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Scarce map of the Persia and Arabia, published by famed Vienna mapmaker Tranquillo Mollo.

The map includes and early effort to show topographical features in the Arabian Peninsula. 

Several interesting early place names appear including:

• "Prov: Lachsa od: Hadsiar" (Province of Lachsa or Hadsiar).  
• Korfakhan (Khor Fakkan, Sharjah)

Lachsa or Hadsiar

The terms Lachsa or Hadsiar, used in German sources, refer to the region now known as Al-Ahsa in eastern Saudi Arabia. Centered around the Al-Ahsa Oasis, this area was historically significant due to its abundant water resources and strategic location near the Gulf. The oasis has supported human settlement since ancient times, evolving into a key trade hub by the Islamic period. It became a focal point for various powers, starting with the Rashidun Caliphate and later the Qarmatians, who established a powerful state in the region during the 9th and 10th centuries.

By the 16th century, Al-Ahsa came under Ottoman control, marking the region as a crucial asset in the empire’s broader struggle for dominance in the Arabian Peninsula. During this period, local dynasties like the Jabrids and Banu Khalid also vied for control, driven by the region's economic potential from trade and agriculture. The rise of the Wahhabi movement in the late 18th century further intensified conflicts, leading to a brief period of Wahhabi rule before the Ottomans reasserted control in 1818. These power shifts underscore Al-Ahsa’s geopolitical importance and its role as a contested territory between regional tribes and external empires.

By the mid-19th century, Al-Ahsa’s significance remained pivotal as the Ottomans sought to secure their influence, setting the stage for later consolidation under the Al Saud dynasty. The historical accounts of Lachsa or Hadsiar reveal a region marked by fertile land, vital trade routes, and continuous competition among rival powers, reflecting its enduring importance in Arabian geopolitics leading up to the unification of Saudi Arabia.

Khorfahkan

Khorfakkan, located on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates, has a rich history of human settlement that dates back to the 3rd to 1st millennium BC. Archaeological excavations have uncovered post holes from wooden uprights of traditional areesh huts and have identified 34 graves and a settlement from the early-mid 2nd millennium BC. These findings highlight the area’s longstanding significance. By the 16th century, Khorfakkan, then known as Corfacão, had grown into a strategically important town, captured by the Portuguese under General Alfonso de Albuquerque. It became part of a network of fortified cities used to control access to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The Portuguese fortified the town with a walled enclosure and towers, defending it against potential tribal attacks. However, by the 1660s, these fortifications were in ruins, possibly due to a Persian invasion led by Omani Sheikh Muhammad Suhari in 1623. The decline of Portuguese influence led to a shift in power, but the town remained significant in regional dynamics.

In the 18th century, Khorfakkan once again faced invasion, this time by the Persians with Dutch support during the Omani civil war in 1737. The area came under the control of the Al Qasimi family by 1765, as noted by the German traveler Carsten Niebuhr. Cartographic evidence from the late 18th centurycontinued to document Khorfakkan's presence. By the early 19th century, the town was a modest but thriving community with about 150 houses, 5,000 date trees, and a population of around 800. The people of Khorfakkan subsisted primarily on agriculture and pearling, with a small number of shops serving the community.