Italian Archives, the Gulf and Eastern Arabia between the 13th and the 16th centuries AD: new tribal aggregations

This article outlines the rise of the Sāhil ‘Umān al-Shamāli - the cradle of present day United Arab Emirates - within a mercantile maritime order, during the 13th-16th centuries AD. It is based on contemporary sources in Arabic and Persian, integrated – when possible – with archaeological evidence. Records from archival funds of the major Italian city-states of the time complement these sources, providing a vivid fresco of the new era which was already into the making after the fall of Constantinople (1453). The article is structured among certain thematic issues, following a chronological sequence. As a result, it has been possible to witness a more assertive role by some Arab tribal groups, who had gained a certain autonomy following the disruption of the traditional regional order. The Bani Jabr from Najd emerge as protagonists at the dawn of a new era by the seventies of the 15th century: Arabian harbours and markets expanded and grew in power and wealth. Accounts by Italian travellers, merchants and emissaries describe this world and its way of life. The article exemplifies how Italian Archives can perfectly complement Arabic and Persian sources with reference to the 13th-16th centuries AD, providing us with some new valuable clues to the re-reading of the history of Eastern Arabian at that time.