What is happening in Arabia in 1837CE
In 1806 the Wahhabi movement, headed by the Saud family, captured Mecca. This prompted Muhammed Ali, the Ottoman viceroy of Egypt, to invade the Arabian peninsula in strength. He recaptured Mecca, drove the Wahhabis back into the desert, captured their capital of Riyadh, and executed the Saudi leader. In 1824, however, another Saudi leader recaptured Riyadh and founded a new Wahhabi kingdom.
The British naval ships have clashed increasingly with Arab pirates in the Gulf. To combat this nuisance, and also to promote their commercial interests, the British extended their influence along the Gulf coast by signing treaties with the ruling sheiks, including Bahrain in 1820 and the Qawasim emirs in 1835. Meanwhile, Oman, now united and stable under its Sa’id sultans, has reasserted its control over its East African dependencies, as far south as Zanzibar.
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