The Bahrain Royal Family: A Rule Longer Than..

The House of Khalifa, also known as the Al Khalifa dynasty, has been ruling Bahrain since 1783. Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is the current king of Bahrain, having ascended to the throne in 1999 and proclaimed himself king in 2002. Shaikh Hamad is the head of the Al Khalifa family and enjoys wide-ranging powers, including the ability to appoint the prime minister and cabinet, command the army, and chair the Higher Judicial Council. Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy with a parliament comprising two bodies: the Shura Council and the Council of Representatives.

Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa conquered Bahrain in 1783, becoming the first ruler of the Al Khalifa dynasty

Section title: The Al Khalifa Dynasty

Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa:section

Early Life and Rise to Power

Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, also known as Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Khalifa, was born in Kuwait in the first half of the 18th century. He belonged to the Sunni Islamic Anizah tribe, specifically the Utub alliance, which migrated from central Arabia to Kuwait and later ruled parts of Qatar. Shaikh Ahmed founded Al Zubarah in Qatar, where he was based, and it served as his headquarters during the Bani Utbah invasion of Bahrain in 1783.

Conquest of Bahrain

In 1783, Shaikh Ahmed led an army that defeated Nasr Al-Madhkur, the Persian-appointed governor of Bahrain, in what became known as the Bani Utbah invasion. This victory resulted in the restoration of Bahrain's Arab independence and sovereignty. Shaikh Ahmed appointed Ali bin Faris, a relative, to govern Bahrain on his behalf. He ruled Bahrain as the first hakim, or caretaker, until 1796, spending his summers in Bahrain and the rest of the year in Al Zubarah.

Legacy

Shaikh Ahmed is often referred to as Ahmed al-Fateh, or Ahmed the Conqueror, in recognition of his conquest of Bahrain. He had five children: Abdullah, Salman, Mohamed, Yousif, and Amna bint Ahmed. His descendants continued to rule Bahrain, solidifying the Al Khalifa dynasty. The Al Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain since 1783, with Shaikh Ahmed as their progenitor.

Death

Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa died in the summer of 1795 from a heart attack after an afternoon meal. He was buried in Manama, Bahrain, next to the grave of a renowned religious scholar. His legacy includes the unification of Bahrain and the establishment of the Al Khalifa dynasty, which continues to play a significant role in the country's politics and governance.

The current head of the Al Khalifa family is King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

The House of Khalifa has been the ruling family of Bahrain since 1783. The current head of the Al Khalifa family is King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who became the Emir of Bahrain in 1999 and proclaimed himself King of Bahrain in 2002, becoming a constitutional monarch.

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was born on 28 January 1950 in Riffa, Bahrain. He attended secondary school in Bahrain before being sent to England to attend Applegarth College in Godalming, Surrey, and later The Leys School in Cambridge. Hamad underwent military training with the British Army, graduating in 1968. He was commissioned into the Bahrain National Guard in 1968 and appointed its commander the same year, remaining in that post until 1969 when he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force. From 1971 to 1988, Hamad was the minister of state for defence. He also worked to establish the Bahrain Amiri Air Force, which came into being in 1987.

On the death of his father, Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Hamad became Emir of Bahrain on 6 March 1999. As Emir, Hamad brought several political reforms to Bahrain, including the release of all political prisoners, the dissolution of the State Security Court, and the abolition of the 1974 Decree on State Security Measures. Additionally, many Bahraini citizens were permitted to return home after years in exile overseas. On 14 February 2002, Hamad declared Bahrain a kingdom and proclaimed himself the first king. As king, Hamad has wide-ranging powers, including appointing the prime minister and the cabinet, holding supreme command over the Defence Force, and chairing the Higher Judicial Council.

Hamad's reign has seen the admittance of Shi'ites into government positions. However, there have still been calls for a more equitable distribution of positions and jobs. Hamad has focused on attaining stability in a nation riddled with profound tensions after the 1990s uprising. He has succeeded in improving living standards and making Bahrain a financial hub.

Bahrain's prime minister, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, is also from the Al Khalifa family

The House of Khalifa, or Al Khalifa, has been the ruling family of Bahrain since 1783. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, who conquered Bahrain in that year, was the first member of the dynasty. The current head of the family is King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who became the Emir of Bahrain in 1999 and proclaimed himself King of Bahrain in 2002.

Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa is also the Crown Prince of Bahrain and the deputy supreme commander of the Bahrain Defence Force. Before becoming Prime Minister, he served as the first deputy prime minister, overseeing the development of executive agencies and government institutions in the kingdom. He has also held several other positions, including vice-chairman of the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research (BCSR), Undersecretary of Defence at the Ministry of Defence, and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the BCSR.

In addition to his political roles, Salman has also established scholarship programs and committees to support Bahrain's development and promote transparency and popular participation in the country's future development.

The Al Khalifa family is Sunni Muslim and belongs to the Anizah tribe

The Al Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain since 1783, when Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa conquered the country. The current head of the family and Bahrain's monarch is King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who became the Emir of Bahrain in 1999 and proclaimed himself King in 2002.

The Al Khalifa family has faced numerous challenges during its rule, including internal dissensions, external threats, and riots on the islands in 1923. However, they have also brought peace and stability to the country, with Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa's rule from 1869 to 1923 being noted as a period of peace and prosperity.

The Al Khalifa family has also played a significant role in the development of Bahrain. Under their rule, the country has become a major regional banking and trade centre, and they have introduced various reforms, including holding elections and granting women the right to vote and run for office.

In recent years, the Al Khalifa family has faced criticism and protests during the Arab Spring, with King Hamad being accused of a "brutal" crackdown on demonstrators. However, he has also implemented political reforms and established the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the events surrounding the unrest.

The Al Khalifa dynasty has ruled Bahrain for over 200 years

The Al Khalifa family has its roots in the Anizah tribe, a Sunni Muslim group that migrated from central Arabia to Kuwait. Some members of the tribe then moved to Qatar, where they built and ruled over Al Zubarah before settling in Bahrain in the early 17th century.

Ahmed bin Muhammad bin Khalifa ruled Bahrain as hakim until 1796, but he was based in Zubarah (in modern-day Qatar) and only spent summers in Bahrain. After his death in 1796, two of his sons, Salman and Abdulla, moved to Bahrain and co-ruled it as feudal estates. The Al Khalifa soon became split into two branches, Al-Abdulla and Al-Salman, which engaged in open conflict until 1846, when the Al-Salman branch emerged victorious.

In 1861, Bahrain signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace and Friendship with Britain, which guaranteed British intervention in the case of external aggression. In 1869, Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa was named ruler, and his accession ushered in over half a century of peace and stability.

Bahrain gained independence from Britain in 1971, and in 2002, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa became the first king of Bahrain, which was proclaimed a kingdom that year. The Al Khalifa family continues to rule Bahrain today, with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as the current monarch and head of state.

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