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The Fort by the Falaj

By Dr Patricia Groves

The Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum is housed in Bait Al Falaj. This fort is considered to be a prototype of the stronghold palace built built as a square quadrangle on a north-east and south-west diametrical axis, finished with a tower at each end
Fresh spring water from high in the nearby hills, channelled along the falaj which has given the fort its distinctive name, still flows through the gardens of Bait Al Falaj under the shade of palm and acacia trees.

Bait Al Falaj, the House of the Water Channel, lies strategically on the gravel plains of Ruwi, where, flanked by tall mountains, it once stood guard over the strategic routes leading from the Interior of Oman to the great harbours of Muttrah and Muscat.

More than one decisive battle took place on the plains of Wadi Kabir close to the place where Bait Al Falaj Fort now stands — the last being the Battle of Bait Al Falaj, which was fought in 1915.
Today, the former battlefield is a peaceful place containing a museum, the Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum, where the public can discover the military history of the nation and examine its rich heritage through a selection of displays and artefacts. The fort, Beau Geste-like in its simple but solid construction, is built as a square quadrangle on a north-east and south-west diametrical axis, finished with a tower at each end. Bait Al Falaj is considered to be a prototype of the stronghold palace built according to this architectural format. For its primary function as a fort, Bait Al Falaj was well armoured with several cannon platforms and a multitude of gunslits in its formidable walls.

It is believed that successive forts have been erected on this site since ancient times. The first to be mentioned historically is said to have been built on the remnants of an ancient Arab fort that stood there before the advent of the Ya’ruba Dynasty. The present structure was built in 1845 as a fortified palace by the illustrious Sultan Said bin Sultan to be used as his out of town summer residence. The importance of the Bait Al Falaj Fort to Sultan Said bin Sultan and to subsequent rulers of Oman is evidenced in the splendid interior decoration. Over time, the house was finished in traditional Omani decorative style with elaborate plasterwork, finely painted wooden ceilings, intricately carved doors and latticed windows surrounding a cool inner courtyard.

“During the Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries, the fort not only witnessed the great events and their impact on the country’s political, social and economic situation, but also asserted itself on the domestic affairs of Oman”. Guide Book of the SAF Museum The Fort we see today has a distinguished history. As well as bring Sultan Said bin Sultan’s seasonal royal residence, Bait al Falaj served as the garrison headquarters for the forces of Sultan Faisal bin Turki from 1888 to 1913. In 1921 the Fort was chosen as the Headquarters of the Muscat Levy Corps, the first formed military unit of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF); and, by 1957 it had become the permanent Headquarters of SAF who remained in occupation until the construction of Muaskar Al Murtafa’a camp near Seeb.

In 1978, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said issued his gracious order that Bait Al Falaj Fort was to transfer from SAF Headquarters; and, to be fully renovated to house the Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum. Along with the renovations began the work of establishing the collections for the numerous displays of equipment, weapons and artefacts that document the history of Oman from a military perspective. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos graciously inaugurated the Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum on 11 December 1988. We are most pleased to publish this article on the 15th Anniversary of the Museum.

Visitors to the museum proceed through the gatehouse where they are greeted by exceptionally courteous military staff in uniform, who act as both guardians and guides, delighted to share their knowledge and experience. They lead the visitor through an immaculate garden to the august doors of the great white fort, wherein lies a series of rooms sequentially illustrating Oman’s military history. The large central courtyard houses a deep well fed by the falaj which can be seen flowing just outside the building. On the grounds behind the fort is a remarkably realistic complex showing life in a modern military command post and field hospital. Nearby is an impressive array of decommissioned military hardware, including aircraft, armoured personnel carriers, several army tanks, a fast patrol boat and an armoured dhow.

Back inside the Museum, the earliest recorded military history of Oman is explained as follows: “According to Omani records, the military history of the country goes back to the 6th Century AD, when Malik bin Fahm Al Azdi mustered and led an army of six thousand men to drive the Persians from the land. Fighting between the two forces had extended over a period lasting more than a thousand years and was finally terminated by a treaty between the Omanis and the Sassanid King Khusrou Anushirwan. Under the terms of the treaty, the Persians agreed to withdraw from the whole western region within one year and to withdraw in the east to Sohar”. (Guide Book of the SAF Museum)

On the guided tour of the Museum, we were told that it is believed that the Persians had a force many times that of the 6,000 Omanis, who nevertheless won by superior tactics. The Omani forces refused to be intimidated in the face of battle led by a horde of charging elephants, heralding the serried ranks of the Persian troops. Instead, Malik Bin Fahm’s men stood fast and shot arrows strategically into the great wall of war elephants, injuring them in the eyes, so that the frightened, blinded animals stampeded and trampled the mighty Persian army. The museum features an Omani sword and shield used during this battle.

Another legendary story is that of the rescue of Basra from the Persians. Persian forces had arrived at Basra early in 1756, and mounted a blockade on the city. For more than a year, Persian gunboats pounded Basra with cannon fire. The commander of the Basra garrison felt that he could not hold out much longer, and Baghdad was powerless to send supplies and weapons to the besieged city. The Arab tribes in Basra appealed to the ruler of Oman, lmam Ahmed bin Said, founder of the great Al Busaidi dynasty, who sent a sizable fleet of ships to Basra.

When the Omani ships reached the Shatt AI Arab waterway at the mouth of the mighty Euphrates, they encountered an iron chain across the river. The Omani fleet, temporarily halted, found a safe haven to consider their options. With the assistance of local intelligence they conceived of a possible way to break the barricade at a suspected weak point. On the next day, they boldly broke through the great iron chain and sailed up the river to liberate Basra from the Persians. In the first series of display rooms, the important battles of Oman’s earlier history are put in the context of the times, illustrated with both pictures and artefacts.

Due attention is paid to Oman’s dynastic history and to the golden age of the Omani overseas empire, stretching down the east coast of Africa to beyond Zanzibar, including the development of the Omani dhow fleet that served it, particularly in the first half of the 19th Century. This leads into the evolution of the present day armed forces presented in displays that illustrate the more recent campaigns and show fine examples of the military hardware used in those times. The final sections of the museum are given over to each of the three armed services and the Royal Guard, with models, pictures and equipment to bring the work of Oman’s Armed Forces vividly before the public.

In the exhibits depicting the present day, we are reminded that the Sultan’s Armed Forces have a dual role. They defend the country and at the same time play a role in its development and operation. They ‘transport people, building materials and produce to and from remote regions, supplying water, and providing services that would otherwise be lacking to people who live in remote mountainous and desert areas. The Sultan’s Armed Forces provide assistance and social care to isolated families. They maintain falajs and build wells; they offer academic and technical educational services, as well as field medical services to units throughout the country and specialised hospital care at Al Khoud’. The Sultan’s Armed forces are a fundamental pillar in human resource development for the country.

It would take more than a day to absorb the tremendous amount of information presented in the museum, but the visitor can choose from a number of rooms and displays according to time and preference. In the boxes accompanying this article are descriptions of the contents of some of the major display rooms. A visit to the Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum is thoroughly worthwhile, not only for those specifically interested in Military History, but also for anyone who wishes to gain a general understanding of the development of Oman over the past millennium.

Oman Observer, 11th December 2003