Jaber I Al-Sabah

Sheikh Jaber bin Abdullah (Arabic: جابر بن عبد الله‎; Jaber I or Jaber Al-Aish; 1770 – 1859) was the third ruler of Kuwait, governing from 1814 to 1859. He was the eldest son of Abdullah bin Sabah who he succeeded upon Sheikh Abdullah's death.

Jaber bin Abdullah
3rd Ruler of Kuwait
Reign	3 May 1814 – 1859
Predecessor	Abdullah I Al-Sabah
Successor	Sabah II Al-Sabah
Born	1770 Sheikhdom of Kuwait
Died	1859 (aged 88–89)
Spouse	a daughter of Sheikh Sultan bin Sabah Al-Sabah
Father	Abdullah I Al-Sabah

Reign

In his foreign policy, Jaber was aligned with the Ottoman Empire and opposed to the British. He assisted the Ottoman government in fighting against the Banu Ka'b for control of Basra and Khorramshahr, and rebuffed British attempts to make Kuwait a British protectorate. In 1822, he negotiated an agreement with Ibrahim Pasha that allowed Egyptian ships and caravans to pass through Kuwaiti territory. He sheltered a number of political refugees during his reign, most notably Khalid bin Saud Al Saud from Najd, who fled from his cousin Abdullah bin Thaniayn Al Saud.

In 1841, he tempered his initial opposition to the British by signing a treaty with them. The treaty focused on freedom of navigation and opposition to the slave trade. In 1844, he fought off an invasion of Kuwait led by Bandar al-Sa'doun, after which he extended the Wall of Kuwait.

Nicknamed Jaber Al-Aish, Bin Abdullah was said to have generously given rice and bread to the poor.

He was succeeded by his eldest son Sabah II Al-Sabah.

References