The Origin of Kuwait

The importance of the Arabian Gulf and Kuwait in history or in the international relations and international trade in particular stretches back to the old distant ages. The present land of Kuwait was located within the Arabian middle lands of the State of Kendah which emerged during the period from the third to the fifth century A.D.

The archeological excavation commenced by the effort of the Danish mission in Failaka Island in 1958, proved that an ancient historical civilization existed in Kuwait. The present land of the Sate of Kuwait is connected in the west to the Arabian Peninsula which is an inseparable part of it. Also from the sea side, it forms as a part of the Arabian Gulf Coast. On that basis, the ancient and middle history was firmly related to the Arabia Peninsula, its residents and the Gulf area.

How Historians reveal Kuwait ?

Historians mentioned that the Macedonian Alexander (the Great), the great Greek conqueror and leader, when invaded the east and discovered a sea way between Al-Sind River and Shatt Alarab through the gulf in 326 BC. he stayed with some of his soldiers in Failaka and discovered in the Island "Ikariues" stone, where Greeks wrote on it, along with other many antiques. It is a historical proof that certifies the emergence of an old civilization in Kuwait that was contemporary to the ancient eastern civilizations.

One of the historians stated that, the land of Kuwait witnessed a day of the war between Al-Harith bin Amro bin Hajr Al-Kindi and the King of Al-Munathira, Al-Munthir bin Maa Al-Samaa Al-Lakhmi who defeated Al-Hareth at Wara Island in the pre-Islamic époque.

In addition, the coasts of the Gulf witnessed the first clash in the onset of Islam between the Persians and the Muslims during the period of Caliphate Abu Baker Al-Sideeq in 12 AH., 633 AD. in Kadhima (That Al-Salasil) which was known later as Kuwait.

At the end of the 9th century to the end of 11th Century AD., the region of Kuwait was integrated with a great part of Arabian Peninsula within the strong State of Al-Karamitah which threatened the Abassied Caliphate in Baghdad. After the collapse of that State, which many historians described as "the first socialist state in the history", a group of local and tribal emirates emerged and continued to the end of the 15th Century. The port of Kazdhema on the coast of Kuwait served as the nautical gate to the east side of Arabian Peninsula during that period.

Kuwait's emergence as an independent political entity dates back more than 380 years ago, to 1613. This has been established by new research initiated by the Kuwaiti government after the liberation of the country from the Iraqi invasion. According to Dr Abdallah Al-Ghoneim, the President of the Centre for Kuwaiti Research and Studies the new research proves that Kuwait existed as early as 1613 and not 1752 as formerly believed.

This was substantiated by other evidence also. In a letter found in the British archives, addressed by Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah in 1913 to the British Political Resident, the former says "Kuwait is a land of the poor in which our grandfather Al-Sabah dwelled in 1613." Evidence also includes a letter sent by Oman's Imam Naser Bin Murshed in the 1730s to the Kuwaiti government, appealing for help against the Portuguese. Kuwait had then sent two ships loaded with weapons and ammunition.