Lahej Sultanate
Encyclopedia
Lahej the Sultanate of Lahej (Arabic: سلطنة لحج ), or, sometimes, the Abdali Sultanate (Arabic: سلطنة العب دلي ), was a Zaydi state in Yemen
. Its capital was Lahij
.
under the suzerainty
of the Zaidi imam
s of Yemen
. In 1728 the Abdali threw off the Zaidi rule and became independent.
After losing the port of Aden
, due to a Royal Navy
attack
in 1839, British
influence was increasingly felt in Lahej. The sultanate was one of the original "Nine Cantons" that signed protection
agreements with Great Britain in the late 19th century and later became part of the Aden Protectorate
. From 1919 the Sultanate included the area of Subeihi. Lahej typically enjoyed good relations with the British despite the accidental killing of Sultan
Fadhl ibn Ali al Abdali by British troops in 1918 who mistook him for an enemy Ottoman Turk
soldier. However, in 1958, Britain was worried that the sultan at the time, Ali bin Abd al Karim al Abdali, an Arab nationalist
, would refuse to join the British-sponsored Federation of Arab Emirates of the South
and had him deposed. Lahej ended up joining the Federation and later the Federation of South Arabia
in 1963. However, Lahej was abolished in 1967 upon the founding of the People's Republic of South Yemen and is now part of the Republic of Yemen
.
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. Its capital was Lahij
Lahij
Lahij or Lahej is a city and an area located between Ta'izz and Aden in Yemen. From the 18th to the 20th century, its rulers were of the Al-Abdali family who with Al-Sallami, Al-Ramada, Al-Sindi and al-Aqrabi, claims relation to Ahl al-Bayt...
.
History
Lahej was sultanate of the Abdali dynastyDynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
under the suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
of the Zaidi imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
s of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. In 1728 the Abdali threw off the Zaidi rule and became independent.
After losing the port of Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, due to a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
attack
Aden Expedition
The Aden Expedition was a naval operation carried out by the British Royal Navy in January of 1839. Following Britain's treaty concerning the colonization of territory in the present day Yemen, the Sultanate of Lahej resisted which led to a series of skirmishes between the two sides...
in 1839, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
influence was increasingly felt in Lahej. The sultanate was one of the original "Nine Cantons" that signed protection
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
agreements with Great Britain in the late 19th century and later became part of the Aden Protectorate
Aden Protectorate
The Aden Protectorate was a British protectorate in southern Arabia which evolved in the hinterland of Aden following the acquisition of that port by Britain in 1839 as an anti-piracy station, and it continued until the 1960s. For administrative purposes it was divided into the Western...
. From 1919 the Sultanate included the area of Subeihi. Lahej typically enjoyed good relations with the British despite the accidental killing of Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Fadhl ibn Ali al Abdali by British troops in 1918 who mistook him for an enemy Ottoman Turk
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
soldier. However, in 1958, Britain was worried that the sultan at the time, Ali bin Abd al Karim al Abdali, an Arab nationalist
Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism is a nationalist ideology celebrating the glories of Arab civilization, the language and literature of the Arabs, calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world...
, would refuse to join the British-sponsored Federation of Arab Emirates of the South
Federation of Arab Emirates of the South
The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South was an organization of states within the British Aden Protectorate in what would become South Yemen. The Federation of six states was inaugurated in the British Colony of Aden on 11 February 1959. It subsequently added nine states and, on 4 April...
and had him deposed. Lahej ended up joining the Federation and later the Federation of South Arabia
Federation of South Arabia
The Federation of South Arabia was an organization of states under British protection in what would become South Yemen. It was formed on 4 April 1962 from the 15 protected states of the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South. On 18 January 1963 it was merged with the crown colony of Aden...
in 1963. However, Lahej was abolished in 1967 upon the founding of the People's Republic of South Yemen and is now part of the Republic of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
.