection tax." The British decided not to get involved as long as his attacks were only on the people of Qatif.

He soon turned his attention back to the Al Khalifa family. He went to war with them in early 1826. After many of his men were lost, he fled to Bushehr. There, he asked the British for help. When the British would not help him, he went to Dammam. He brought 35 Balochis from Bushehr as extra fighters. He kept fighting against the Al Khalifa.

Rahmah's Final Battle

In October 1826, Rahmah attacked a ship that belonged to the Al Khalifa rulers of Bahrain. His nephew, Shaikh Ahmed bin Salman Al Khalifa, found out about the stolen goods. He decided to find Rahmah at sea and get the items back. To reach his uncle quickly, he added extra oars to his boat.

Hours later, Rahmah, who was almost blind, asked about an approaching boat. When he was told it was his nephew, Shaikh Ahmed bin Salman, he was surprised. He made a comment about his nephew sailing, as it was a custom for young men to become captains only after marriage.

Shaikh Ahmed reached his uncle's ship and attacked. Rahmah sensed that his end might be near. When he heard that his slave, Tarar, was killed, he went to the inner part of his ship. He lit the gunpowder barrels with charcoal from his hookah. This caused a large explosion, ending the battle and taking the lives of everyone on his ship and the Al-Khalifa men who were raiding it.

Rahmah's Lasting Memory

Rahmah's story lived on long after his death. In the 1960s, Charles Belgrave wrote that old men in coffee shops across the region still talked about his daring adventures.

See also

• Piracy in the Persian Gulf
• Al-Jalahma