Kuwait / History / Independence under British protection

To counter growing Turkish ambitions, Sheikh Mubarak the Great (1896-1915) signed a treaty with Britain in 1899 which defined Kuwait as : "An independent Country Under British Protection".

Britain promised to protect Sheikh Mubarak and his heirs, and in turn the latter agreed to conclude no treaties with other powers, to admit no foreign agents and to cede no part of Kuwait's territory without British consent.

Though Sheikh Mubarak increased taxes, thus making himself unpopular with local merchants, the country benefited greatly from his rule. Hundreds arrived to settle in Kuwait, attracted by its orderly administration and increasing commercial activity.

But trade declined sharply in Kuwait from the 1920's onwards due to the World Wide Recession, Kuwait's reduced importance as a major link in 20th century international trade routes and because of hostilities from the Ikhwan tribesmen from the interior of Arabia, who were only finally defeated in 1930.

Kuwait's pearling industry, which once boasted 800 pearling ships, almost dissappeared with the introduction of Japanese cultured pearls and the worldwide fall in demand for luxury goods following the Wall Street Crash of 1929.