Following the increasing British involvement in Bahrain's domestic affairs, and the issuing of an Order in Council for Bahrain (which took effect in 1919), a series of reforms was introduced. These were to be implemented over the course of several years, and included terminating the feudal regimen, deposing Shaykh ‘Isa bin ‘Ali and instead empowering his recognised heir apparent, Shaykh Hamad. To eliminate the discontent within the ruling tribe, attempts were made to appease and to fund the Al Khalifa members. This chapter tries to answer the questions of how the country moved from total political chaos and social dissent to a form of simple and effective government and peaceful coexistence, as well as the way the Al Khalifa shifted from their primordial open disputes to consensus over rulership and successorship. The answers may help understand the changing aspects of accession and the established customary procedures that continue until today, and provide a useful explanation of the current nature of relationships between the Al Khalifa and other societal groups.

Incentives to Appease Ruling Shaykhs

In the view of Clive Daly, the Political Agent, the reforms were intended to tackle much more than the surface issues as well as to rectify difficulties beyond simply establishing a new administration and issuing contemporary laws; the mission was to remedy the disorder – not just the symptoms. This section discusses the radical transformation that drove the ruling tribe out of public affairs, even though it was then reinstated in the state authorities (both governmental and judicial), albeit with a smaller ruling party. Many measures were taken by Major Daly and Shaykh Hamad to appease the expanded tribe and to find other sources of income to keep its members at a satisfactory financial level that would restrain them from agitating. Two major measures were taken to mollify Al Khalifa members: the Civil List and the allotment of properties. A Buoyant Civil List

A key reason for the development of the lawless state of affairs in Bahrain that had prevailed was the unrestrained expansion of the ruling tribe during the 1870s–1880s, which had led the ruler to find ways to satisfy all its members and maintain their tranquillity, markedly after the death of the co-ruler Ahmad bin ‘Ali (see Chapter 5).