The Persian Gulf: The Rise of the Gulf Arabs

The study explores the 18th-century Persian Gulf's trade dynamics, highlighting the transition from lower to upper Gulf trade routes and the shift from the northern Persian coast to the southern Arab coast. It chronicles the decline of Dutch and British trading companies, while local rulers like the Imam of Oman and the Qavasem emerged as influential political figures. Additionally, the lack of interest from Persian and Ottoman authorities allowed the East India Company's Bombay fleet to assert naval power, foreshadowing the British Royal Navy's future role in the region.