Kuwait was known as "Al-Kout" (the Fort) from the middle of the eleventh century of the Islamic era when the Amir Muhammad Ibn 'Aray'ar of the Bani Khalid tribe built a small fort which the herdsmen of the tribe used as a shelter. It was a store for provisions and ammunition and had a garrison. The word Kout means a fortified castle. Kuwait also became known by another name, Grane (Qurain), which was mentioned in records of Portuguese, Dutch and English sailors and explorers of the region. It became known by this name since the late eighteenth century after an older name for Kuwait, namely "Kazima", began to lose its importance as a harbor by which the region had been known in previous centuries. The first map in which the name of Grane was mentioned was was that of Van Keulen which was printed in Amsterdam in 1753. Then this name began to disappear with the close of the nineteenth century. Lorimer, in his guide book of the Gulf, attributes this name to the small barren island of Jurain in the Bay of Kuwait, whereas John Kelly attributes it to the diminutive of the word Qarn or horn, which is the shape of the Creek of Kuwait itself.

Sheikh Jaber al Ahmad al Sabbah Prince of Kuwait during a press
conference while he was in charge of the Ministry of Finance

          English and Arab reports have mentioned similar descriptions of Kuwait, as a seaport lying on the western coast of the Gulf near to its northern end, ruled by Arab tribes. It was ruled by the Iyad tribe, who are regarded as the first who migrated to the land of Kuwait, and chose the town of Kazima, close to the northern coast of the Gulf a few miles from Jahra, as their home. Kazima was the site of the famous battle of Dhat Al-Salasil, which was fought by the Muslim Arabs under the command of Khalid Ibn Al-Walid against the Persians commanded by Hormuz in 630 AD.

Late Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabbah al Salem al Sabbah during
the graduation ceremony of a military troop

          The Persian soldiers chained themselves together in groups so that they would not flee from the battlefield. Hence the battle came to be known by the Arabic word Salasil which means chains. This marked the fall of the Sasanid Empire and the Arab occupation of Persia. When Kuwait became a small colony protected by a small castle known as a Kuwait or small Kout, its inhabitants were from the 'Utub, whose tribe was formed of three main branches: the Jalahima, Al Khalifa and Al Sabah. Kuwait was probably founded at the beginning of the eighteenth century or shortly before that, when Arab tribes migrated to its region. In the middle of the eighteenth century itg became a trading town with more than 20,000 inhabitants working on more than 800 boats. History relates a story that the Portuguese came to its coasts in the sixteenth century, but without mentioning its name at that time. However it is confirmed historically that the British attempted to bring it under their protectorate in 1805, but they did not succeed in defending or protecting it at that time. History relates that the Ottomans sought the help of the Ruler of Kuwait Shaikh Jaber I to regain Basra and put down the civil disorder that was going on there.

          Shaikh Jaber did not disappoint their hopes and rose to their aid, and so he gained prestige among Arab rulers. This brought renewed Ottoman and British interest in Kuwait once again in 1820. The English tried to persuade Shaikh Abdullah Ibn Sabah I to conclude a treaty with Britain to protect Kuwait, but he did not respond to them. Kuwait continued to co-operate with the Turks, who sought its help in 1871 to conquer Qatif and Al-Ihsa and suppress the revolts which were going on there. The Ruler of Kuwait at that time Shaikh Abdullah II equipped a fleet of ships and a land army, came to the help of the Turks and the battles resulted in a clear victory.

Sheikh Jaber al Ahmad al Sabbah Prince of kuwait and Crown
Prince Sheikh Saad al Abdullah al Salem al Sabbah in an honorary guards parade

          Towards the end of the nineteenth century relations between Kuwait and the Turks became clouded by the latter granting the Germans a concession to build a railway from Berlin to Iraq that would end in Kuwait. This worried the English who began to place obstacles in the way of this dangerous project. Kuwait responded to the English and stood in the way of Turkish influence after Turkish ill intentions became clear to Shaikh Mubarak. As a reward for this the British made Kuwait a protectorate independent in its internal affairs as from 23 January 1899. In 1901 war broke out between Shaikh Mubarak and Al Rashid.

Late Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabbah al Salem al Sabbah with the present Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber al Ahmad al Sabbah

          Shaikh Mubarak's astuteness and wisdom helped the Emirate of Kuwait to remain independent. He was helped in this by the courage of the Amirs around him and their and their wholehearted defense in resisting those with designs on Kuwait. With Kuwait's rejection of Turkish blackmail, Turkey was compelled in 1913 to recognize the treaties and agreements which had been concluded between Britain and Kuwait, on the basis that Kuwait was an independent country in its internal affairs. In 1913 the first map of Kuwait was drawn as an official document. In 1924, in the reign of Shaikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah the first Kuwaiti flag was raised, which was white with the word Kuwait written on it. In the reign of the late Shaikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the flag was adopted in its present form with its four colors, and it flew above Kuwait for the first time on Wednesday 7 September 1961.