1.
Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani
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Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, also known as The Founder, was the founder of the State of Qatar. He had a total of 19 children, all male, although the exact date of his birth is unknown, Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was born around 1825. Raised in Fuwayrit, Qatar, Jassim descended from the Tamim tribe and he acquired full capability in the management of the countrys affairs during his youth and guided its policies and steered the country during a period that witnessed major events and changes. Jassim, as a result of engaging in politics serving as deputy to his father. He later moved to Al Bidda with his father when he was around twenty-one years old, where he emerged among his mates as a young leader, at the local level, he sought to turn Qatar into a single unified and independent entity. Under his leadership, Qatar emerged as a coherent and stable country whose tribes he assembled to usher its future and thus consolidating its existence and borders. Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was imprisoned by the ruler of Bahrain, Faisal bin Turki and his demand for the bedouins return provoked Bahrain, which was backed by Abu Dhabi, to launch attacks on major Qatari cities, causing significant damage. In retaliation, Qatar attacked Bahrain in 1868, resulting in the deaths of a thousand men, Jassim was later released in return for captured Bahrainis. In April 1871, the expedition sent by Midhat Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Baghdad, in an attempt to secure a landing for Ottoman troops, the Ottomans sent an envoy bearing an Ottoman flag to Sheikh Jassim. He accepted and flew the flag, and by December of that year had authorized the Ottomans to send military equipment and 100 troops to Al Bidda. In January 1872, Qatar was formally incorporated into the Ottoman Empire as a province in Najd with Sheikh Jassim being appointed its kaymakam,18 December 1878 was the turning point when Sheikh Jassim took power. It was also the inception of the modern State of Qatar, despite the disapproval of local tribes, Al Thani continued supporting Ottoman rule. However, Qatari-Ottoman relations soon stagnated, and in 1882 they suffered setbacks when the Ottomans refused to aid Al Thani in his expedition of Abu Dhabi-occupied Al Khor. Al Thani fell out of favor with the Ottomans after they received complaints from Qataris regarding his oppressions from 1885 to 1886. In a further blow to relations, the Ottomans supported the Ottoman subject Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab who attempted to supplant Al Thani as kaymakam of Qatar in 1888. In early 1892, he resigned as kaymakam of Qatar and stopped paying taxes to the Ottoman Empire in August of that year, aside from being opposed against the Ottoman Empire, Sheikh Jassim was also opposed against the attempts at imperialism by the British Empire. In 1882, in addition to closing their shops, he expelled British Indian pearl traders from Doha, in October 1892, an Ottoman army comprising approximately 200 men led by the governor of Basra, Mehmed Hafiz Pasha, was sent to Qatar in response to Sheikh Jassims transgressions. They arrived in February 1893, with reinforcements on route from Kuwait
2.
Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani
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Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani, KBE was the Emir of Qatar. Sheikh Ali is also known as the very first Emir of Qatar to have migrated and traveled abroad, visiting India, Egypt, Europe, Lebanon, Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani was born on 25 June 1895, in Doha. His father was Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani and he had a younger brother, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, and a half brother, Sheikh Hassan bin Abdullah Al Thani. He became the emir of Qatar on 20 August 1949 and he is also known as the first emir of Qatar to have visited other countries abroad. His reign also saw emphasis on education and infrastructure, after his abdication, he lived a few years in Qatar during which he was very sociable in befriending many Muslim scholars. During his reign, Sheikh Ali oversaw the very first shipment of onshore Qatari oil from the city in Mesaieed on 31 December 1949. In addition to these, Sheikh Ali also oversaw the construction of the Doha International Airport, several road networks and he also established additional government departments and ministries as well as the first joint stock companies. Ronald Cochrane was made responsible for organizing the force in Qatar. Phillip Plant, a former British Royal Air Force officer, was appointed in January 1950, in the same year, in August 1950, Britain appointed Arthur John Wilton as the first Political Officer in Qatar. On 1 September 1952, a new treaty was signed between Sheikh Ali and the Iraq Petroleum Company. Under the terms of agreements, Qatar acquired 50% of profits from oil exports. In line with the exploration of oil in Qatar, Sheikh Ali took steps to establish an administrative system to manage the rising economy of oil. Numerous protests during the mid 1950s were directed at Sheikh Ali, in the early 1950s, there were many protests by dissatisfied oil workers aimed towards the oil companies. He acted as a mediator for discussions between oil companies and demonstrators, by 1956, protests appeared in Doha and started displaying a more hostile attitude towards the emir. One of the largest protests took place that year, it drew 2,000 participants, most of whom were oil workers, in May 1960, a cousin of Sheikh Ali attempted to assassinate him with a firearm at the sheikhs holiday residence in Beirut. The assassination attempt was allegedly related to finances and he abdicated in favor of Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani on October 28,1960. Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani married two wives, Sheikha Noura Al-Thani and Sheikha Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah and he has 14 children,11 sons and 3 daughters. See the list below for their names, note that this list is in descending order according to their age, from the eldest son to the youngest
3.
Doha
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Doha is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Qatar. Doha has a population of 1,351,000 in a city proper with the close to 1.5 million. The city is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in the east of the country and it is Qatars fastest growing city, with over 50% of the nations population living in Doha or its surrounding suburbs, and it is also the economic center of the country. Doha was founded in the 1820s as an offshoot of Al Bidda and it was officially declared as the countrys capital in 1971, when Qatar gained independence. As the commercial capital of Qatar and one of the emergent financial centers in the Middle East, Doha is considered a city by the Globalization. Doha accommodates Education City, a devoted to research and education. The city was host to the first ministerial-level meeting of the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization negotiations. It was also selected as host city of a number of sporting events, including the 2006 Asian Games, in December 2011, the World Petroleum Council held the 20th World Petroleum Conference in Doha. Additionally, the city hosted the 2012 UNFCCC Climate Negotiations and is set to host a number of the venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In May 2015, Doha was officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities together with Vigan, La Paz, Durban, Havana, Beirut, the name Doha may have originated from the Arabic Ad-Dawḥa, the big tree. The reference might be to a prominent tree that stood at the site where the fishing village arose. Alternatively, it may have derived from dohat — Arabic for bay or gulf — referring to the Doha Bay area surrounding the Corniche. The city of Doha was formed after seceding from another local settlement known as Al Bidda, the earliest documented mention of Al Bidda was made in 1681, by the Carmelite Convent, in an account which chronicles several settlements in Qatar. In the record, the ruler and a fort in the confines of Al Bidda are alluded to, carsten Niebuhr, a European explorer who visited the Arabian Peninsula, created one of the first maps to depict the settlement in 1765 in which he labelled it as Guttur. David Seaton, a British political resident in Muscat, wrote the first English record of Al Bidda in 1801 and he refers to the town as Bedih and describes the geography and defensive structures in the area. He stated that the town had recently settled by the Sudan tribe. Seaton attempted to bombard the town with his warship, but returned to Muscat upon finding that the waters were too shallow to position his warship within striking distance. In 1820, British surveyor R. H. Colebrook, who visited Al Bidda and he wrote, The same year, an agreement known as the General Maritime Treaty was signed between the East India Company and the sheikhs of several Persian Gulf settlements
4.
House of Thani
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The House of Thani is the ruling family of Qatar, whose origins can be traced back to the Maadid clan of the Banu Tamim tribal confederation. Around the 17th century, the tribe lived in Ushayqir, a settlement north-east of Riyadh and they settled in Qatar around the 1740s. Their first settlement in Qatar was in the town of Sikak. They settled in Doha in the 19th century under their leader Mohammed bin Thani, the group was named after the father of Mohammad, Thani bin Mohammad. The family is made of four factions, Bani Qassim, Bani Ahmed, Bani Jaber. As of the early 1990s, the number of the members was estimated to be about 6,000. The leadership transitions in 1913,1949,1960, and 1995 were all forced abdications and these abdications were forced by a nephew in one incident and sons in the others. However, none of the forced abdications toppled the Al Thani dynasty, Sheikh Fahad bin Jassim Al Thani I2. Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani 3, Sheikh Thani bin Jassim Al Thani, Sheikh of Al Gharafa 4. Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sheikh of Al Wakra 5, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, Former Sheikh of Al Rayyan, Ruler of Qatar 6. Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani 7, Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani, Sheikh of Umm Salal Mohammed 7.1. Sheikh Jassim bin Muhammed bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.1, Sheikh Fahad bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.1.1. Sheikh Faisal bin Fahad Al Thani 7.1.1.2, Sheikh Hamad bin Fahad Al Thani 7.1.1.3. Sheikh Abdullah bin Fahad Al Thani 7.1.2, Sheikh Nasir bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.2.1. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.4, Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.4.1. Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.5.1, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.6.1. Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.8, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.8.1. Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani 7.1.9.1, Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa Al Thani 7.1.9.2
5.
Dynasty
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A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a feudal or monarchical system but sometimes also appearing in elective republics. The dynastic family or lineage may be known as a house, historians periodize the histories of many sovereign states, such as Ancient Egypt, the Carolingian Empire and Imperial China, using a framework of successive dynasties. As such, the dynasty may be used to delimit the era during which the family reigned and to describe events, trends. The word dynasty itself is often dropped from such adjectival references, until the 19th century, it was taken for granted that a legitimate function of a monarch was to aggrandize his dynasty, that is, to increase the territory, wealth, and power of his family members. The longest-surviving dynasty in the world is the Imperial House of Japan, dynasties throughout the world have traditionally been reckoned patrilineally, such as under the Frankish Salic law. Succession through a daughter when permitted was considered to establish a new dynasty in her husbands ruling house, however, some states in Africa, determined descent matrilineally, while rulers have at other times adopted the name of their mothers dynasty when coming into her inheritance. It is also extended to unrelated people such as poets of the same school or various rosters of a single sports team. The word dynasty derives via Latin dynastia from Greek dynastéia, where it referred to power, dominion and it was the abstract noun of dynástēs, the agent noun of dynamis, power or ability, from dýnamai, to be able. A ruler in a dynasty is referred to as a dynast. For example, following his abdication, Edward VIII of the United Kingdom ceased to be a member of the House of Windsor. A dynastic marriage is one that complies with monarchical house law restrictions, the marriage of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, to Máxima Zorreguieta in 2002 was dynastic, for example, and their eldest child is expected to inherit the Dutch crown eventually. But the marriage of his younger brother Prince Friso to Mabel Wisse Smit in 2003 lacked government support, thus Friso forfeited his place in the order of succession, lost his title as a Prince of the Netherlands, and left his children without dynastic rights. In historical and monarchist references to formerly reigning families, a dynast is a member who would have had succession rights, were the monarchys rules still in force. Even since abolition of the Austrian monarchy, Max and his descendants have not been considered the rightful pretenders by Austrian monarchists, nor have they claimed that position. The term dynast is sometimes used only to refer to descendants of a realms monarchs. The term can therefore describe overlapping but distinct sets of people, yet he is not a male-line member of the royal family, and is therefore not a dynast of the House of Windsor. Thus, in 1999 he requested and obtained permission from Elizabeth II to marry the Roman Catholic Princess Caroline of Monaco. Yet a clause of the English Act of Settlement 1701 remained in effect at that time and that exclusion, too, ceased to apply on 26 March 2015, with retroactive effect for those who had been dynasts prior to triggering it by marriage to a Catholic
6.
Sunni Islam
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Sunni Islam is the largest group of Islam. Its name comes from the word Sunnah, referring to the behavior of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. According to Sunni tradition, Muhammad did not clearly designate a successor and this contrasts with the Shia view, which holds that Muhammad intended his son-in-law and cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib to succeed him. Political tensions between Sunnis and Shias continued with varying intensity throughout Islamic history and they have been exacerbated in recent times by ethnic conflicts, as of 2009, Sunni Muslims constituted between 87–90% of the worlds Muslim population. Sunni Islam is the worlds largest religious denomination, followed by Catholicism and its adherents are referred to in Arabic as ahl as-sunnah wa l-jamāʻah or ahl as-sunnah for short. In English, its doctrines and practices are sometimes called Sunnism, while adherents are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis, Sunnites, Sunni Islam is sometimes referred to as orthodox Islam. The Quran, together with hadith and binding juristic consensus form the basis of all traditional jurisprudence within Sunni Islam, sunnī, also commonly referred to as Sunnīism, is a term derived from sunnah meaning habit, usual practice, custom, tradition. The Muslim use of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of the prophet Muhammad, in Arabic, this branch of Islam is referred to as ahl as-sunnah wa l-jamāʻah, the people of the sunnah and the community, which is commonly shortened to ahl as-sunnah. One common mistake is to assume that Sunni Islam represents a normative Islam that emerged during the period after Muhammads death, and that Sufism and Shiism developed out of Sunni Islam. This perception is due to the reliance on highly ideological sources that have been accepted as reliable historical works. Both Sunnism and Shiaism are the end products of centuries of competition between ideologies. Both sects used each other to further cement their own identities and doctrines, the first four caliphs are known among Sunnis as the Rashidun or Rightly-Guided Ones. Sunni recognition includes the aforementioned Abu Bakr as the first, Umar who established the Islamic calendar as the second, Uthman as the third, Sunnis believe that the companions of Muhammad were the best of Muslims. Support for this view is found in the Quran, according to Sunnis. Sunnis also believe that the companions were true believers since it was the companions who were given the task of compiling the Quran, furthermore, narrations that were narrated by the companions are considered by Sunnis to be a second source of knowledge of the Muslim faith. A study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2010 and released January 2011 found that there are 1.62 billion Muslims around the world, Islam does not have a formal hierarchy or clergy. Leaders are informal, and gain influence through study to become a scholar of Islamic law, according to the Islamic Center of Columbia, South Carolina, anyone with the intelligence and the will can become an Islamic scholar. During Midday Mosque services on Fridays, the congregation will choose a person to lead the service
7.
Arabic
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Arabic is a Central Semitic language that was first spoken in Iron Age northwestern Arabia and is now the lingua franca of the Arab world. Arabic is also the language of 1.7 billion Muslims. It is one of six languages of the United Nations. The modern written language is derived from the language of the Quran and it is widely taught in schools and universities, and is used to varying degrees in workplaces, government, and the media. The two formal varieties are grouped together as Literary Arabic, which is the language of 26 states. Modern Standard Arabic largely follows the standards of Quranic Arabic. Much of the new vocabulary is used to denote concepts that have arisen in the post-Quranic era, Arabic has influenced many languages around the globe throughout its history. During the Middle Ages, Literary Arabic was a vehicle of culture in Europe, especially in science, mathematics. As a result, many European languages have borrowed many words from it. Many words of Arabic origin are found in ancient languages like Latin. Balkan languages, including Greek, have acquired a significant number of Arabic words through contact with Ottoman Turkish. Arabic has also borrowed words from languages including Greek and Persian in medieval times. Arabic is a Central Semitic language, closely related to the Northwest Semitic languages, the Ancient South Arabian languages, the Semitic languages changed a great deal between Proto-Semitic and the establishment of the Central Semitic languages, particularly in grammar. Innovations of the Central Semitic languages—all maintained in Arabic—include, The conversion of the suffix-conjugated stative formation into a past tense, the conversion of the prefix-conjugated preterite-tense formation into a present tense. The elimination of other prefix-conjugated mood/aspect forms in favor of new moods formed by endings attached to the prefix-conjugation forms, the development of an internal passive. These features are evidence of descent from a hypothetical ancestor. In the southwest, various Central Semitic languages both belonging to and outside of the Ancient South Arabian family were spoken and it is also believed that the ancestors of the Modern South Arabian languages were also spoken in southern Arabia at this time. To the north, in the oases of northern Hijaz, Dadanitic and Taymanitic held some prestige as inscriptional languages, in Najd and parts of western Arabia, a language known to scholars as Thamudic C is attested
8.
Emir
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An Emir, sometimes transliterated Amir, Amier, or Ameer, is an aristocratic or noble title of high office used in a variety of places in the Arab countries and Afghanistan. It means commander, general, or prince, when translated as prince, the word emirate is analogous to a sovereign principality. Amir, meaning Lord or commander-in-chief, is derived from the Arabic root a-m-r, the word entered English in 1593, from the French émir. It was one of the titles or names of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the monarchs of UAE, Qatar and Kuwait are currently titled Emirs. All members of the House of Saud have the title of Emir, the caliphs first used the title Amir al-Muminin or Commander of the Faithful, stressing their leadership over the Islamic Empire, especially over the militia. The title has been assumed by various other Muslim rulers, including Sultans, for Shia Muslims, they still give this title to the Caliph Ali as Amir al Muminin. Note that the title was held by Christians as well, the word Emir is also used less formally for leaders in certain contexts. For example, the leader of a group of pilgrims to Mecca is called an Emir hadji, where an adjectival form is necessary, Emiral suffices. Amirzade, the son of a prince, hence the Persian princely title Mirza, the temporal leader of the Yazidi people is known as an Emir or Prince. From the start, Emir has been a military title, in certain decimally-organized Muslim armies, Amir was an officer rank. For example, in Mughal India Amirs commanded 1000 horsemen, ten of them under one Malik, Muhammad Amin Bughra, Nur Ahmad Jan Bughra, and Abdullah Bughra declared themselves Emirs of the First East Turkestan Republic. Amir is a name in the Persian language and a prefix name for many masculine names such as Amir Ali. Amir-i-Iel designates the head of an Il in imperial Persia, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the female name Emira, often interpreted as princess, is a derivative of the male name Emir. Abdul Abulbul Amir, both character and song, wat Tambor in Star Wars, Episode II – Attack of the Clones took the title of Emir. In the Star Wars universe the title may relate to Tambors military command, Emir Karim, a character in Wild At Heart, a Latin American drama. Specific emirates of note List of emirs of Harar List of emirs of Kuwait List of emirs of Qatar List of Emirs of Mosul Emirate of Afghanistan
9.
Qatar
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Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a sovereign country located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its surrounded by the Persian Gulf. A strait in the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the island country of Bahrain, as well as sharing maritime borders with the United Arab Emirates. Following Ottoman rule, Qatar became a British protectorate in the early 20th century until gaining independence in 1971, Qatar has been ruled by the House of Thani since the early 19th century. Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was the founder of the State of Qatar, Qatar is a hereditary monarchy and its head of state is Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Whether it should be regarded as a constitutional or a monarchy is a matter of opinion. In 2003, the constitution was approved in a referendum. In early 2017, Qatars total population was 2.3 million,313,000 Qatari citizens and 2.6 million expatriates, Qatar is a high income economy and is a developed country, backed by the worlds third largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves. The country has the highest per capita income in the world, Qatar is classified by the UN as a country of very high human development and is the most advanced Arab state for human development. Qatar is a significant power in the Arab world, supporting several rebel groups during the Arab Spring both financially and through its globally expanding media group, Al Jazeera Media Network. For its size, Qatar wields disproportionate influence in the world, Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Arab country to do so. A century later, Ptolemy produced the first known map to depict the peninsula, the map also referenced a town named Cadara to the east of the peninsula. The term Catara was exclusively used until the 18th century, after which Katara emerged as the most commonly recognised spelling, eventually, the modern derivative Qatar was adopted as the countrys name. In Standard Arabic, the name is pronounced, while in the local dialect it is, Human habitation of Qatar dates back to 50,000 years ago. Settlements and tools dating back to the Stone Age have been unearthed in the peninsula, Mesopotamian artefacts originating from the Ubaid period have been discovered in abandoned coastal settlements. Al Daasa, a settlement located on the western coast of Qatar, is the most important Ubaid site in the country and is believed to have accommodated a small seasonal encampment. Kassite Babylonian material dating back to the second millennium BC found in Al Khor Islands attests to trade relations between the inhabitants of Qatar and the Kassites in modern-day Bahrain, among the findings were 3,000,000 crushed snail shells and Kassite potsherds. It has been suggested that Qatar is the earliest known site of shellfish dye production, in 224 AD, the Sasanian Empire gained control over the territories surrounding the Persian Gulf
10.
Ottoman Empire
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After 1354, the Ottomans crossed into Europe, and with the conquest of the Balkans the Ottoman Beylik was transformed into a transcontinental empire. The Ottomans ended the Byzantine Empire with the 1453 conquest of Constantinople by Mehmed the Conqueror, at the beginning of the 17th century the empire contained 32 provinces and numerous vassal states. Some of these were later absorbed into the Ottoman Empire, while others were granted various types of autonomy during the course of centuries. With Constantinople as its capital and control of lands around the Mediterranean basin, while the empire was once thought to have entered a period of decline following the death of Suleiman the Magnificent, this view is no longer supported by the majority of academic historians. The empire continued to maintain a flexible and strong economy, society, however, during a long period of peace from 1740 to 1768, the Ottoman military system fell behind that of their European rivals, the Habsburg and Russian Empires. While the Empire was able to hold its own during the conflict, it was struggling with internal dissent. Starting before World War I, but growing increasingly common and violent during it, major atrocities were committed by the Ottoman government against the Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic Greeks. The word Ottoman is an anglicisation of the name of Osman I. Osmans name in turn was the Turkish form of the Arabic name ʿUthmān, in Ottoman Turkish, the empire was referred to as Devlet-i ʿAlīye-yi ʿOsmānīye, or alternatively ʿOsmānlı Devleti. In Modern Turkish, it is known as Osmanlı İmparatorluğu or Osmanlı Devleti, the Turkish word for Ottoman originally referred to the tribal followers of Osman in the fourteenth century, and subsequently came to be used to refer to the empires military-administrative elite. In contrast, the term Turk was used to refer to the Anatolian peasant and tribal population, the term Rūmī was also used to refer to Turkish-speakers by the other Muslim peoples of the empire and beyond. In Western Europe, the two names Ottoman Empire and Turkey were often used interchangeably, with Turkey being increasingly favored both in formal and informal situations and this dichotomy was officially ended in 1920–23, when the newly established Ankara-based Turkish government chose Turkey as the sole official name. Most scholarly historians avoid the terms Turkey, Turks, and Turkish when referring to the Ottomans, as the power of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum declined in the 13th century, Anatolia was divided into a patchwork of independent Turkish principalities known as the Anatolian Beyliks. One of these beyliks, in the region of Bithynia on the frontier of the Byzantine Empire, was led by the Turkish tribal leader Osman, osmans early followers consisted both of Turkish tribal groups and Byzantine renegades, many but not all converts to Islam. Osman extended the control of his principality by conquering Byzantine towns along the Sakarya River and it is not well understood how the early Ottomans came to dominate their neighbours, due to the scarcity of the sources which survive from this period. One school of thought which was popular during the twentieth century argued that the Ottomans achieved success by rallying religious warriors to fight for them in the name of Islam, in the century after the death of Osman I, Ottoman rule began to extend over Anatolia and the Balkans. Osmans son, Orhan, captured the northwestern Anatolian city of Bursa in 1326 and this conquest meant the loss of Byzantine control over northwestern Anatolia. The important city of Thessaloniki was captured from the Venetians in 1387, the Ottoman victory at Kosovo in 1389 effectively marked the end of Serbian power in the region, paving the way for Ottoman expansion into Europe
11.
Percy Cox
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Major-General Sir Percy Zachariah Cox GCMG GCIE KCSI KBE DL was a British Indian Army officer and Colonial Office administrator in the Middle East. He was one of the figures in the creation of the current Middle East Cox was born in Harwood Hall, Herongate, Essex. He was educated initially at Harrow School where he developed interests in history, geography. In November 1889, a planner, he transferred to the Bengal Staff Corps. On 14 November 1889 he married Louisa Belle, youngest daughter of Irish-born surgeon-general John Butler Hamilton and he transferred to Berbera in 1894. He was promoted to captain in February 1895, in May 1895 he was given command of an expedition against the Rer Hared clan, which had blocked trade routes and was raiding the coast. With only 52 Indian and Somali regulars and 1,500 poor quality, untrained local irregulars, later that year 1895, he was promoted to be assistant to the Viceroy of Indias agent in Baroda. The French had had leased a coaling station from Sultan Feisal, the French also gave protection to the local slave trade, which the British opposed. Cox managed to successfully end French influence in the area, turning the subsidy around, when Lord Curzon, visited Muscat in 1903, he judged that Cox virtually ran the place. Cox was promoted to the rank of major on 6 February 1902 and he began a remarkable correspondence and friendship with Captain William Shakespear, appointed Coxs deputy Political Resident to Persia. Their frank exchange of views at Bandar Abbas was an element of pre-war policy in the near east. One of the few allies was Shaikh Mubarak of Kuwait, whose shared intelligence eventually aided the desert war, Cox was assiduous with his briefs, he prepared in great detail, in fluent Arabic, when he wrote Shaikhs. Warned by the ambassador to Constantinople of Turkish escalation, preparations were made to make Arabian friends. British forces were called into Bushehr in 1909, and then again to Shiraz in 1911, Cox promised Sheikh Khazal of Muhammarah that troops would protect when the Turks threatened to invade. Khazaal leased the Shatt al-Arab waterway on the Euphrates to the Anglo-Persian Oil company for the construction of refineries, in 1910 Cox wrote a full report on Shakespears findings to India, which was passed to London. He was promoted to Lieutenant-colonel in February 1910, Cox promoted trade in the Persian Gulf which doubled between 1904 and 1914, suppressed the illegal arms trade, and improved communications. In 1911 he was created KBE, in 1908 oil fields were discovered in the region of Abadan. On 16 July 1909, after negotiation with Cox, assisted by Arnold Wilson
12.
Persian Gulf
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The Persian Gulf is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz, the Shatt al-Arab river delta forms the northwest shoreline. The Persian Gulf was a battlefield of the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War and it is the namesake of the 1991 Gulf War, the largely air- and land-based conflict that followed Iraqs invasion of Kuwait. The gulf has many fishing grounds, extensive coral reefs, and abundant pearl oysters, the body of water is historically and internationally known as the Persian Gulf. Some Arab governments refer to it as the Arabian Gulf or The Gulf, the name Gulf of Iran is used by the International Hydrographic Organization. The Persian Gulf is geologically young, having been formed around 15,000 years ago. Its length is 989 kilometres, with Iran covering most of the northern coast, the Persian Gulf is about 56 km wide at its narrowest, in the Strait of Hormuz. The waters are very shallow, with a maximum depth of 90 metres. Various small islands lie within the Persian Gulf, some of which are the subject of territorial disputes between the states of the region. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the Persian Gulfs southern limit as The Northwestern limit of Gulf of Oman and this limit is defined as A line joining Ràs Limah on the coast of Arabia and Ràs al Kuh on the coast of Iran. The Persian Gulf and its areas are the worlds largest single source of crude oil. Safaniya Oil Field, the worlds largest offshore oilfield, is located in the Persian Gulf, large gas finds have also been made, with Qatar and Iran sharing a giant field across the territorial median line. Using this gas, Qatar has built up a substantial liquefied natural gas, the oil-rich countries that have a coastline on the Persian Gulf are referred to as the Persian Gulf States. In 550 BC, the Achaemenid Empire established the first ancient empire in Persis, consequently, in the Greek sources, the body of water that bordered this province came to be known as the Persian Gulf. In the travel account of Pythagoras, several chapters are related to description of his travels accompanied by the Achaemenid king Darius the Great, to Susa and Persepolis, and the area is described. This water channel separates the Iran Plateau from the Arabia Plate, has enjoyed an Iranian Identity since at least 2200 years ago. Before being given its present name, the Persian Gulf was called many different names, the classical Greek writers, like Herodotus, called it the Red Sea. In Babylonian texts, it was known as the sea above Akkad, the name of the gulf, historically and internationally known as the Persian Gulf after the land of Persia, has been disputed by some Arab countries since the 1960s
13.
Al Koot Fort
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Al Koot Fort, most commonly known as the Doha Fort, is a historical military fortress located in the heart of Doha, Qatars capital city. The fort was converted into a museum. Qatari traditional handicrafts, products and photos of life with illustrations are housed in the fort. Exhibits and artworks include handicrafts, gypsum and wooden ornaments, fishing equipment and boats, historical photos and paintings including oil paintings of craft workers, the Al Koot Fort was built in 1927 by Sheikh Abdulla bin Qassim Al Thani. Zubarah Fort Barzan Tower Doha Al Koot fort | Qatar Visitor - Travel Guide to Doha & Qatar
14.
Al Bidda
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Al Bidda is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar. It was previously the largest town in Qatar in the 19th century, before Doha, Al Bidda was incorporated as a district in the Doha municipality in the late 20th century. The earliest documented mention of Al Bidda was made in 1681, by the Carmelite Convent, in the record, the ruler and a fort in the confines of Al Bidda are alluded to. Al Bidda became the most important town in the country after the decline of Zubarah in the nineteenth century. Doha, the capital, developed from Al Bidda. MacLeod noted that Al Bidda was the only substantial trading port in the peninsula during this time, following the founding of Doha, written records often conflated Al Bidda and Doha due to the extremely close proximity of the two settlements. Later that year, Lt. Guy and Lt. Brucks mapped, despite being mapped as two separate entities, they were referred to under the collective name of Al Bidda in the written description. In 1847, Al Bidda was demolished by the sheikh of Bahrain, the sheikh also placed economic blockade over the town in 1852. In 1867, a number of ships and troops were sent from Bahrain to punish the people of Al Wakrah. Abu Dhabi joined on Bahrains behalf due to the conception that Al Wakrah served as a refuge for fugitives from Oman, later that year, the combined forces sacked the two aforementioned Qatari cities with 2,000 men in what would come to be known as the Qatari–Bahraini War. A British record later stated that the towns of Doha and Wakrah were, at the end of 1867 temporarily blotted out of existence, the houses being dismantled and the inhabitants deported. Around early 1871, the became a base of operations for Bedouins resisting Ottoman rule after they established a foothold in Eastern Arabia that year. By December 1871, emir Jassim bin Mohammed authorized the Ottomans to send 100 troops, shortly after, Qatar was assimilated as a province in the Ottoman Empire, and Al Bidda was recognized as the official provincial capital. Al Bidda Fort served as the stronghold for Ottoman troops in the 1893 Battle of Al Wajbah. They surrendered after Jassim bin Mohammeds troops cut off the water supply. An Ottoman report compiled the same year reported that Al Bidda and Doha had a population of 6,000 inhabitants. Al Bidda was classified as the section of Katar, and was stated to have mainly accommodated members of the Al Kuwari. The land is described as stony desert which is 40 or 50 feet above sea-level, the majority of its inhabitants, who were said to be involved in pearl fishing, were composed of Qatari tribes, such as the Al-Soudan, Bahraini shopkeepers and immigrants from Al-Hasa
15.
Souq Waqif
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Souq Waqif is a souq in Doha, in the state of Qatar. The souq is noted for selling traditional garments, spices, handicrafts and it is also home to dozens of restaurants and Shisha lounges. Although it dates back at least a hundred years, it was renovated in 2006 to conserve its traditional Qatari architectural style and it is often perceived to be the only lasting area in Doha that retains an authentic feel notably in reference to its commerce, architecture and culture. The area is popular with local and expats alike as it offers multiple dining options in the same location. It is located in the district of Al Souq which is situated in the center of Doha, as it was a market used for trading activities, the area used to be located immediately adjoining the shore to allow for boats to access it. Although still facing the water, the link to the water front for boats is now divided by a major road. The souq was founded at least a century ago in proximity of the dry river bed known as Wadi Musheireb and it was a gathering place where Bedouins and locals would trade a variety of goods, primarily livestock goods. In 2006, the government launched a program with the purpose of preserving its architectural and historical identity. Buildings constructed after the 1950s were demolished whereas older structures were refurbished, the restoration was completed in 2008. Traditional heating methods are employed by utilizing wood and bamboo imported from various areas of Asia, several streets that appear as mazes with no defined geometric pattern are characteristic of these Middle-Eastern markets. The Souq offers several small shops lined along these paths with an array of Middle Eastern merchandise from spices and seasonal delicacies to perfumes, jewellery, clothing. Traditional music, art and cultural shows add to the ambience of this historic place, low-rise buildings, generally only single-storied are a peculiar characteristic of Qatari Architecture. This is in keeping with regional planning principles and then available local materials such as bamboo, mud, all buildings in this market are rough plastered and small openings face the streets. Wind towers were used in buildings and one such property exists at one end of the market. Post renovations in the last decade,2 underground parking lots for over 3000 cars have been added, in addition to the main square that faces the park and waterfront, a new square has been added around the center of the whole development. Water features to allow for control seem to be planned at the new square also. The souq is considered one of the best location for tourists within Doha, thousands of people from across the region frequent it to purchase traditional goods. It hosts several art galleries, events and local concerts, a yearly spring festival around April hosts many theatricals, acrobatics and musical performances
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Al Zubara Fort
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The Zubarah Fort was originally built by Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani in 1938 to serve as a Coast Guard station, although some utter that it was built to serve as a police station. It was later renovated into a museum to display diverse exhibits and artworks, Zubarah covers an area of approximately 400 hectares and about 60 hectares inside the outer town wall, thus Zubarah being the largest archaeological site in the whole Qatari Peninsula. It was once a thriving fishing and trading port positioned midway between the Strait of Hormuz and the west arm of the Persian Gulf. It is one of the largest and best preserved examples of an 18th-19th century merchant town in the Gulf, the entire layout and urban fabric of a settlement dating to this formative period in the region has been preserved as no other similar place in the Gulf. Al Zubarah provides an important insight into life, spatial organization. Lofty, compact walls, substantial and profuse in broadness, swathe this eminent fort which are one meter in length, the fort has a protective roof that was jury-rigged by utilizing compressed mud. The roof endows shade and coolness for the ones inside the fort, the forts roof was also erected for the soldiers who would patrol and traverse the surrounding areas for enemies. Of course, the soldiers themselves had their own respective rooms, eight rooms were constructed to accommodate such valiant and patriotic soldiers which are situated in the ground floor. These rooms were just converted recently to house exhibits, artworks, the fort has external staircases which were used to climb up to the forts floors and roof. For more information about the Zubarah Forts structure, see the table below, today, the Zubarah Fort serves as a museum and a famous landmark. As a result, a schedule for opening and closing the fort for visitors, the fort is open regularly from 8 a. m. until 6 p. m. except for early Friday mornings and Saturdays. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, barzan Tower Al Koot Fort Zubarah Qatar Tourism Authority - Forts Al Zubarah Fort, Qatar Visitor Embassy of Qatar - Major Museums & Forts Zubarah travel guide from Wikivoyage
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Zubarah
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It was founded by Al Bin Ali, main and principal Utub tribe in the first half of the eighteenth century. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 and it was once a successful center of global trade and pearl fishing positioned midway between the Strait of Hormuz and the west arm of the Persian Gulf. It is one of the most extensive and best preserved examples of an 18th–19th century settlement in the region, covering an area of circa 400 hectares, Zubarah is Qatar’s most substantial archaeological site. The site comprises the town with a later inner and an earlier outer wall, a harbour. It was presumably given this name due its abundance of sand, during the early Islamic period, trade and commerce boomed in northern Qatar. Settlements began to appear on the coast, primarily between the towns of Zubarah and Umm al-Maa, a village dating back to the Islamic period was discovered near the town. Between September 1627 and April 1628, a Portuguese naval squadron led by D. Goncalo da Silveira set a number of neighboring coastal villages ablaze, Zubarahs settlement and growth during this period is attributed to the dislodging of people from these adjacent settlements. There remains some uncertainty over the earliest mention of Zubarah in written documents, qatars Memorial, a 1986 Arabic history book, alleges that a functional self-governing town existed before the arrival of the Utub. Zubarah was founded and ruled by the Al Bin Ali tribe and it soon emerged as one of the principal emporiums and pearl trading centres of the Persian Gulf. The following poem was recorded about murairs water spring, وتشـرب أسـآر الحيـاض تسوفـه ولو وردت ماء المريرة آجمـا, the Al Bin Ali they were also known for their courage, persistence, and abundant wealth. The Al Bin Ali had an independent status in Bahrain. Under their jurisdiction, the town developed trade links with India, Oman, Iraq, many goods were transported through its ports, including dates, spices and metals. The town soon became a transit point for traders after the Utub abolished trade taxes. The towns prosperity further increased after the 1775–76 Persian occupation of Basra when merchants, ongoing wars between Bani Khalid and the Wahhabis and Persian invasion of Basra were among the factors that helped Al Zubara flourish into an important trade center. This prominent position led to conflicts with adjacent port towns, merchants from nearby settlements migrated to Zubarah en masse during the 1770s due to the prevalence of attacks and the plague in the Persian Gulf region. A quarrel arose in 1782 between the inhabitants of Zubarah and Persian-ruled Bahrain, Zubarah natives traveled to Bahrain to buy some wood, but an altercation broke out and in the chaos an Utub sheikhs slave was killed. The Utub and other Arab tribes retaliated on 9 September by plundering and destroying Manama, a battle was also fought on land between the Persians and the Arab tribes, in which both sides suffered casualties. The Zubarans returned to the mainland three days with a seized Persian gallivat that had been used to collect annual treaty
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Al Shamal
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Madinat ash-Shamal is a municipality in the state of Qatar. Its capital is called Al Shamal City and it is considered to be one of the cities in Qatar. The name means City of the north - although the population is barely over 5,000, ash Shamal will be home to the proposed 45, 330-seat Al-Shamal Stadium, one of 12 venues used in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Madinat ash Shamal includes Ras Rakan, the northernmost point of the Qatari peninsula and it borders the municipality of Al Khor. The municipality is divided into three primary zones, ash-Shamal Municipality was created by virtue of law No.19 passed on 17 July 1972, stating the creation of new municipalities, Al-Rayyan, Al-Khor and Al-Thakhira, Al-Wakrah, Umm Salal, and Al-Shamal. Accommodating less than 8,000 inhabitants, Al Shamal is the least populous municipality in the country, as it comprises the northernmost portion of the country, its historic importance is attributed to its more moderate weather and close proximity to Bahrain. The traditional mainstay of its inhabitants was fishing and pearling, Al Zubarah, a town located in the western section of the municipality, was previously the largest and most important settlement in Qatar. Proceeding the discovery of oil, most of Al Shamals population migrated to the capital Doha, jabr Ben Ali al-Naeemee, director of ash-Shamal Municipality. Their home games are played at Al-Shamal SC Stadium in Al Shamal City, Al-Shamal Stadium, a 45,120 capacity multi-purpose stadium is currently under construction for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Currently, the Public Works Authority in Qatar is constructing Al Ruwais Port in ash-Shamal, the Qatar Tourism Authority is in the process of developing Al Shamals historic villages, archaeological sites and natural areas into tourist attractions. As the municipality currently has the highest annual rate in the country. Islands such as Ras Rakan and Umm Tais have been developed as nature reserves in order to boost eco-tourism, places of birth are based on the home municipality of the mother at birth. Madinat ash Shamal travel guide from Wikivoyage
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Dukhan
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Dukhan is a city in the western municipality of Al Rayyan in the State of Qatar. It is approximately 60 kilometres west of the capital, Doha, Dukhan is administrated by Qatars state oil agency Qatar Petroleum and is the site of the first oil discovery in Qatar. All the industrial operations inside the city are administrated by the Dukhan Operations Department, a special permit from Qatar Petroleum, in the form of a Dukhan entry gate pass, is required for entry to the city. A four-lane motorway connects Doha with Dukhan, oil exploration in the Dukhan area began in 1935. In 1937, oil was struck in Dukhan, making it the first substantial oil reserve to be discovered in the peninsula, construction on Dukhans first oil well began in 1939 and was finished the next year. The original settlement was built as an oil camp for personnel of the Qatar Petroleum Company, oil operations were temporarily shut down during World War II. On 31 December 1949, Dukhan exported its first barrel of oil, the full development of Dukhans oil fields was completed in 1954. Over the next few decades Dukhan’s growth continued a steady pace, in 1974 the Fahahil plant was commissioned to recover raw natural gas liquids from associated gas. This milestone was followed in 1976 by the first development well in the Khuff reservoir, Dukhan expanded further in 1989, when the Dukhan reservoir Power Water Injection project began, to address the problem of rising water levels in the reservoirs. PWI helped to enhance oil recovery and maintain pressure in the Dukhan field. Meanwhile, the Fahahil compression station began operations in 1992, to pressurise the Khuff reservoir with surplus North Field gas, the Dukhan Gas Lift project was planned in 1999 to help maintain crude oil production. The implementation is still in progress and is set to supply gas to approximately 300 wells in the area, Dukhan has three main oil-producing sectors, The Khatiyah sector, which was developed in 1947. The Fahahil sector, which was developed between 1954 and 1955, the Jaleha sector, which was developed between 1954 and 1955. In 1990, there were 390 hydrocarbon wells in Dukhan, covering 0. 08% of the area, of the 390 wells,140 were oil producing,20 were gas producing and 219 were for other uses. The pipeline system for these wells covered 0. 1% of the area and had an overall length 204 kilometres, by 1990, there were seven degassing stations and two pumping stations. The Khatiyah sector was the most densely occupied in terms of infrastructure, Dukhans residential area was developed at the same time oil operations were commenced in 1940. The first residential area was a 3 square kilometres fenced oil camp situated in proximity to the oil fields. Several issues limited the growth of the camp in its years, such as lack of private ownership
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Mohammed bin Thani
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He is known for being the father of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of Qatar and who fended off the Ottoman army in the late 19th century. His father later died in 1860, when he succeeded to the throne, by the early 1860s, Sheikh Mohammed emerged as the most important figure in Qatar and an important government official in the Persian Gulf. He abdicated, due to old age, as emir of Qatar in 1876, on 12 September 1868, Sheikh Mohammed signed a treaty with Colonel Lewis Pelly, a British resident in the Persian Gulf, which recognized the independence of Qatar. In 1871, Sheikh Mohammed made a plea for protection against any attack to the Ottomans at Al Hasa. However, the Ottomans were the ones who displayed hostility to the Qataris in the decade of his plea. Sheikh Mohammed had 8 children, six sons and two daughters, both with unknown names, Sheikh Mohammed died two years after abdicating from his throne in 1876. He died on 18 December 1878, the date of the national day of Qatar. Shaikh Mohammed Bin Thani, Amiri Diwan Royal Ark, The Al Thani Dynasty Al Thani Tree, offered in Arabic Official Page in Al Thani Tree, offered in Arabic
21.
Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani
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Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, also known as Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani for short, was the Emir of Qatar who ruled from 1960 to 1972. Qatars financial status witnessed significant improvements during his reign as a result of the enrichment, Qatar also gained its independence as a sovereign state in September 1971 under his rule. He was deposed in February 1972 by his cousin, Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani and he took the throne on 24 October 1960 after his father, Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani, abdicated in favor of him. Sheikh Ahmad then assumed throne and became the emir through the years of dependency. Sheikh Ahmad attended numerous royal coronations, including the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in 1953, on the same date his reign began, his cousin Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani was appointed as the heir apparent and deputy ruler. On 22 February 1972 Sheikh Khalifa deposed him, during the incident, Sheikh Ahmad was in Iran for hunting trip. After his deposition, Sheikh Ahmad lived in exile in Dubai with his wife the daughter of the ruler of dubai and children. In April 1963, a nationalist labor group known as the National Unity Front was formed in response to a relative of Sheikh Ahmad opening fire on a nationalist demonstration, the demonstration had been organized by North Yemeni migrant workers who supported their governments union with the United Arab Republic. The groups formation was precipitated by public dissent with the ruling familys extravagant lifestyles, co-founded by a wealthy businessman and a tribal leader, the group soon gained popularity among Arab nationalists, individuals sympathetic to the Baath Party and Qatari laborers. They staged a mini-uprising in the central Doha market that year in response to the shooting where they presented their demands to the government, some of these demands would have hindered Sheikh Ahmads power. The government rejected all demands, and amid a tense atmosphere. However, Sheikh Ahmad did institute some reforms, such as the provision of land, Sheikh Ahmads rule witnessed the growing economic activities in the country as the result of the discovery of a large number of oil fields in Qatar. At that time, and in January 1964, full-scale production commenced in the Idd al-Shargi field, moreover, in 1963, the larger field at Maydan Mahzam was discovered and in 1965 an oil terminal was set up on the Island of Halul. Exploration of the Bul Hannien field started in 1965 and production commenced in 1977, with the growth of oil economy, Qatar moved rapidly towards the introduction of modern administrative system. Sheikh Ahmad established the Ministry of Finance in November 1960 and Sheikh Khalifa, after that, Sheikh Ahmed established The Department of General Financial and Administration in order to handle all governmental affairs of a financial and administrative nature. Then, in 1967, the Department of Civil Service was also set up, gradually the administration of Qatar began to take final shape and the country moved for independence. On 2 April 1970, the Provisional Constitution for Qatar was promulgated, the independence of Qatar as a sovereign state terminating the Anglo-Qatari Treaty of 1916 was declared on 3 September 1971. Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani had married three women one of them the daughter of Shaikh Rashid bin Said Al Maktum, the Ruler of Dubai and he had 8 children,7 sons and 1 daughter
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Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani
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Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani GCB GCMG was the Emir of Qatar from 27 February 1972 until he was deposed by his son Hamad bin Khalifa on 27 June 1995. He was the grandfather of the current Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Sheikh Khalifa was born in Rayyan in 1932. He was the son of Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani and grandson of Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, in 1957, Khalifa was appointed as Minister of Education. Then he was appointed as Deputy Emir and he was named as the heir apparent on 24 October 1960. In the 1960s he also served as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, on 22 February 1972, Sheikh Khalifa became the Emir of Qatar, seizing power from his cousin, Emir Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani. While many Western news outlets referred to it as an overthrow and his initial activity was the process of the reorganization of the government. He also limited the privileges of members of the ruling family. Next, he appointed a minister and an adviser to himself regarding the day-to-day affairs. On 19 April 1972, he amended the Constitution and expanded the Cabinet by appointing more ministers, diplomatic relations were also established with a number of foreign countries at the ambassadorial level. Khalifas reorganization of the system of government saw a shift in the hierarchy of authority. He immensely reduced the powers afforded to the heir-apparent while projecting all of the power onto himself. On 18 July 1989, the cabinet was reshuffled for the first time, replacing most of the previous ministers, the Cabinet was again reshuffled under his premiership on 1 September 1992, expanding it to 17 members. The state revenue from the oil sector had increased as the result of the rising of a number of production sharing agreements with oil companies. Two production-sharing agreements were signed with the Standard Oil Company of Ohio in January 1985, in January 1989, another production sharing agreement was signed between Qatar and the French state-owned oil company Elf Aquitaine. In the middle of 1991, production of gas in the Qatar North Field, while the search for finding more oil deposits in Qatar continued, Qatar built an industrial base in order to reduce dependence on the oil sector. While Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani was staying in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 1995, Khalifa lived in France until he returned to Qatar in 2004. He died on 23 October 2016, a week after entering the hospital, Sheikh Khalifa had five sons and twelve daughters from four wives
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Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
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Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani is a member of the ruling Al Thani Qatari royal family. He was the ruling Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013, the Qatari government now refers to him as His Highness the Father Emir. Hamad seized power in a palace coup détat in 1995. C. Volkswagen, Siemens and Royal Dutch Shell, during Hamads rule, Qatar hosted two US military bases. It also remained close with Hamas and Iran and he supported and funded rebel movements, particularly in Libya and Syria during the Arab Spring, while maintaining political stability at home. The Sheikh founded news media group Al Jazeera, through which he maintained his influence over the Arab World and he also played a part in negotiations between the US and the Taliban. In June 2013, Hamad, in a televised address, announced that he would hand power to his fourth son. His mother died soon after the birth and he was raised by his uncle and he graduated from the British Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 1971 and commissioned as a lieutenant colonel. After graduation he was commander of a mobile brigade, which later became a force called Hamad Brigade. In 1972 Hamad had the rank of general, and became chief of staff. Next he was appointed commander-in-chief of Qatars armed forces with the rank of major general, in 1977 he was named minister of defense. Hamad was appointed Heir Apparent of Qatar in 1977 and held the post until 1995, in the early 1980s, he led the Supreme Planning Council, which sets Qatars basic economic and social policies. From 1992 Hamad had a responsibility for the day-to-day running of the country, including the development of Qatars oil. On 27 June 1995, after deposing his father in a palace coup, in the early 1980s, Hamad led the Supreme Planning Council, which sets Qatars basic economic and social policies. However, his father ultimately retained control over state finances, with the support of his family, Hamad took control of the country in 1995 while his father was on vacation abroad. While his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani was in Geneva, Switzerland, the deposition came after a falling out between Hamad bin Khalifa and his father, who had tried regaining some of the authority he bestowed upon Hamad in early 1995. Hamad then engaged an American law firm to freeze his fathers bank accounts abroad, thereafter, his father lived in exile in France and Abu Dhabi until he returned to Qatar in 2004. In a break with the role, his second wife Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned has been a visible advocate for education
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Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
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Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the eighth and current Emir of Qatar. He is the son of the previous Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. He became Emir of Qatar on 25 June 2013 after his fathers abdication, Tamim has held a variety of government posts within Qatar and also worked to promote numerous sporting events within the country. As of 2013, Tamim is the youngest reigning monarch among the GCC countries, Tamim bin Hamad was born on 3 June 1980 in Doha, Qatar. He is the son of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Tamim was educated at Great Britains Sherborne School in Dorset, and at Harrow School and he then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, graduating in 1998. Sheikh Tamim was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Qatar Armed Forces upon graduation from Sandhurst and he became the heir apparent to the Qatar throne on 5 August 2003, when his elder brother Sheikh Jassim renounced his claim to the title. Since then he was groomed to take over rule, working in top security, in 2009, he was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of Qatars armed forces. Sheikh Tamim promoted sport as part of Qatars bid to raise its international profile, in 2005 he founded Qatar Sport Investments, which owns Paris Saint-Germain F. C. among other investments. In 2006, he chaired the committee of the 15th Asian Games in Doha. Under his leadership, all member countries attended the event for the first time in its history and that year Egypts Al Ahram voted Tamim the best sport personality in the Arab world. Under his guidance, Qatar won the rights to host the 2014 FINA Swimming World Championships, Tamim is a member of the International Olympic Committee and the National Olympic Committee chairman. He headed Dohas bid for the 2020 Olympics, the country will host the football World Cup in 2022. Qatar is expected to spend about $100 billion on infrastructure to prepare for the event, Sheikh Tamim heads the Qatar Investment Authority board of directors. Under his leadership, the fund has invested billions in British businesses and it owns large stakes in Barclays Bank, Sainsburys, and Harrods. The fund also owns a share of Europes fourth tallest building, Tamim has also held a number of other posts including, Head of the Upper Council of the Environment and Natural Sanctuaries. Chairman of the Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves, chairman of the Supreme Education Council. Chairman of the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology, chairman of the board of directors of Public Works Authority and the Urban Planning and Development Authority
