Faisal bin Turki Al Saud (; 1785 – December 1865) was the second ruler of the Second Saudi State and seventh head of the House of Saud.

Early life

Faisal was the son of Imam Turki bin Abdullah. He was one of the members of the Al Saud family who was taken to Cairo following the capture of Diriyah by Ibrahim Pasha, son of Muhammad Ali, in May 1819.

In 1830 Faisal was sent on military operations to Al Hasa in the east. In his absence, his father was assassinated by Mishari bin Abdul Rahman, a second-cousin of his father in 1834. His troops stormed the castle and killed Mishari. Emir of Jabal Shammar, Abdullah bin Rashid, helped Faisal in this attack. Then he was forced into exile in Cairo by the Ottomans who sent an expedition to Najd due to his rejection of paying tribute to the Egyptian forces in Hejaz.

Faisal continued to oppose the Ottoman forces, however, and the Egyptian governor of Arabia, Khurshid Pasha, supported a rival candidate - Khalid bin Saud, a second-cousin of Faisal. Khalid was a member of the senior line of the Saud family.

Return to Riyadh

Following his return to Riyadh, Faisal reclaimed the throne in 1843 and ruled until 1865. He easily defeated his third-cousin Abdullah bin Thunayan, who had revolted against the ineffective Khalid and taken control. Faisal depended on a close alliance with the Al Rashid family of Ha'il. Abdullah bin Rashid played a key role in his success, In turn, Faisal recognised the supremacy of the Ottoman Empire in the region.

Faisal consolidated his power by subduing opposition tribes in Najd. This centralized authority required financial resources, prompting Faisal to target Al-Ahsa, Qatif, and Saihat—key economic hubs. He imposed his control over these regions, ensuring a steady flow of funds to his treasury by imposing what was termed zakat, though it functioned as a tax in contemporary terms.

Faisal's ambitions extended beyond these territories. In 1847, he attempted to intervene in Bahrain, exploiting internal conflicts within the ruling family. Although unsuccessful in capturing Bahrain, he settled for a peace agreement that included a tribute payment. His inability to seize Bahrain was primarily due to attacks on the Al-Qassim Province by Muhammad bin Awn and Khalid bin Saud, and the firm stance of the British government against Saudi expansion in the Persian Gulf. The British, who had substantial interests in the region, closely monitored Faisal's movements. Their support for the Bahraini sheikh and their strategic positions in the Gulf influenced the broader regional dynamics.

Battle of Mesaimeer

The Battle of Mesaimeer was a significant military engagement in the Persian Gulf region, taking place from June 2-4, 1851, near the village of Mesaimeer in Qatar. Faisal bin Turki, having consolidated his power in central Arabia, sought to extend his influence to the Gulf coast, with the ultimate aim of controlling Bahrain and its lucrative pearl fisheries. His strategy involved using Qatar as a stepping stone for this expansion. This campaign, which began in May 1851, marked his third attempt at invading the island.

Opposing Faisal were the local Qatari tribes led by Mohammed bin Thani and his son Jassim bin Mohammed, progenitors of the future ruling family of Qatar. Although nominally allied with Bahrain, which was represented by the forces of Ali bin Khalifa, the Qatari forces acted largely independently during the battle. The engagement unfolded in three phases. On 2 June, initial clashes resulted in unexpected setbacks for Faisal's forces near Al Bidda (modern Doha). The next day, 3 June, witnessed intense fighting, with Qatari forces under Jassim bin Muhammad launching a determined close-quarters assault on Faisal's forces near Al Bidda. Finally, on 4 June, further engagements occurred, culminating in the retreat of Faisal's forces to their camp at Mesaimeer.

British sources, notably dispatches from political resident Samuel Hennell, confirm the defeat of Wahhabi forces on June 2 and 4. Shortly after the final day of battle, Mohammed bin Thani sent a letter to Faisal's camp requesting peace and agreeing to be his subject, to which Faisal obliged.

Following British interference on the side of Bahrain in order to prevent the Ottoman Empire from gaining a stronghold in the Peninsula and the loss of his ally Mubarak in a major naval engagement near Qatif, Faisal was forced to reassess of his strategy. Relinquishing his designs upon Bahrain, Faisal made a conciliatory overture on 20 July, 1851, proposing to dispatch his two brothers and son to parley with Ali bin Khalifa aboard his ship. This proposal, however, met with unequivocal rejection from Ali bin Khalifa.

Due to the mediation efforts of Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan, an agreement between Ali bin Khalifa and Faisal was reached on 25 July. The resultant accord stipulated that Ali would remit 4,000 German krones annually as zakat to Faisal, while the latter agreed to restore Al Bidda Fort to Ali bin Khalifa and to abstain from interference in Qatari affairs.

Later reign

Following unsuccessful attempts to gain authority in Al Qassim, Faisal appointed his younger brother Jiluwi governor to the region. However, Jiluwi did not manage to obtain full loyalty of people there who revolted against him 1854. His next target was the Trucial States which he attacked in the 1860s. He governed the Emirate with success until his death in December 1865. Of them Abdullah and Muhammad were full brothers so were Saud and Abdul Rahman. He died following a prolonged illness in Riyadh in December 1865 and was succeeded by his son Abdullah.

References

For further reading

  • Second State of Saudi Arabia