Sahood Fort: A Defensive Stronghold in Al Mubarraz, Saudi Arabia
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.1
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Primary era
- Medieval
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Modern
- Civilizations
- Saudi
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Fort
On this page12 sections
History
Sahood Fort is a defensive mud-brick fort outside Al Mubarraz in Saudi Arabia, built to protect the city and its principal agricultural region from Bedouin raids. Its original builder is unknown, and its foundation is variously placed in the late seventh century of the Hijri calendar or in the second decade of the thirteenth century, when Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Muhammad ruled the early Saudi state.
The Bani Khalid and Al-Ahsa
The Bani Khalid, a major tribal and political power in eastern Arabia, were reportedly the fort’s first occupants. They settled in Al Mubarraz and made it the capital of Al-Ahsa under their prince Barak, who expelled the Turks from the region in 1082 of the Hijri calendar. The fort also guarded seasonal Bedouin camps near the city.
Most of the fighting between the Saudi state and the Bani Khalid occurred between 1762 and 1793. The first Saudi attack on Al-Ahsa came in 1762. The campaign of 1793, known as the Siege of Al Mubarraz, removed the Bani Khalid leaders from Al-Ahsa and returned Al Hofuf to Saudi control. Sahood Fort then became important in defending the northern approaches to the new capital.
The Ottoman Sieges
The first Ottoman attack on the Saudi state was launched from the Baghdad region in 1799. Known as the Siege of Al Mubarraz or the Siege of Sahood, it brought an Ottoman force many times larger than the fewer than 100 Saudi soldiers defending the fort. The defenders held out for two months. They endured artillery and musket fire for about a month and blocked tunnels dug beneath the walls.
After the attackers constructed a tower from which they could fire into the fort, the defenders raised barricades made from palm trunks. The Ottoman army eventually withdrew to Iraq, but the fort had suffered severe damage and was almost entirely rebuilt.
Ottoman Rule and the Return of Saudi Authority
When the Ottoman Empire, the imperial state that contested control of Al-Ahsa with the Saudi state, took the region for a second time in 1871, Al Mubarraz was subordinated to Al Hofuf. Sahood Fort was converted into a police center and held a small garrison of six soldiers.
Fighting between Al Mubarraz and Ottoman forces in Al Hofuf during 1905–1907 increased the fort’s military importance. During disturbances in Al Mubarraz in 1905, a small group of local Bedouins besieged the fort for one day before abandoning the attempt. The restoration of Saudi rule in Al-Ahsa in 1913 brought only minor changes. Although the fort initially held a relatively large military garrison, descriptions of fighting with the Ajman, a Bedouin tribe of the Arabian Peninsula, in 1915 do not mention such a garrison.
Decline as a Military Position
Peace in the following decades reduced the fort’s defensive importance. In 1950 it had only a very small garrison and was being used as military barracks. Later modernization of the Saudi armed forces made it unsuitable for that role, and the fort was left vacant.
Remains
Sahood Fort is a mud-brick enclosure with externally plastered towers. Its walls were constructed in separate inner and outer levels, joined by palm-trunk timbers. Stone and mud filled the space between them, creating additional defensive depth. Openings in the walls were large enough for cannon muzzles, while a deep ditch outside the enclosure made an assault more difficult.
Walls, Towers, and Entrance
Defensive Walls and Towers
The towers connect directly with the walls and served both defense and surveillance. Each tower has two levels, with access to the upper level from inside the fort. The mud-plastered surfaces and the layered wall construction reflect the fort’s defensive design.
Western Entrance
The main entrance stands on the western side facing the Al Hazm suburb. Its passage changes direction in a bent-entry arrangement, preventing a direct line through the gate. A rectangular observation room rises above the entrance, with access to rooms used by soldiers.
Interior Buildings
Storehouse and Well
A storehouse lies southeast of the main entrance. A well beside the fort supplied its water needs, and a council room occupies the southeastern corner next to it. A square room stands north of the entrance.
Prayer and Service Areas
The fort contains a rectangular mosque with a mihrab, the prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca, and a minbar, the raised pulpit used for the Friday sermon. Five columns support four arches. Stables occupy the northwestern corner, while bathrooms run alongside the northern wall.
