Aš-Šāriqa

Sharjah lies on the sandy Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf. A coastal settlement with access to pearl banks, it also served as a place where goods arriving by sea could be exchanged with people of the desert. The town came under the authority of the Qawasim, whose ports and fleets made them a significant power in the lower Gulf.

Conflict between British ships and the Qawasim culminated in a British expedition in 1819. After destroying Ras al-Khaimah, the expedition attacked other ports, including Sharjah, where fortifications and larger vessels were destroyed. The following year Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah, signed the General Maritime Treaty with Britain along with other coastal sheikhs. The treaty called for an end to plunder at sea and required vessels to carry identifying documents. Sultan's association with Sharjah and the movement of supporting families to the town helped it grow after the destruction of the principal Qasimi port.