Commercial Economics in the surrounding Lands of Oman Sea in the early Islamic Centuries (Case Study: Kerman-Makran and Oman)

Introduction

In the early centuries of Islam, the Oman Sea achieved a global position. So, the trade economy has played the most important role among surrounding lands of Oman Sea. In this period, the three districts of Kerman, Makran and Oman had active economic relations with each other. This economic boom in the early centuries of Islam, centered on the Sea of Oman, made the security of trade routes in these areas important for the rulers, including al-Buwayh. Az-Dawla's campaign to the southeast has shown the importance of these roads which are leading to the Sea of Oman. Accordingly, this study aims to show the trade economy of the lands around the Oman Sea with emphasis on the three regions of Kerman, Makran and Oman.

Methodology

This article uses library and descriptive and analytical method. Therefore, historical data on the trade status of the lands around the Oman Sea have been collected. Finally, the collected data from first-hand historical sources have been analyzed and explained based on research questions.

Discussion

In the Sassanid period, which was the last government of ancient Iran and Sassanid ruled over the lands around the Oman Sea generally and the three regions of Kerman, Makran and Oman particularly. Kerman and Makran during this period were considered important lands in the trade route of the southeast of the empire. Additionally, the land of Oman was also important due to its strategic position, which was the port and position of ships in the Indian Ocean. As the Shah of Oman had ties with the central government of Iran during the Sassanid period, especially since the Bani Azd tribe were among the tribes that cooperated with the Sassanid government. At the end of the Sassanid rule, we see insecurity in southeastern Iran that affected the trade situation and trade relations in the lands around the Oman Sea, as in the late Sassanid era, the central government was not able to deal with the insurgents. With the beginning of the conquests by the Muslim Arabs, Oman was one of the first lands to be conquered. The Muslims used this region as a naval base to occupy the regions of Iran, especially Kerman. The conquest of Makran also took place shortly after the conquest of Kerman, although it did not have wealth, as mentioned in the sources, but it accelerated trade relations with other regions, including Oman and Kerman. During this period, which coincides with the first centuries of Islam, trade relations increased significantly even compared to the Sassanid period. This factor made the Oman Sea and the surrounding lands as one of the most important commercial and commercial areas in the first centuries of Islam. There were numerous factors which played a role in this, and perhaps the same geographical conditions and climatic characteristics of these areas can be considered important. These almost identical climatic conditions, as well as the disappearance of political borders that previously hindered free trade, brought economic prosperity to the lands around the Oman Sea. Therefore, with this explanation, one of the most important periods of economic prosperity and prosperity of the Oman Sea and the surrounding lands should be considered in the first centuries of Islam. Beside these factors and despite reciprocal economic relations of those three regions during this period as well as cultural relations and migrations in these areas in the early centuries of Islam, the migrations of famous Arab tribes such as Bani Azd and Al Mahlab are also considerable. According to sources, the Mahlab family settled in Jiroft, and the Bani Azd tribe, which had a successful pre-Islamic commercial activity, settled in Kerman and Makran. The presence of these tribes caused cultural and economic relationships between them. As a result, trade relations also increased. However, the main reason for the prosperity of these areas was the special place of the Oman Sea in the early Islamic centuries. This prosperity of the sea should be seen in its ports in the first centuries of Islam. As the ports of Hormoz, Tis, Sohar in the first centuries of Islam played a pivotal role in the commercial economy of these areas. These trade relations of the ports around the Oman Sea with the Persian Gulf ports such as Siraf and Basra and their Yemeni ports led to a sea trade centered on the Oman Sea. The location of the Oman Sea along the Indian Ocean expanded the commercial range of ports around the Oman Sea and was the center of world maritime trade during this period. Although the lands around the Oman Sea flourished in terms of trade relations during this period, the factor that influenced this trade was different groups. During this period, along the land routes leading to the Sea of Oman, the Kharijites, the Qafs, the Jashkians, the Qatari and the Qarmatians, and the pirates challenged its security. The Kharijites, the Qafs and the pirates probably considered as important groups, as these three groups played an active role due to their active presence in the trade routes of the lands around the Oman Sea. The Kharijites, who were present in all three lands of Kerman, Makran and Oman, expanded their influence in other lands with the rise of power and the formation of the government in Oman. It was the insecurity of these trade routes. Although the Qafs did not have Kharijite organizations and were mostly known as local bandits, their successive wars with the rulers of Al-Buwayh show that they had a significant force that was able to secure the trade routes from Hormuz to Kerman, which is the main highway. The third group, after the Kharijites and the Qafs which played a role in the insecurity of the trade routes around the Sea of Oman, were pirates. The pirates, based on the island of Saqqara, were a significant problem for trade and trade relations at sea with the equipment at their disposal, as sources indicate their active presence on trade routes to the Oman Sea. With this description, it can be said that this research, with a descriptive and analytical approach and a library method, seeks to show the course of trade relations between the three regions of Oman, Makran and Kerman in the first centuries of Islam.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that proximity to the sea (Oman Sea and Persian Gulf), creating security and laying sea and land routes (especially during the Buwayhid period), migration of Arab tribes, trade in precious stones, trade in aromatic materials, Establishing security through the suppression of bandit groups in the trade routes of the lands around the Oman Sea has been one of the most important factors of economic prosperity in the three regions of Oman, Makran and Kerman. Also, the security of trade routes leading to the Oman Sea has been important due to the economic prosperity of these areas.