The
beglerbegilik of Al-Hasa was established in 1552, primarily to protect
Basra's trade with India, since
the Portuguese were making raids on the coasts and on shipping in the
Persian Gulf. By March 1552, garrisons had been introduced in Lahsa, the largest town in the region. The first land survey of the newly occupied province began before September 1553. In 1669-1670, under the leadership of
Barrak ibn Ghurayr ibn Uthman, the Al-Humaid section of the Banu Khalid tribe was finally able to defeat the Ottoman garrison at al-Ahsa in battle, leaving the administration no choice but to withdraw peacefully from al-Ahsa. ==Administrative divisions==