Al-Bu`si, Busi, Bo'sī,<sup>[1]</sup> (Arabic: البعسي Bu`sī), or the Bu`si Sheikhdom (Arabic: مشيخة البعسي Mashyakhat al-Bu`sī), was a small state in the British Aden Protectorate. It was one of the states of Upper Yafa.^[1]

Quick Facts Bu`si Sheikdomمشيخة البعسي, Largest city ...

Bu`si Sheikdom مشيخة البعسي
c. 18th century–1967
Largest city	Hazar-ul-Abu's
Common languages	Arabic
Religion	Islam
Government	Monarchy
Sheikh
• 1903-1954	2 rulers, names unknown
History
• Established	c. 18th century
• British protectorate	1954
• Disestablished	1967
Population
• 1917[1]	2,000
Succeeded by South Yemen
Today part of	Yemen

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Busi was established around the 18th century.^{[citation needed]}

Protectorate treaties were signed with the other states of Upper Yafa in 1903, but Busi was excluded and remained independent.^[2] Between 1903 and 1954, two different sheikhs of Busi, father and son, attempted to obtain a protectorate treaties, but Britain denied their applications on the ground that it was undesirable to multiply the number of treaty chiefs, among other reasons.^[2] Although Busi was not allowed to enter into the British protectorate, the Sheikhs were still entitled to an annual visit to Aden.^[2] The Sheikh of Busi was one of the rulers of South Arabian states attending the second Lahej conference in 1930.^[3]

In August 1954, a request for a protectorate treaty by the Sheikh of Busi was forwarded by Tom Hickinbotham, the Governor of Aden, to Alan Lennox-Boyd, the Secretary of State for the Colonies.^[2] In that year, Busi became the last of the Yemeni polities to enter into a protectorate treaty with Britain.^[4] In A History of Modern Yemen (2000), Paul Dresch notes that this treaty was virtually identical to the ones Britain had signed with Busi's neighbours 50 years earlier.^[4] Busi did not join the Federation of South Arabia in 1962, but was nominally part of the Protectorate of South Arabia.^{[5][page needed][failed verification]}

Its last sheikh was deposed in 1967 upon the founding of the People's Republic of South Yemen and the area is now part of the Republic of Yemen.^{[6][page needed][failed verification]}

The Busi country was a flat plain intersected by small valleys, the principal of which was the Wādī-ul-Ab'us.^[1] Busi was bordered by Al-Dubi in the west and Hadrami in the north.^[2] Busi had no border with the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen.^[2]

Busi was inhabited by a single tribe of the same name. In 1917, it was estimated to have a population of around 2000.^[1] The plurality of the Busi, about 900 of them, resided in the settlement of Hazar-ul-Abu's, while the rest of them were spread out over 18 other villages in the vicinity.^[1]

As of 1917, Busi had around 500 fighting men.^[1]

• Aden Protectorate
• Upper Yafa