The First Western Reports about Al-Saud and Wahhabis Attack on Karbala (1216 AH)

The invasion of Karbala by Al-Saud I government in 1216 AH /1802 AD revealed the danger of Wahhabis for Ottomans and made the West recognize this group. Following the event, several books on Wahhabis, including a description of the story, were published in Europe by orientalists and diplomats working in Muslim countries. This article is a report on the attack on Karbala according to the first Western texts written in the first half of the 19th century. A report of the event and the authors’ perspectives on the analysis of its contexts and consequences are reflected Here. Western writers provided some new information about the event, their views on the political and economic analysis of the event are also significant. The role of the Ottoman Empire’s weakness in this incident, the economic motivations of Wahhabis, and the economic and political impact of this attack on the development of Al-Saud’s power are some of these issues.