1876, Saqlawi Jadran of Ibn al-Dirri stallion. According to Al Khamsa, Pharaoh was bred by al-Naddi Ibn al-Dirri of the Saba’ah tribe, purchased by Mr. James H. Skene, H.M. Consul at Aleppo, for Wilfrid and Lady Anne Blunt and imported in 1879 to England by the Blunts. By a Kuhaylan ‘Ajuz of the Qumusah section of the Saba’ah tribe out of a Saqlawiyah Jidraniyah of Ibn al-Dirri, who was by a Saqlawi Jidran of ‘Ubayd al-Bal’asi of the Ruwalah tribe.
general stud book
Pharaoh is listed in the GSB, Volume 14: “A Bay Colt, foaled in 1876, a Seglawi Obeyran of Ibn Ed Derri, purchased from Neddi Ibn Ed Derri, of the Resallin (Sebaa Anazeh), his sire, a Kuhilan Ajuz, of the Gomussa (Sebaa Anazeh), his dam’s sire a Seglawi Jedran, of Obeyd el Belasi, of the Roala. This strain of blood is considered the best now remaining to the Sebaa. Purchased by Mr. Skene, H.M. Consul at Aleppo, for Mr. Blunt.”*
crabbet stud books
“Foaled in 1876, a Seglawi Jedran of Ibn ed Derri of the Resallin tribe of Sebaa Anazeh, sire a Kehilan Ajuz of the Gomussa tribe of Sebaa. 14 hands 3 inches, girth 67 inches, below the knee 7 3/4 inches.
A dark bay stallion with black points, both hind feet white up to just below the fetlock, narrow strip of white beginning like a large star on the forehead, rather to the off side, above the level of the eyes and tapering down to the upper lip, ending slightly pink; handsome head, good jowl, very beautiful ears, eyes like the human eye oval and shewing the white, slope of shoulder good and length sufficient but forelegs placed about and inch too far back, he stands back too a little at the knee especially with the near foreleg; good depth, splendid barrel well ribbed up, magnificent carriage of the tail walking trotting or galloping; there is never a moment of forgetfulness. Pharaoh is ever ready to be seen. He is celebrated among the Anazeh tribes as the handsomest colt bred by the Sebaa for twenty years.
Purchased through Mr Skene in October 1878 from Neddi Ibn Ed Derri head of the Ibn Ed Derri family of the Resallin tribe of the Sebaa Anazeh, at Beteyen Ibn Mirshid (Sheykh of the Gomussa)’s camp near Palmyra. Imported in 1879.
Pharaoh’s dam was a bay Seglawieh Jedranieh of Ibn ed Derri, his sire a bay Kehilan Ajuz belonging to one of the Beteyen Ibn Mirshid’s people (Min Jemaat Beteyen) of the Gomussa tribe of the Sebaa Anazeh (the Resallin and Gomussa are mixed up altogether). Sire of dam a Seglawi Jedran from Obeyd El Belasi of the people of Ibn Majil of the Roala Anazeh. The Seglawi Jedran of Ibn Ed Derri is considered the best strain of blood now remaining to the Sebaa Anazeh. At this moment (1881) the Ibn Ed Derri family possess two mares and two colts, the former a chestnut and a bay and both the latter grey. The chestnut (dam of Azrek) is a half sister to Pharaoh, her sire a Hadban, is very small with one foreleg (the near) crooked when seen in front, and the off knee scarred, the bay is tall 14.3, four years old 1881, a very fine head (resembling Kars) no white except a few hairs on the forehead. Sire Managhy which accounts for a certain coarseness difficult to define but always apparent in the present fashionable strain of that breed. (NB. This was as far as we had seen up to 1881, and refers to a particular Managhy horse in most cases. Other strains of Managhy such as Jerboa’s (which was Hedruj) and Ferida (Ibn Sbeyel’s) shew great quality.)
‘Pharoah is a fine mover galloping but is unable to stay over a distance, neither is he a free jumper. He has an excellent constitution and is perfectly sound, but two of three of his produce have had defective hocks (his own are excellent). The calf knee however has not reproduced itself in his stock. He is figured in Lady Anne Blunt’s portrait of me in Bedouin dress.’ – W.S.B.
Pharaoh was sold at the 1st Sale July 1882 to Count Joseph Potocki for exportation to Russian Poland. Count Potocki sold him three years later and the horse became the principle stallion in the Emperor of Russia’s private stud. In 1899 heard from Colonel Alexandre de Sdanovitch that Pharaoh was at the Derkoul (Russian Government) Stud.”†
lady anne blunt journals
Lady Anne Blunt’s journals from 1881 give some background on Pharaoh’s provenance: “April 7th. 1881. “Pharaoh’s sire a bay Kehlian Ajuz horse belonging to jemaat of Beteyen – his dam bay (Seglawieh Ombeyryeh) of Neddi ibn ed Derri – this Neddi himself tells us. The sire of Pharaoh’s dam a Seglawi Jedran of Obeyd el Belasi of qaum [?] Ibn Majil of Roala.”‡
additional references
There is further information forthcoming (post 2020) based on research done by Edouard Al-Dahdah concerning the strain of Pharaoh.
PEdigree
Click on the image below for the Al Khamsa pedigree for Pharaoh.
- *Margaret Greely, Arabian Exodus, (London: JA Allen, 1990), 56.
- †Rosemary Archer et al, The Crabbet Arabian Stud Its History & Influence, (Gloucestershire: Alexander Heriot, 1994), 103-104.
- ‡Rosemary Archer ed, Lady Anne Blunt Journals and Correspondence 1878-1917, (Gloucestershire: Alexander Heriot, 1986), 132.
