Kuwait at the crossroads: local agency and imperial rivalry in the late 19th and early 20th century
Keywords:
Kuwait, sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, imperial rivalry, balance of power, local political agencyAbstract
The article examines the political transformation of Kuwait in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with particular attention to the role of sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah and the interaction between local political agency and imperial rivalry. Drawing on treaties, diplomatic correspondence, consular reports, and archival materials, the study situates Kuwait’s development within the broader context of Ottoman decentralisation and the intensification of British, German, and Russian interests in the Persian Gulf. The analysis focuses on key episodes, including the Anglo-Kuwaiti agreement of 1899 and the failed Ottoman military intervention of 1901, in order to assess their impact on Kuwait’s political status. It is argued that Kuwait’s strategic position and sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah’s pragmatic diplomacy enabled the emirate to secure a de facto autonomous position, despite formal Ottoman claims and competing imperial strategies.
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