Emirate of Muhammara

Emirate of Muhammara امارة المحمرة
1812–1925
Map of Arabistan in 1924, showing major tribes and roads
Status	Autonomous Emirate
Capital	Al-Muhammarah
Common languages	Arabic
Religion	Islam
History
• Established	1812
• Discovery of Oil	1908
• Sheikh Khazal rebellion	1925
Preceded by Succeeded by Banu Ka'b Qajar Iran
Today part of	Iran

The Emirate of Muhammara, also known as the Sheikhdom of Muhammara (sometimes also called the Emirate of Arabistan or Sheikhdom of Arabistan),^[1] was an autonomous emirate in modern-day Khuzestan province in Iran. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, lasting until the then ruler of Iran, Reza Shah, re-established full control over the region in 1925.^[2] Officially it was part of Qajar Iran, but the broader Khuzestan region had already enjoyed a large degree of autonomy under the previous rule of the Banu Ka'b (1740–1840),^[3] under whom it had become thoroughly Arabized (whence the name Arabistan).^[4]

In the 1840s, the ruling sheikh of the Banu Ka'b became a vasal of Jabir al-Ka'bi (1780–1881), in his capacity as the sheikh of Muhammara (Khorramshahr),^[5] a port city in southern Khuzestan which had risen to prominence in the previous decade.^[6] After the Anglo-Persian War, Sheikh Jabir grew completely independent of the Ka'b,^[7] though as a member of the Ka'b tribe himself, he did claim the title "Sheikh of the Ka'b".^[8] Under Jabir's successors Miz'al ibn Jabir (r. 1881–1897) and Khaz'al ibn Jabir (r. 1897–1924),^[9] the power of the Sheikhs of Muhammara grew to such an extent so as to become the most significant power in the southern Khuzestan, notably also receiving some British colonial support.^[10]

Ruling from Muhammara as his capital,^[11] Sheikh Khaz'al turned to Arab nationalism, and emboldened particularly by the British discovery of oil in the region in 1908, he sought to gain full independence from Iran.^[12] He staged revolts in 1916 and 1924, the latter of which (called the Sheikh Khaz'al rebellion) led to the final subjugation of the emirate by Iran in November 1924 – January 1925,^[13] which became a part of the modern Khuzestan province in 1936.^[14] Following the downfall of Sheikh Khaz'al's rule in Arabistan, many Iranian Arabs fled to neighboring countries such as (southern) Iraq and Kuwait, as well as to Bahrain and to the al-Ahsa' Governorate in Saudi Arabia, thus also introducing a significant Shi'i population into these countries.^[15]

The semi-autonomous rule of Arab sheikhs over Khuzestan during this period is regarded by Arab nationalists as an abortive attempt at Arab independence,^[16] while Iranian historians tend to treat it as part of the long-standing British attempts to control the region.^[17]