Early and late Islamic period (661–1783)

Abbasid Caliphate at its greatest extent, c. 850

Qatar was described as a famous horse and camel breeding centre during
the Umayyad period.[54] In the 8th century, it started benefiting from its commercially
strategic position in the Persian Gulf and went on to become a centre of pearl
trading.[55][56] Substantial development in the pearling industry around the Qatari Peninsula
occurred during the Abbasid era.[54] Ships voyaging from Basra to India and China would
make stops in Qatar's ports during this period. Chinese porcelain, West African coins, and
artefacts from Thailand have been discovered in Qatar.[53] Archaeological remains from the
9th century suggest that Qatar's inhabitants used greater wealth to construct higher quality
homes and public buildings. Over 100 stone-built houses, two mosques, and an Abbasid
fort were constructed in Murwab during this period.[57][58] When the caliphate's prosperity
declined in Iraq, so too did it in Qatar.[59] Qatar is mentioned in 13th-century Muslim
scholar Yaqut al-Hamawi's book, Mu'jam Al-Buldan, which alludes to the Qataris' fine
striped woven cloaks and their skills in improvement and finishing of spears.[60]
Much of eastern Arabia was controlled by the Usfurids in 1253, but control of the region
was seized by the prince of Ormus in 1320.[61] Qatar's pearls provided the kingdom with one
of its main sources of income.[62] In 1515, Manuel I of Portugal vassalised the Kingdom of
Ormus. Portugal went on to seize a significant portion of eastern Arabia in 1521.[62][63] In
1550, the inhabitants of Al-Hasa voluntarily submitted to the rule of the Ottomans,
preferring them to the Portuguese.[64]
Portuguese era
After the fall of the Jabrid Dynasty with the conquest of Bahrain by the Portuguese, the
Arabian coast up to Al Hassa came under the rule and influence of the Portuguese empire.
Attempts by the Ottomans to dominate the region were eliminated with the reconquest of
the castle of Tarout[65] or Al Qatif in 1551.
Archaeological finds are still being excavated from one of the Portuguese fortresses that
served as a base to dominate the region as Ruwayda.[66] The first representation of Qatar
appears on the Portuguese map by Luis Lázaro in 1563, showing the "city of Qatar" as a
fortress.[67] Having retained a negligible military presence in the area, the Ottomans were
expelled by the Bani Khalid tribe and their emirate in 1670.[68]
Bahraini and Saudi rule (1783–1868)

A 1794 map by Samuel Dunn depicting Catura (at

centre) in the Historical region of Bahrain.
In 1766, members of the Al Khalifa family of the Utub tribal confederation migrated
from Kuwait to Zubarah in Qatar.[69][70] By the time of their arrival, the Bani Khalid exercised
weak authority over the peninsula, notwithstanding the fact that the largest village was
ruled by their distant kin.[71] In 1783, Qatar-based Bani Utbah clans and allied Arab tribes
invaded and annexed Bahrain from the Persians. The Al Khalifa imposed their authority
over Bahrain and retained their jurisdiction over Zubarah.[69]
Following his swearing-in as crown prince of the Wahhabi in 1788, Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz
moved to expand Wahhabi territory eastward towards the Persian Gulf and Qatar. After
defeating the Bani Khalid in 1795, the Wahhabi were attacked on two fronts. The Ottomans
and Egyptians assaulted the western front, while the Al Khalifa in Bahrain and
the Omanis launched an attack against the eastern front.[72][73] Upon being made aware of
the Egyptian advance on the western frontier in 1811, the Wahhabi amir reduced his
garrisons in Bahrain and Zubarah in order to redeploy his troops. Said bin Sultan, ruler
of Muscat, capitalised on this opportunity and raided the Wahhabi garrisons on the eastern
coast, setting fire to the fort in Zubarah. The Al Khalifa was effectively returned to power
thereafter.[73]

A partially restored section of the ruined town

of Zubarah.
As punishment for piracy, an East India Company vessel bombarded Doha in 1821,
destroying the town and forcing hundreds of residents to flee. In 1825, the House of
Thani was established with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani as the first leader.[74]
Although Qatar was considered a dependency of Bahrain, the Al Khalifa faced opposition
from the local tribes. In 1867, the Al Khalifa, along with the ruler of Abu Dhabi, sent a
massive naval force to Al Wakrah in an effort to crush the Qatari rebels. This resulted in the
maritime Qatari–Bahraini War of 1867–68, in which Bahraini and Abu Dhabi forces sacked
and looted Doha and Al Wakrah.[75] The Bahraini hostilities were in violation of the Perpetual
Truce of Peace and Friendship of 1861. The joint incursion, in addition to the Qatari
counter-attack, prompted British Political Resident, Colonel Lewis Pelly to impose a
settlement in 1868. His mission to Bahrain and Qatar and the resulting peace treaty were
milestones because they implicitly recognised the distinctness of Qatar from Bahrain and
explicitly acknowledged the position of Mohammed bin Thani. In addition to censuring
Bahrain for its breach of agreement, Pelly negotiated with Qatari sheikhs who were
represented by Mohammed bin Thani.[76] The negotiations were the first stage in the
development of Qatar as a sheikhdom.[77]