Bani Khalid

Bani Khalid (Arabic: بني خالد‎‎) is an Arab tribal confederation. The tribe ruled the southern region of Iraq and eastern Saudi Arabia (al-Hasa and al-Qatif) from the 15th century to the 18th century, and again under the auspices of the Ottoman Empire during the early 19th century. At its greatest extent, the domain of Bani Khalid extended from Iraq in the north to the borders of Oman in the South, and wielded political influence by ruling the region of Nejd in central Arabia. Most of the tribe's members presently reside in eastern and central Saudi Arabia, while others live in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Palestine, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. The Bani Khalid are mostly all Shia Muslims.

The main branches of the tribe are the Al Humaid, the Juboor, the Du'um, the Al Janah, the Grusha, the Al Musallam, the 'Amayer, the Al Subaih and the Mahashir & Nahood. The chieftainship of the Bani Khalid has traditionally been held by the clan of Al Humaid. The Bani Khalid dominated the deserts surrounding the Al-Hasa and Al-Qatif during the 15th and 18th century. Under Barrak ibn Ghurayr of the Al Humaid, the Bani Khalid were able to expel Ottoman forces from the cities and towns in 1670 and proclaim their rule over the region. Ibn Ghurayr made his capital in Al-Mubarraz, where remnants of his castle stand today. According to Arabian folklore, one chief of the Bani Khalid attempted to protect the prized desert bustard (Habari) from extinction by prohibiting the bedouin in his realm from poaching the bird's eggs, earning the tribe the appellation of "protectors of the eggs of the Habari", an allusion to the chief's absolute supremacy over his realm. The first chieftain of the "Khawalid" was Haddori.

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