The Jabrid dynasty had become one of the most formidable powers in eastern Arabia, retaking the islands of Bahrain from the princes of Hormuz.
Their most prominent ruler, Ajwad ibn Zamil, who died in 1507, was described by his contemporaries as having been "of Najdi origin."
Ajwad's elder brother had established the dynasty in the early fifteenth century by deposing and killing the last Jarwanid ruler in Qatif.
At their height, the Jabrids controlled the entire Arabian coast on the Persian Gulf, including the islands of Bahrain, and regularly led expeditions into central Arabia and Oman.
One contemporary scholar described Ajwad ibn Zamil as "the king of al-Ahsa and Qatif and the leader of the people of Najd."
Following his death, his kingdom had been divided among some of his descendants, with Mugrin ibn Zamil (possibly his grandson) inheriting al-Hasa, Qatif, and the Islands of Awal(present day Bahrain).
Muqrin is one of three Jabrid brothers who between them rule the Jabrid kingdom composed of Oman, the north coast of Oman, and the Bahrain-Qatif area; Muqrin ruled the latter area from his capital in Al-Hasa.
The Jabrid ruler is nominally a vassal of Ormus, but he has refused to pay tribute to the expanding Portuguese-Ormusi alliance that has come to dominate the sea lanes, prompting the two allies to send an invasion force to subdue Bahrain.
The Kingdom of Ormus, as a vassal of the Portuguese state, jointly participates in the 1521 invasion under the command of the Portuguese conqueror, António Correia, to take control of the wealth created by its pearl industry.
In the fighting for Bahrain, most of the combat is carried out by Portuguese troops, while the Ormusi admiral, Reis Xarafo, or Asharoff, looks on.
Correia defeats Mugrin’s forces near present day Karbabad and takes control of the fort "Qala'at Al-Bahrain".
Muqrin, shot through the thigh, does not die until six days after the battle.
When the king’s body is taken over to al-Hasa to be interred, the admiral cuts off Mugrin’s head, which he sends to Ormuz.
The bleeding head of King Muqrin will later be later depicted on Correia’s coat of arms.
The defeat of Muqrin begins what will be nearly eighty years of Portuguese rule of Bahrain.
