UK recognized the independence of Ibn Saud and sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hejaz & Nejd
The 1927 Treaty of Jeddah granted British recognition of Ibn Saud's sovereignty, laying the diplomatic foundation for the later Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 20 May 1927
- UK signatory
- Sir Gilbert Clayton
- Hejaz & Nejd signatory
- Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz
- Africans freed under Article 7
- 263 (1926–1938)
- Superseded treaty
- Treaty of Darin (1915)
- Regions later unified
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1932
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following Ibn Saud's consolidation of power over the Arabian Peninsula, the United Kingdom sought a formal diplomatic arrangement to stabilize relations, protect its neighboring protectorates from Saudi raids, and replace the earlier 1915 Treaty of Darin, which had subordinated Ibn Saud's territory to British suzerainty.
On 20 May 1927, Sir Gilbert Clayton and Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz signed the Treaty of Jeddah, by which Britain formally recognized Ibn Saud's independence and full sovereignty over the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd. The treaty also obligated Ibn Saud to cease attacks on British protectorates and to cooperate with Britain in suppressing the Red Sea slave trade.
The treaty established the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd as a fully recognized sovereign state on the international stage. The two regions were subsequently unified into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. Article 7's anti-slavery provisions led to the manumission of 263 enslaved Africans between 1926 and 1938, and the treaty remained operative, with modifications, until at least 1943.
Political Outcome
Britain recognized Ibn Saud's full independence and sovereignty over the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd; Ibn Saud agreed to halt raids on British protectorates and cooperate against the slave trade.
Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd under partial British suzerainty per the 1915 Treaty of Darin
Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd recognized as a fully independent and sovereign state by the United Kingdom