KUWAIT HISTORY- ROOTS OF THE NATION

The roots of the nation

This was established by new studies by the Kuwaiti government, after being liberated from Iraqi occupation. Dr Abdullah Al-Ghonheim, president of the Center for Kuwaiti Studies and Studies, said new studies have proven that Kuwait has existed since 1613, and not since 1752, as previously supposed.

Dr Al-Ghonheim stated that other facts prove this. In a letter found in the British archives and addressed to British political resident Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah in 1913, the latter reported, “Kuwait is the land of the poor, in which our grandfather Al-Sabah lived in 1613.” Other evidence also includes a letter sent by the Omani imam Nasser Bin Murshed in 1730 to the Kuwaiti government asking for help against Portugal. Kuwait sent two ships loaded with weapons and ammunition. 

In the 17th century, the rulers of eastern Arabia were Bani Khalid, and their possessions extended from Kuwait to Qatar. Around 1672, Barraq Bin Guraif, Emir Bani Khalid, built a kut (a small fortress-shaped house not far from the water) in Kureyn, a small fishing community. Perhaps it was in one of the districts of the current city of Kuwait, known as Wattie.

In the 17th century, utubi, the union of Arab tribal communities, was supplanted by drought from Al-Aflaj to central Arabia. In Qatar, they studied navigation, and then scattered across various Arabian bays, after which they came to Kuwait at the beginning of the 18th century. They were founded here under the suzerainty of Bani Khalid. 

In 1722, under the rule of Bani, Khalid Utuba tried to achieve some independence in Kuwait. After 1752, the ongoing internal disputes between Bani Khalid and the revolt of the Wahhabis, their hated enemies in central Arabia, gave Utubs de facto independence. Around 1756, they elected Sabah Bin Jaber as the Emir of Kuwait, entrusting him with justice and the affairs of the city. 

 As the regional influence of Bani Khalid was weakening, the lack of patronage created a strong need for a local authority. From the time of his departure from Al-Aflaj Utuba from nomads turned into settlers, and Al-Sabah the First was elected by other families as their leader. 

 The fifth son of His Highness Emir Sheikh Sabah I Bin Jaber, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Al-Sabah was elected the heir of his father. Under his stable leadership, Kuwait has developed into a prosperous and influential independent state. In the second half of the 18th and early 19th century, Kuwait became the main port for many international trade routes. 

 Pearls were Kuwait's only natural resource; hundreds of pearl ships, such as sambucas, were built every year. Shipbuilding using imported materials has become an important industry. In winter, large merchant single-mast vessels set sail for India to return with goods (and mail), which were loaded onto deserted caravans travelling to the Mediterranean. Caravans from southern and eastern Arabia also passed through Kuwait along the road to Syria. Kuwaiti markets were full of Bedouins offering their goods and services or buying imported goods for resale domestically. 

 His Highness Emir, Sheikh Jaber I Al-Sabah (1812-1859) ruled, guided by the advice of Kuwaiti merchants and maintained good relations with all the influential forces of that time. However, despite the fact that Kuwait flourished throughout the 19th century, its independence was in danger from regional and European forces. 

 To counter the increased Turkish ambitions, His Highness Emir, Sheikh Mubarak (1896-1915) signed agreements with the influential world powers of that time. The country reached the peak of prosperity under the reign of His Highness Sheikh Mubarak. Hundreds of people arrived in Kuwait to settle here forever, attracted by the order in its management and increased commercial activity. 

 But since the 1920s, trade-in Kuwait has declined sharply due to the global crisis, the decline in the role of Kuwait as the main link in international trade routes and because of the hostilities of Ikhvanov, members of the clan inside Arabia, who were finally defeated only in 1930. The Kuwaiti pearl industry, which was once proud of 800 pearl ships, almost disappeared after the introduction of pearl cultivation by the Japanese and the fall in global demand for luxury goods following the collapse of Wall Street in 1929. However, in the 1950s and 1960s. Kuwait has evolved from a small emirate to a modern state of international importance thanks to the oil boom.

Some important dates

BC 600: Greek settlement on Al-Hazan hill in the area of ​​Failaka island with 300: Greeks lived on Failaka island for two centuries

AD: 
1613: Kuwait emerges as an independent political entity.
 1623: Arabs defeat the Persians at the battle of Zat Al Salassel in the Kazima area. 
1672: The approximate date of the founding of the city of Kuwait when Barraq Bin Guraif was the emir of Bani Khalid. 
1716: Estimated date of arrival in Kuwait of the al-Sabah clan community. 
1756: Approximate date of the appointment of His Highness Sheikh Sabah I Bin Jaber (of the Al- Sabah clan) as the first ruler of Kuwait. 
1762: His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Sabah, the second ruler of Kuwait, comes to power. 1765:Karsten Niebuhr, a Danish traveller, visited Kuwait, labelling it Grain on his maps. 
1812: His Highness Sheikh Jaber I Al-Sabah takes power. 
1859: His Highness Sheikh Sabah II Al-Sabah comes to power. 
1866: His Highness Sheikh Abdullah II Al-Sabah takes power. 
1886: During the reign of Sheikh Abdullah II, the first Kuwaiti currency was minted in the form of copper coins. 
1892: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed I Al-Sabah takes power. 
1896: His Highness Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah takes power. 
1915:His Highness Sheikh Jaber II Al-Sabah comes to power. 
1917: His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah takes power. 
1921: His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah comes to power. 
1922: The number of Kuwaiti pearl ships, equipped with over 10,000 sailors and pearl seekers, reached 800. 
1927: Kuwait's first airport was built. In 
1928, the first plane landed on its territory. 
1942: The first bank in Kuwait was opened. 
1945: Kuwait House was established in Egypt, fulfilling a Kuwaiti mission and protecting Kuwait’s interests. 
1946: On June 30, the first ship with crude oil was exported. 
1947: The first press in Kuwait was founded. 
1948: Kazima Magazine, the first Kuwaiti magazine published and published in Kuwait. 
1950: February 25, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah comes to power.
 1951: May 12, Radio Kuwait first aired. 
1952: The first Kuwait Master Plan was developed. 
1961:On April 11, the Kuwaiti dinar becomes the official currency of Kuwait, replacing the Indian rupee. On June 19, the agreement concluded on January 23, 1899, between Kuwait and the United Kingdom was terminated. July 20, Kuwait becomes a member of the Arab League.on September 7, a new Kuwait flag was deployed in all government departments and institutions. 
1962: The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development was founded on December 31. On January   20, the elected Legislative Assembly was convened to draft the Kuwaiti Constitution. on November 11, the Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah ratified the first Constitution of Kuwait. 
1963:January 23, the first parliamentary elections were held. January 29, the first National Assembly was convened. May 14, Kuwait becomes a member of the UN. 
1965: in November, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah takes power. 
1966: November 27, Kuwait University was opened. 
1967: Kuwait Research Institute was founded. 
1969:On October 18, Kuwait's first ground-based satellite station was opened. 
1976: The Law on Reserves of Future Generations came out. He said that 10 per cent of government revenue would be distributed annually for future generations. 
1978: January 1, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah takes power. 
1981: May 25, Kuwait signed the Charter of the Gulf Cooperation Council Association 
1984: November 27, the fifth Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council was convened in Kuwait. 1987: From January 26 to January 29, the fifth conference of the heads of Islamic governments was held in Kuwait. 
1990:On April 22, Emir issued a decree establishing the National Council. August 2, Iraq invaded the state of Kuwait. On August 3, the Security Council condemned the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait (Resolution 660) and called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait and the return of a legitimate government. On 6 and 9 August, the  Security  Council imposed full economic and military sanctions on Iraq (Resolution 661) to force it to withdraw troops from Kuwait and declared the Iraqi decision to annex Kuwait null and void (Resolution 662). On August 25, the Security Council called for the use of force, if necessary, to force Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait (Resolution 665). On September 13, the Security Council proposed the supply of food to Iraq and Kuwait for humanitarian purposes and its distribution under the supervision of a UN committee (Resolution 666). From October 13 to 15, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the People's Conference of Kuwait was held, demonstrating to the international community the unity of the Kuwaiti people and their support for the legitimate government. 
1991:On January 15, the deadline set by the Security Council (Resolution 678) for the peaceful withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait expired at midnight. January 17 at 3 a.m. (Gulf time), the Allied forces launched Operation Desert Storm, with a massive air attack, aimed at liberating Kuwait. On February 24, at 4 a.m. (Gulf time), the Allied forces launched a ground attack to liberate Kuwait. Kuwait was released on February 26th. On February 27, at 9 a.m., the flag of free Kuwait was hoisted in the capital. March 14, Emir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah returned to his homeland after a 7-month exile. On April 3, the Security Council approved a ceasefire in the Gulf and called on Iraq to respect international borders, pay military compensation, and destroy chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. On April 20, the Emir’s Decree formed the first Cabinet after the liberation. On November 6, under the patronage of His Highness Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwait noted the quenching of the last of more than 700 oil wells set on fire by Iraqi forces. On December 23, the 12th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit was held in Kuwait. biological and nuclear weapons. On April 20, the Emir’s Decree formed the first Cabinet after the liberation. On November 6, under the patronage of His Highness Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwait noted the quenching of the last of more than 700 oil wells set on fire by Iraqi forces. On December 23, the 12th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit was held in Kuwait. biological and nuclear weapons. On April 20, the Emir’s Decree formed the first Cabinet after the liberation. On November 6, under the patronage of His Highness Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwait noted the quenching of the last of more than 700 oil wells set on fire by Iraqi forces. On December 23, the 12th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit was held in Kuwait. 
1992: October 5, the first elections to the National Assembly after the liberation were held. 
1993: July, the first woman to become president of Kuwait University, Dr Faiza Mohammed          Abdulmohsen Al-Harafi. 
1994: May-June, Kuwait participates in the Gulf Cooperation Council-European Community Summit in Riyadh. July, thanks to the help of the International Red Cross Society, a 12-year-old girl and her 10-year-old brother who disappeared during the occupation joined their family. July-August, the National Assembly granted all political rights to Kuwaiti citizens. 
1995:February, The Information and Research Department of the Kuwait News Agency selected        Kuwait diplomacy as the 1994 Legal Entity Award. 
1996: Kuwait Oil Company opened its permanent exhibition, completing restoration after the Iraqi occupation. On March 10, His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, opened the 372-meter Liberation Tower, the fifth tallest telecommunication tower in the world and the highest in the Persian Gulf. On October 28, for the first time since the Iraqi invasion, Kuwait raised the Gulf Football Cup for the eighth time. November, Kuwait University celebrated 30 years of service to the people. 
1997:April, Kuwait attends the 12th Ministerial Congress in New Delhi, India. On May 3, Studio 160, the KTV digital video studio, was founded. On May 17, the Kuwaiti Permanent Delegation to the UN launched a website. May, the National Assembly Committee on Legislative and Legal Affairs gives 18-year-old citizens the right to vote. On July 2, the National Assembly issued the first issue of its weekly newspaper Al-Dastur. On August 12, His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah discovered the giant reconstructed wooden ship Al-Muhallab, which was completely destroyed during the Iraqi occupation. December, Kuwait hosted the 18th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. On December 18, the President of the Asian Olympic Council, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, raised the eternal flame of the Games in Asia in New Delhi, India. 1998: August 29 to September 4, Kuwait attended the 12th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Durban, South Africa. On November 7, His Highness Emir, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah opened the meeting of the Advisory Council. December, Kuwait attends the 19th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. 1999: March. sessions of the National Assembly began to be broadcast live on KTV-1.