Timeline of the Emirate of Asir

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

Map of the Emirate of Asir at its peak

The history of the Emirate of Asir spans the rise and fall of a short-lived political entity on the Tihama coast of the southern Arabian Peninsula. Established by Muhammad ibn Ali al-Idrisi, the state emerged from a Sufi framework to become a significant regional power during and after the First World War. ^[1]

Formation and expansion (1906–1918)

• 1906: Muhammad ibn Ali al-Idrisi begins initial state-building activities in Asir, transitioning from a religious leader to a political actor. ^[1]
• 1907: al-Idrisi secures the allegiance of the tribes in Tihamat Asir. ^[2]
• 1909: The first major military confrontation occurs between the Idrisi forces and the Ottoman Empire. ^[3]
• Autumn 1910: Following a brief period of recognition as an Ottoman governor, hostilities resume after disputes over the implementation of Sharia law. ^[4]
• 1911: A general uprising against Ottoman rule is met by several Ottoman military expeditions. ^[5]
• 1911–1912: During the Italo-Turkish War, the Idrisi state forms a strategic alliance with Italy, receiving naval support and weaponry. ^[6]
• 30 April 1915: Muhammad al-Idrisi signs the "Treaty of Friendship and Goodwill" with the British Empire, becoming the first Arab leader to formally join the Allied powers against the Ottomans. ^[7]
• 1918: The emirate expands its domains, reaching as far as Hodeidah. ^[8]

Decline and internal strife (1919–1925)

• 1919–1923: The post-war years are defined by intense territorial rivalry with Imam Yahya of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen. ^[9]
• March 1923: Death of the state's founder, Muhammad al-Idrisi, leading to an immediate succession crisis. ^[10]
• 31 March 1923: Yemeni forces capture the capital and strategic port of Al Hudaydah, effectively ending Idrisi sovereignty over the southern Tihama. ^[11]
• 1923–1925: A period of internal dynastic struggle erupts between Muhammad's son, Ali bin Muhammad al-Idrisi, and his uncle, Al-Hasan bin Ali al-Idrisi. ^[12]

Saudi annexation and dissolution (1926–1934)

• 21 October 1926: Facing total collapse, Al-Hasan bin Ali signs the Mecca Agreement, which formally transforms the remaining Idrisi territories into a Saudi protectorate. ^[11]
• November 1930: The protectorate is further integrated into the expanding Saudi state, being administratively categorized as a Saudi province. ^[13]
• 1932: The "final Idrisi revolt" occurs as Al-Hasan bin Ali attempts to reclaim independence from Saudi control with support from Yemen. ^[14]
• June 1934: Following the Saudi–Yemeni War, the Treaty of Taif is signed. It settles regional borders and marks the formal end of the Idrisi state as a political entity. ^[15]

References

1. Bang 1996, p. 1.
2. Al-Etaneh et al. 2024, p. 60-62.
3. Bang 1996, p. 92.
4. Bang 1996, p. 95.
5. Bang 1996, p. 98.
6. Bang 1996, p. 99.
7. Bang 1996, p. 101.
8. Baldry 1976, pp. 155–193.
9. Bang 1996, p. 110.
10. Bang 1996, p. 115.
11. Bang 1996, p. 121.
12. Bang 1996, p. 117.
13. Bang 1996, p. 126.
14. Bang 1996, p. 128.
15. Bang 1996, p. 130.

Bibliography

• Al-Etaneh, G. F.; Hayajneh, R.; Al-Khatib, J. M.; Abdalla, A. A. (2024-09-13). "British-Idrisi relations in resisting Ottoman influence in Tihama Asir 1915-1926" . Research Journal in Advanced Humanities. 5 (4). doi: 10.58256/ck6ny078 .
• Baldry, John (1976). "Anglo-Italian Rivalry in Yemen and ʿAsīr 1900-1934". Die Welt des Islams. 17 (1/4): 155–193. doi:10.2307/1570344. ISSN   0043-2539. JSTOR   1570344.
• Bang, Anne K. (1996). The Idrisi State in Asir 1906–1934: Politics, Religion and Personal Prestige as Statebuilding Factors in Early Twentieth-Century Arabia. London: Hurst & Company. ISBN   978-1-85065-306-6.