صفحة جديدة 1

A Summary For A Master’s Degree From The Faculty Of Arts and humanities (history section).

The study is under the title of “ trading relations between al-hijaz and Egypt from 1183 to 1216 H .

Corresponding to ( 1769 to 1801 )” from king Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah in 1407H. 1986.

Address: The General Directorate Of Educat The Supervision Center In The Eastern Ar In Jeddah City.

This study is titled “ The Commercial Relations between Al-Hijaz and Egypt” ( 1183 – 1216 A. H) (1769 – 1801 A.D).

During this period, the Yemenite coffee trade acquired worldwide prosperity. The ports of Al-Hijaz, being second in importance to the Yemenite ports , undertook a basic role in the trade of this crop, before it reached Egypt and then Europe, in quantities.

At the same time , many political events affected commercial relations between Al-Hijaz and Egypt. Bearing this in mind, I tend in this research to handle commercial activity in relation to the most prominent political events which prevailed in the Red Sea area , before , during and after the above mentioned period.

This study draws on many different resources and references; namely the unpublished documents ( Egyptian, Hijazian, Turkish); and those documents which had been previously published in some books and dissertations.

This research took benefit also of two manuscripts written by two citizens from Makkah. One died in (1257 A. H/1841 A. D) and the other in (1327 A. H / 1909 A. D ). These two fellows revealed much of the social and political aspects which were common to the Hijaz area at that time.

Beside this , there are some scientific written materials which were left by some contemporary historians like Abdulrahman Al-Jabarty and the Yemenite historian Lutfallah Bin Ahmed Jahhaf and the French engineer Jirar who accompanied Bonaparte’s expedition to Egypt.

The researcher did not forget to go back to some scientific literature written by a number of western authors who succeeded in visiting the Hijaz area. These authors recorded many aspects on the social and political life. From these we mention only a few.

I . Carsten Niebuhar, the author of “ Travels Through Arabian and other Countires in the East”. He was a member of the Danish expedition which came to the Arabian Penisula on a scientific mission in the seconed half of the eighteenth century.

2. Badiay Leblish, the auther of “ Travels of Ali Bey”. He pretended to be a muslim, and gave himself the name (Ali Bey Al-Abbasi) so as to deserve the respect of the Hijazians, and to reach his aim with comfort, and at ease.

3. John Lewis Burckhardt, the author of “ Travels is Arabia”. In this book he described the commercial situation in Al-Hijaz, and the careers and handcrafts of its inhabitants; and also the relation between its merchants and those of Egypt.

In addition to all that has been mentioned, several researches which had been presented in a number of conferences and scientific journals concerned with historica studies, are also incuded. Moreover, there are a lot of Arabic and foreign references. All these together have shared in consolidating the structure of this research.

The research contains four chapters. In the first chapter, whose title reads *** ,1 explain the effect of the Portuguese discovery of the “ Cape of Good Hope” and its impact on the Red Sea trade in general , and on the position of the Hijazian-Egyptian trade in particular.

Then I deal with the return of European interest in the Red Sea trade at the beginning of the seventeenth century, and the attitude of the Ottman Empire towards this concern. It strongly objected to the direct commercial transaction between the European companies and the Arabian states bordering the Red Sea.

The second chapter is about the trade routes between Al-Hijaz and Egypt, both overland and by sea.

In this context, mention has been made of the Egyptian pilgrims caravan and the role it played in the development of the commercial activity. A reference has also been made to the commercial significance of the Red Sea ports in the two countries, namely Jeddah, Yanbu, Suez and Cassair.

The third chapter reflects the nature of commercial activity between Al-Hijaz and Egypt, and the interchange of different commodities, these are topped by the Yemenite coffee, then the Indian goods, which the merchants of Hijaz exported to Egypt. The Hijaz area depended also on local Egyptian exports, such as cereals and cloth, and international exports, like glass, copper, which reached Al-Hijaz via the Egyptian lands.

When taking about commerce in Al-Hijaz during this period, it was essential to mention something about the sects of the merchants, their multi-origins which go back to India, Morocco, Hadhramawt, in addition to these from Al-Hijaz itself. The study refers also to the delegation made by Egyptian merchants to some merchants in Al-Hijaz with the intention of completing the commercial transactions and plans for the Former.

Due to the effect of a lot of political events in the trade course between the two countries, I set out chapter four to tackle the impact of these events on commercial relations. These events are confined to the following.

1. The plan of reviving the Suez overland route, that led to arising competition between the English and French in an attempt to reach the Suez ports with their ships, despite the objection of the Ottman Empire and the rulers of the Al-Hijaz (The Ashraf).

2-The expedition of Ali Bey Al-Kabir to Al-Hijaz, and its commercial aim. This resulted in the destability of the political position in the Hijaz area.

3- The French expedition to Egypt and the consequent depression of trade between Al-Hijaz Egypt.

Last comes the conclusion. The most significant results deduced by the study are expressed here. Only to mention some:-

1- the frandulant conduct of some of pilgrims, “Amirs” towards the tribes living along the trade route between Al-Hijaz and Egypt which is reflected in their reluctance to pay the due money amounts agreed upon in many cases encouraged the robbers to threaten, attack and plunder the trade caravans frequently.

2- The reliance of Cairo merchants upon some Hijazian merchants, who were also acting as their agents in Jeddah and Yanbu.

3- A fact that encouraged Europenas to pay frequent visit to Jeddah town, was the change of its inhabitants, viewpoints towards the foreigners. Jeddah being a commercial town then, it was not peculiar outside the Islamic world.

4- It became obvious that the merchants sect in Jeddah consisted of different nationalities. These came from India, Moroccos, Egypt, Hadhramawt, in addition to the Hijazians. Those merchants usually lead a luxurious life.

5- In addition to Sharif Ahrif Ahalib bin Masud’s high political prestige, he also enjoyed the same position in the field of commerce. This was illustrated by his activity in this field. His ships roamed the seas, and reached as far as the East Indies, and Egyptian ports, where they wer especially well-treated according to orders from the porte.

6- Documents of the Egyptian Sharia courts, emphasized the ownership of some Egyptian merchants to some real estate in the towns of Al-Hijaz.

7- The failure of the Suez overland revival plan, and the expedition of Ali Bey Al-Kabir to Al-Hijaz , which enabled the rulers of Al-Hijaz to maintain the commercial position of Jeddah and Yanbu ports.

8- The study regarded the complete stop of commercial transactions between Al-Hijaz and Egypt as one of the results of the French Expedition to Egypt. This was due to the anxiety of the Hijazian merchants from the result of transactions under the changes which Egypt experienced during the expedition. The research also emphasized that, the trade between the two countries was not resumed until after guarantees were put for-ward by Bonaparte in his messages to sharif Ghalib.

Finally, I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to every one who helped me to realize this study. However, my special thanks are due to my Supervisor, Dr. Mohammed Abdul Rahman Burj , and the Head of the Department of History in King Abdulaziz University, Dr. Ahmed Hussain Al-Okbi.

I hope that I have succeeded in studing this subject as thorouphly as possible, and thanks first and last to God.