Tahqiqāt-e Tārikh-e Ejtemā’i (Social History Studies)

Britain and the Abolition of The Slave Trade in the Persian Gulf: Policies, Achievements, and Challenges(Based on British Documents and Narratives)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Jamshid noroozi 1
Masoumeh Hanifeh 2

1 Associate professor , Al zahra University, Tehran, Iran(corresponding Author)

2 Department of History, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.30465/shc.2026.54726.2700
Abstract
In the 19th century, slave trade was one of the principal spheres of Britain’s political and military intervention in Persian Gulf. The Act of Slavery Abolition in Britain provided the foundation for anti-slavery policies in the region. Influenced by Europe’s socio-political transformations, Britain sought to expand its maritime influence in Persian Gulf and control the routes used for African slave trade. British officials established specific administrative mechanisms and supervised the slave trade in Persian Gulf. Drawing on historical analysis, documentary evidence, and British perspective, this study addresses the following question: “What policies and mechanisms did Britain pursue to combat slave trade in Persian Gulf, and how did this approach contribute to suppression of the trade, punishment of brokers, and improvement of slave’s living conditions?” The findings show that Britain employed a range of measures, including treaties with rulers of the Arab coasts, direct naval intervention, blockades, confiscation of slave-carrying vessels, regulatory controls, and negotiations with Iranian government to suppress the trade. These measures constituted the principal mechanism through with Britain pursued abolition. Their implementation transformed patters of employment and labor organization, reduced reliance on slave trade, and marked the beginning of a new phase of economic activity in the Persian Gulf.

Keywords

Abolition of Slavery
Britain
Emancipation
Persian Gulf
Slave Trade
Subjects
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Documents:
Qatar Digital Library and Archive, Document Reference Number:
IOR/L/PS/20/C246
IOR/L/PS/10/457
IOR/L/PS/10/675
IOR/R/15/1/226
IOR/L/PS/12/4099
IOR/R/15/2/603
IOR/R/15/732
IOR/R/15/6/4
 
Mss Eur F126/48,ff1-9
IOR/R/15/1/217
IOR/F/4/2614
 
 

  • Receive Date 28 March 2026
  • Revise Date 22 June 2026
  • Accept Date 30 June 2026

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