Al Khalifa: Bahrain's Royal Family Explored

The House of Khalifa, also known as Al Khalifa, is the ruling family of Bahrain. The Al Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain since 1783, when Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa conquered the country. Shaikh Ahmed was the first hakim of Bahrain and the progenitor of the Al Khalifa family. 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, becoming a constitutional monarch.

The House of Khalifa

The Al Khalifa family migrated from Najd in central Arabia to Kuwait in the 17th or 18th century, before settling in Al Zubarah in modern-day Qatar. They built and ruled over Al Zubarah before settling in Bahrain in the early 1700s.

In 1783, Bahrain came under the control of Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Khalifa, who ruled as the hakim of Bahrain until 1796. Ahmed was the first hakim of Bahrain and the founder of the ruling Al Khalifa family. All of the Al Khalifa rulers of Bahrain are his descendants.

Ahmed had four children, two of whom, Salman and Abdulla, co-ruled Bahrain as feudal estates after his death in 1796. The brothers ruled independently, with Salman settling in Bahrain Island and Abdulla in Muharraq Island. This led to the Al Khalifa family splitting into two branches: the Al-Abdulla and the Al-Salman, which engaged in open conflict between 1842 and 1846. The Al-Salman branch ultimately prevailed and maintained control of Bahrain, despite threats of occupation by external powers until 1869.

The current head of the Al Khalifa family is 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. As of 2010, roughly half of the serving cabinet ministers of Bahrain were members of the Al Khalifa family, including the country's Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who is the son of the current King.

Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa

As a member of the ruling family of Bahrain, Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa carries significant influence and plays a role in the country's governance and international relations. The House of Khalifa has been the ruling family of Bahrain since 1783, and all the Al Khalifa monarchs are descendants of Shaikh Ahmed. The family professes Sunni Islam and belongs to the Anizah tribe, which migrated from central Arabia to Kuwait and eventually settled in Bahrain.

In addition to his economic endeavours, Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa is also committed to social development. He is a member of the Governing Board at the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa. These organisations focus on fostering social progress alongside economic growth, indicating Shaikh Ahmed's recognition of the importance of a holistic approach to national development.

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Hamad was born on 28 January 1950 in Riffa, Bahrain. He attended Manama secondary school in his home country before being sent to England to attend Applegarth College in Godalming, Surrey, and The Leys School in Cambridge. Hamad then underwent military training with the British Army at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, Hampshire, graduating in September 1968. In 1972, he attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, graduating with a degree in leadership.

Hamad was designated as heir apparent by his father, Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, on 27 June 1964. In 1968, he was appointed chairman of the irrigation council and Manama municipal council. He was commissioned into the Bahrain National Guard on 16 February 1968 and appointed its commander the same year. In 1969, he became commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force. In 1970, Hamad became the head of the Bahraini department of defence and vice-chairman of the administrative council, remaining in both offices until 1971. From 1971 to 1988, he served as the minister of state for defence.

Hamad became the Emir of Bahrain on 6 March 1999, following his father's death. As Emir, he brought about several political reforms, 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 allowed to return home after years in exile.

Hamad proclaimed himself King of Bahrain in 2002. He enjoys wide executive powers, including appointing the prime minister and ministers, commanding the army, chairing the Higher Judicial Council, appointing the parliament's upper half, and dissolving its elected lower half.

During his reign, Hamad has focused on improving living standards and developing Bahrain as a financial hub. However, his government has faced accusations of corruption, discrimination, and recruiting foreigners into military services. While Hamad's reign has seen the admittance of Shi'ites into government positions, there have been calls for a more equitable distribution of roles.

In 2011, Bahrain was rocked by protests inspired by the Arab Spring. Hamad's government responded with a brutal crackdown, leading to violations of human rights and calls for Hamad to step down. During the peak of the uprising, Hamad declared a State of National Safety and invited troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to enter Bahrain, a move that was strongly opposed by opposition parties.

In June 2011, Hamad commissioned the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the events surrounding the unrest. The move was praised by the international community, and the commission's findings led to the implementation of some reforms. However, critics argue that these reforms have been piecemeal and insufficient.

Hamad has received numerous honours from various countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia. He has four wives and twelve children.

Al Khalifa rulers of Bahrain

The Al Khalifa family is the ruling family of the Kingdom of Bahrain. They are Sunni Muslims and belong to the Anizah tribe. The Al Khalifa family first settled in Zubarah, Qatar, and ruled over it before settling in Bahrain in the early 17th century.

The Al Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain since 1783, when Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Khalifa, also known as Shaykh Ahmad bin Khalifa, defeated Nasr Al-Madhkur, who ruled Bahrain as a dependency of Persia. Ahmed ruled Bahrain as hakim until his death in 1796, after which his two sons, Salman and Abdulla, moved to Bahrain and co-ruled it as feudal estates. Salman settled in Bahrain Island, and Abdulla in Muharraq Island, each ruling independently.

The Al Khalifa family soon split into two branches: Al-Abdulla and Al-Salman, which engaged in open conflict between 1842 and 1846. The Al-Salman branch ultimately prevailed and enjoyed complete rule over Bahrain. During this time, Bahrain was under constant threat of occupation by external powers, including the Wahhabis, Omanis, Ottomans, Egyptians, and Persians. Despite these challenges, the Al Khalifa family managed to maintain control over Bahrain.

In 1869, British forces intervened to end the fighting between the two branches of the Al Khalifa family and appointed Shaykh Isa bin Ali, a great-grandson of Salman, as the ruler of Bahrain. Treaties in 1880 and 1892 confirmed Isa's undisputed position. The Al Khalifa family continued to face challenges and threats to their rule, but they managed to maintain control with the support of British forces and the revenues from oil.

In 1999, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa became the Emir of Bahrain and proclaimed himself King in 2002, becoming a constitutional monarch. King Hamad has implemented various political reforms, including the release of political prisoners and the abolition of the State Security Court. He has also focused on improving living standards and making Bahrain a financial hub. However, his reign has also been marked by protests and accusations of corruption and discrimination.

The Al Khalifa family continues to hold significant influence in Bahrain, with many members occupying important positions in the government and various ministries.

The Al Khalifa family and human rights abuses

The Al Khalifa family has been ruling Bahrain since 1783. 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. The Al Khalifa family has been accused of human rights abuses, including the violent suppression of an uprising in 2011, in which demonstrators called for political equality for the country's Shia majority and an end to the monarchy. Hundreds of people were imprisoned and allegedly tortured after the 2011 protests.

The Al Khalifa family has also been accused of sectarian discrimination, with the Shia majority in Bahrain alleging that the Sunni Al Khalifa failed to gain legitimacy and established a system of "political apartheid based on racial, sectarian, and tribal discrimination". Shia Muslims in Bahrain have faced marginalization, torture, forced disappearances, and the destruction of dozens of long-standing Shia mosques.

Additionally, there have been allegations of the Al Khalifa family's involvement in the crackdown on dissidents since the Arab Spring in Bahrain. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, a member of the Al Khalifa family, has been accused of heading a committee that identified international Bahraini athletes involved in the 2011 uprising. These athletes were imprisoned and allegedly tortured.

The Al Khalifa family's human rights abuses also extend to the media, with a female journalist, Eman Salehi, allegedly murdered by a member of the royal family in 2016. Salehi's killing shocked the kingdom and threatened to elevate the case into the realm of politics, potentially sparking fresh protests against the monarchy.

The Al Khalifa family's control over Bahrain's government and security forces has enabled them to commit human rights abuses with impunity. The family holds a significant number of ministerial and governmental posts, including key positions in the Bahrain Defence Force. The vast majority of significant positions in the Bahrain Defence Force are held by Sunnis, contributing to the marginalization of the Shia majority.

The Al Khalifa family's human rights abuses have been widely condemned by international organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, and have led to calls for reform and accountability.

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