Battle of Al-Bukayriyah
The Battle of Al-Bukayriyah was fought by the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud during the unification of Qassim Province and its annexation under Saudi Rule. The battle took place between the Saudi forces led by King Abdulaziz and the forces of Abdulaziz Bin Rashid in July 1904.
Causes of the Battle of Al-Bukayriyah
The inclusion of Qassim Province under the banner of King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud provoked the anger of Abdulaziz Bin Rashid, who was then near Samawah Governorate in Iraq. He sought supplies and attempted to rally tribes in those areas to confront King Abdulaziz, in addition to seeking support from the Ottoman Empire and inciting it against him. Driven by resentment toward the people of Qassim, Bin Rashid pressured some tribes by seizing the camels of the Aqilat traders in the north of the Arabian Peninsula and used them to transport food, provisions, and weapons he had brought from Iraq to Najd.
Events of the Battle of Al-Bukayriyah
The forces of Bin Rashid moved from Iraq toward Qassim Province, accompanied by hundreds of fighters from among his followers, both settled people and Bedouins. When he arrived in Qassim, he was joined by a force led by Majid Al-Hamoud Bin Rashid, and they continued their advance until they reached Al-Qusaiba, north of Qassim Province, where Abdulrahman Bin Dhiban and his men also joined them. Bin Rashid reached Al-Shihiyah, a town neighboring Al-Bukayriyah, while King Abdulaziz closely monitored his movements and prepared for them. He called on his tribal allies, and thousands of fighters rallied to his side. King Abdulaziz set out from Buraydah to Al-Busur and then to Al-Bukayriyah, where he confronted his opponent's forces in July 1904.
The fighting began at midday and turned into a fierce battle. Bin Rashid concentrated his forces on the front where King Abdulaziz and his men were positioned, using cannon fire, and a shell fragment struck the King's left hand. Meanwhile, the people of Qassim, fighting with King Abdulaziz's army, advanced against the opposing front of Bin Rashid's forces, defeated them, and pursued them until they reached the rear guard (the back ranks) of Bin Rashid’s army. Thinking that King Abdulaziz had encircled them, the rear guard also fled before the people of Qassim.
End of the Battle of Al-Bukayriyah
The two warring sides in the Battle of Al-Bukayriyah parted with heavy losses on both sides, while most of Bin Rashid's casualties were Ottomans, which affected their morale and subsequent combat positions.
The people of Qassim returned from the battle with some Ottoman prisoners and spoils of money and weapons. King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, meanwhile, headed south until he passed Al-Mithnab before arriving in Unaizah. He sent a detachment to Al-Bukayriyah to prevent Bin Rashid from seizing it, but the detachment informed King Abdulaziz that he had already taken control of the town. King Abdulaziz then gathered a large number of fighters and led them to Al-Bukayriyah, where he once again confronted Bin Rashid's cavalry and defeated them. He then pursued Bin Rashid, who had retreated to Al-Shinanah and then to Ar-Rass.
Sources
History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Al-Saleh Al-Uthaymeen, Obeikan Library, 2005.
Historical Atlas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah). Geographic Information Systems Center, 2000.Saudi Press Agency (SPA).