He has been compared to Aladdin, but Hamdan ibn Mohammed al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, is far from poor, unlike his fairy-tale “prototype.” He is modest, smart, kind, well-mannered, writes poetry, does charity work and loves extreme sports, on top of that he is also incredibly rich. The image makers of the royal family work tirelessly to create the ideal image of an oriental prince. But is it really so ideal remains a mystery...
Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, was born on November 13, 1982. Hamdan is the second son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and his first wife Hind bint Maktoum bin Youma al Maktoum.
Hamdan belongs to the Al Maktoum family. This dynasty of sheikhs has been in power since 1833 and has ruled Dubai from 1971 to the present. Al Maktoum is also the “supplier” of the Crown Prime Ministers and Vice Presidents of the UAE.
The Al Maktoum clan comes from the Arab al-Abu Falah clan, part of the Beni Yas tribal federation, which has dominated the UAE since the mid-18th century. In 1833, the al Abu Falah clan, led by the al Maktoum family, moved to Dubai and founded an independent sheikhdom here. A distinctive feature of the rule of the al Maktoum sheikhs is the peaceful transition of power from the previous sheikh to the heir, unlike other Arab dynasties in the Persian Gulf.
Hamdan's father, Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, also known as Sheikh Mohammed, is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler (Emir) of Dubai. In addition, since 1971 he has served as the UAE Minister of Defense. According to Forbes in 2013, his fortune, much of which depends on the price of oil and investments in various sectors of the global economy, is estimated at $39.5 billion.
Sheikh Mohammed is also known for his generosity and love of racing. On October 25, 2006, he gave Michael Schumacher the island of Antarctica in the area of the artificial archipelago The World, worth $7 million.
Hamdan's mother, Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma al Maktoum, is the first wife of Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. She married the sheikh in 1979, when she was 17 years old and Mohammed was 30. Sheikha Hind graduated from high school in Dubai, but due to her early marriage she never received a higher education. Nevertheless, those close to her characterize her as a very well-read and wise person who is aware of all events. Sheikha Hind is not a public person and does not attend events where men participate. She strictly observes local traditions and culture, but nevertheless actively works to expand opportunities for the participation of UAE women in the social, cultural, economic and political life of the country. There is no publicly confirmed photograph of Sheikha Hind, and she never accompanies her husband to business events, unlike his other wife, Princess Haya bint al Hussein.
Prince Hamdan's upbringing, despite his untold wealth and luxury, was carried out in the spirit of traditional values of the Arab world. “My father, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is my mentor in life. I always continue to learn from him, and his experience helps me in solving many strategic issues. My mother, Sheikha Hind, is a true example of a loving and caring mother. She raised me in an atmosphere of absolute love and affection and still supports me even though I have grown up. I have great respect for her and believe that any society that does not value mothers is dishonest and worthless,” says the prince about his upbringing.
Hamdan received his primary education at a private school named after Sheikh Rashid. After graduating, he entered the Faculty of Administration at the Dubai Government School. Then he continued his studies in Great Britain at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where the heirs to the British throne, Harry and William, also studied. In his interview with Vision magazine, the prince noted that studying at Sandhurst developed in him self-discipline, responsibility, dedication and the ability to work in a team. After the academy, he graduated from the London School of Economics.
In September 2006, Hamdan was appointed Chairman of the City of Dubai Executive Council.
On February 1, 2008, Hamdan became Crown Prince of Dubai following the abdication of his older brother Rashid bin Mohammed. It is worth noting that one of the characteristics of the Bedouins who founded the monarchies in the Middle East is their “unsettled” succession to the throne. That is, the next heir to the throne is not necessarily the eldest son. Here everything depends on the will of the ruling sheikh.
As the new crown prince, he was appointed to a number of key positions, such as head of the hedge fund HN Capital LLP and president of the new university named after him. He also held positions as head of the Young Entrepreneurs Support League, the Dubai Emirate Sports Committee and the Dubai Autism Research Center. The Dubai Marathon is under his patronage.
Hamdan can often be seen at various conventions and summits, where he stands out from the crowd thanks to his national outfit - kandura and arafat, which are always worn by members of the UAE royal family at official events.
There is not much public information about Hamdan’s older brother, Rashid ibn Mohammed, who was excommunicated from the throne. This is partly due to his tense relationship with his father. The damaged reputation of the eldest son led to his father excommunicating him from the throne and prohibiting him from engaging in any government activities. Rashid fell out of favor because of his excessive love for sports... Everything would have been fine if this passion had not resulted in the use of steroids and then drugs. In 2011, the English newspaper The Telegraph published an article saying that the eldest son of Sheikh Mohammed underwent treatment for drug addiction in one of the English clinics. At one time, Wikileaks shared even more terrifying information about Rashid. The site reported that Rashid bin Mohammed, possibly under the influence of drugs, killed his father's assistant at the Royal Office in Dubai. More detailed details of the murder were not indicated in the portal’s report, which raised a number of doubts about the reliability of this information.
Prince Hamdan leads an active lifestyle, his list of hobbies is huge - skydiving, diving, fishing, falconry, snowboarding, cycling and much more. In his free time, he writes poetry under the pseudonym Fazza, which he devotes, among other things, to his homeland and family.
About the appearance of his pseudonym, the sheikh tells a story about an old man in the desert, who nicknamed him Fazza. “If I told you that the nickname came about by accident, you wouldn’t believe me,” says Sheikh Hamdan. “Once fate brought me together in the desert with an old man, his car got stuck in the sand. At that moment I was driving my hunting falcon through the desert, trying to teach it calmness while driving at high speed between the sand dunes. Seeing him, I stopped to fulfill my duty and help the man in trouble. We pulled the car out of the sand, and I got into my car without waiting for words of gratitude. And then I heard a strong and decisive voice directed in my direction, which said: “You are Fazzaa.” This voice had a strong effect on me, but what I remember even more was his manner of speech and the way he pronounced the word “Fazzaa”. The nickname remained in my memory, and a little later it became my middle name. By the way, this old man didn’t know who I was, and I don’t know who he is, I only remember his image. "Fazzaa" translated from Arabic is a person who helps all those who are in trouble.
…My poetry can fill people’s hearts with happiness and help alleviate their suffering,” Hamdan says about his passion. - I had the chance to meet many poets who helped me identify and develop my own style. From an early age, my father listened to my poems and gently advised me in what direction to move forward.” Hamdan's poems are mostly romantic and patriotic and, of course, many are dedicated to his main hobby - horses.
The prince's special passion, as befits Arab sheikhs, is thoroughbred stallions and equestrian sports. His Highness has several awards from prestigious competitions, including the gold medal of the World Equestrian Games held in France in 2014.
The list of Hamdan's victories is endless. The prince's main achievements are team gold at the 2006 Asian Summer Games and a gold medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy (160 km), which he won in August last year on the purebred Arabian mare Yamaha (which translates from Arabic as “small”) dove"). “The route was unusually difficult technically,” says the prince. “In addition, it was aggravated by the weather and high humidity. It was necessary to ensure that the horse was well protected from the weather at all times. It’s not surprising that the number of those who were able to simply finish was small for a championship of this level.” 165 athletes from 47 countries took part in the tournament. At first, the team from the UAE took the lead, but by the end of the third lap, only one representative of this team remained on the route - Sheikh Hamdan. Many of the tournament's competitors were injured along the course, and a Costa Rican rider's horse tragically died on the route after colliding with a tree. So this victory was indeed not easy for the prince and once again confirmed his high level of sports.
The prince himself has repeatedly said that he was born into a family where they adore horses, and riding gives him a sense of freedom. Among other things, the sheikh has several camels, on one of which he spent almost three million dollars, expensive cars and his own yacht. And Hamdan got himself a pair of white tigers and two albino lions as pets.
Sheikh Hamdan, as is typical for a royal person, devotes a lot of time to charity, providing assistance to the disabled and sick children, purchasing medical equipment.
Netizens sometimes compare the Dubai prince with Disney's Aladdin, the hero of the Arabian Nights fairy tales. They also notice his resemblance to actor Eric Bana (Australian actor, starred in films such as “Hulk”, “Troy”, “Star Trek”. - Approx. ed.). Almost two million users subscribe to Hamdan’s Instagram page.
Unlike his famous European “colleagues,” very little is known about Hamdan’s personal life, and what is known is only rumors and guesses. One thing is for sure - the image makers of the royal court are constantly working to ensure that the image of the sheikh is impeccable. He often takes pictures with children and animals, demonstrates his varied hobbies and looks very charming and kind. Which undoubtedly plays a positive role in creating the image of a prince “close to the people.”
His relationships with women in the UAE are talked about only in whispers. But even among the whispers, very piquant rumors slip through. Thus, some “well-wishers” explain Hamdan’s bachelor status by the fact that he is a representative of a non-traditional orientation. However, answering the question about his possible marriage, the prince says that since birth he has been engaged to a maternal relative, Sheikha bin Thani bin Said al Maktoum, so there are no problems with choosing a bride - everything was decided long before. how he even entered conscious age.
However, from 2008 to 2013, he was in close contact with another distant relative, whose name is unknown. But this relationship also ended in January 2013. The arranged marriage was immediately called off for reasons that were not made public. Already in the summer of 2014, the prince met a new love. Hamdan fell in love so much that he very soon announced his engagement. His chosen one was Kalila Said, a 23-year-old refugee from Palestine who grew up in the slums of an Arab metropolis. The young people met while working on a charity project in one of the disadvantaged areas of the capital. The girl cannot be called a gold digger: the prince had to seek her attention for more than three months before she agreed to go on a date, but soon the couple became inseparable. According to rumors circulating in the country, Sheikh Mohammed was not very happy with the choice of the prince and even threatened to disinherit his son, but to no avail. The young man chose love, as a result of which the father reconsidered his position, resigned himself and, it seems, even gave the couple his blessing.
However, Hamdan’s fans should not despair: in the UAE, the sheikh has the right to have as many wives as he wishes. By the way, Hamdan’s brother, Prince Said al Maktoum, also married a girl of low origin, Azerbaijani Natalya Aliyeva. She worked as a waiter in Belarus (where they met), and in the UAE she became Princess Aisha al Maktoum.
Despite his fame and billion-dollar fortune (according to Forbes in 2011 - $18 billion), the prince tries to behave very reservedly in public. “The fact that I am the son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid does not give me an absolute right to refuse my duties,” says Hamdan. “On the contrary, I feel that my brothers and I have an obligation to be more responsible and should take every job as seriously as possible.”
Princess Amira is the wife of Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. She is vice-chairman of the board of trustees of the Al-Waleed bin Talal Foundation, an international non-profit organization supporting programs and projects to combat poverty, disaster relief, women's rights and interfaith dialogue. The princess is also on the board of trustees of Silatech, an international organization for youth employment.
Princess Amira is a graduate of the University of New Haven (USA) with a degree in business administration.
She defends women's rights, incl. and the right to drive, obtain education, and obtain employment without having to seek permission from a male relative. Amira herself has an international driver's license and drives herself on all trips abroad.
Known for her impeccable dress sense, Amira is the first Saudi princess to refuse to wear the traditional abaya in public like other women in the kingdom.
2. Rania Al-Abdullah (Queen of Jordan)
Rania showed herself to be very ambitious when she was rejected for a senior position at Apple Jordan (she was 22 years old at the time), slammed the door and headed to Citibank Amman, owned by King Abdullah's sister and brother-in-law. It was in the bank office in the spring of 1993 that the girl and the prince exchanged glances for the first time. It didn't take them long to fall madly in love with each other, and the couple celebrated their wedding on June 10, 1993.
The girl received her education in foreign educational institutions: she studied at the New English School in Kuwait, then received a degree in business administration at the American University in Cairo in Egypt. She never wore a headscarf. And he is unlikely to wear it in the future.
By the way, she was born in 1970.
www.queenrania.jo is her website, where she independently responds to visitors every day.
Her Royal Highness Haya bint Al Hussein, Princess of Jordan and Sheikha of the Emirate of Dubai. Younger wife of the Emir of Dubai, loving mother of a 4-year-old daughter, President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), patroness of the World Sports Academy, UN Ambassador of Peace, charming woman, President of the Dubai Health Service.
Princess Haya bint Al Hussein was born on May 3, 1974, to King Hussein I of Jordan. Her mother, Queen Alia, tragically died in a helicopter crash in February 1977, leaving three young children orphaned.
Haya received an excellent European education: she studied in England, where she attended Badminton School for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School in Dorset, and then St Hilda's College at the University of Oxford, from which she graduated with an honors degree in philosophy, politics and economics.
On April 10, 2004, Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, whose fortune is estimated at $20 billion.
4. Princess Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned (Qatar)
Sheikha Moza Nasser breaks all stereotypes about eastern wives, she is the second of the three wives of the Sheikh Emir of the State of Qatar and the daughter of the famous Nasser Abdullah All-Misned.
In 1986, Sheikha entered the National University of Qatar and after some time successfully graduated with a degree in Sociology.
Sheikha holds some international and Qatari posts:
- Chairman of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development;
- President of the Supreme Council of Family Issues;
- Vice President of the Supreme Council for Education;
- UNESCO Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education.
Besides!!! She has seven children: five sons and two daughters.
And again besides that!!! She topped Vanity Fair's "best dressed women" list for the second time.
5. Princess Akishino Mako (Japan)
On October 23, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akishino Mako, eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, celebrated her 20th birthday. According to Japanese law, the princess becomes an adult.
Princess Mako is currently a 3rd grade student at Gakushuin Girls' Senior High School in Tokyo.
Princess Mako has been something of an internet idol since 2004, when she was shown on television wearing a Japanese school uniform as a sailor suit. An image bank was established and a video featuring Princess Mako fanart (with music by IOSYS) was uploaded to the popular video archive website Nico_Nico_Douga, attracting over 340,000 views and 86,000 comments. The Imperial Household Affairs Office, responding to a request for comment, said it was not sure how to handle the matter as it saw no evidence of slander or insults against the Imperial Family.
6. Crown Princess of Brunei - Sarah
Sarah Saleh is a commoner. Before meeting the heir, the girl studied mathematics, biology and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. The smart and charming wife of Crown Prince Al-Muhtadi Bill and mother of Prince Abdul Muntaqim. The Crown Princess is an excellent role model for Brunei youth and is the most popular member of the Sultan of Brunei's family.
By the way, at the wedding she had a bouquet made of gold and diamonds:
7. Lalla Salma (Morocco). Princess engineer :)
She attended a private school in Rabat and then graduated from the Hassan II Lyceum with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. For two years the girl attended preparatory courses at the Lyceum. Moulay Yossefa, and in 2000 she graduated from the Higher School of Informatics and Systems Analysis, after which she interned at the largest private corporation in Morocco - Omnium North Africa (in which the royal family has a 20 percent stake). Six months later, Lalla received the position of information systems engineer.
Morocco's King Mohammed VI became the first monarch in his country's history to break with long-standing tradition and publicly announce his desire to marry twenty-four-year-old Lalla Salma Bennani, a computer engineer. For centuries, Moroccan kings, including the father of the groom, King Hassan II, hid the fact of their marriage and
often even the name of his chosen one. This information was considered a state secret, and queens never played a significant role in governing the country.
From the very beginning, Lalla Salma established certain rules and, making sure that the king was ready to accept them, agreed to his advances. One of the main conditions was monogamous marriage.
Bennani, like Queen Rania of Jordan and Prince William's fiancée Kate Middleton, has quickly become a trendsetter in her country. As soon as the engagement was announced, Moroccan women began to dye their hair red.
In a survey of readers of Hola! Princess Lalla Salma took first place as "the most elegant guest at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge" thanks to her national dress - the kaftan.
8. Princess Sirivannavari (Thailand)
Sirivannavari, the granddaughter of the current ninth king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, appears more often than any other member of the royal family at social events and meetings at the highest level, thereby performing representative functions for all of her many relatives.
The main passion of the 24-year-old Thai princess is fashion design. Collections under the Princess Sirivannavari brand are now successfully traded not only in Bangkok, but also in Paris, Milan and New York.
The modest personal fortune of the heir to the throne of Thailand is almost $35 billion.
9. Princess Ashi Jetsun Pema (since October 13, 2011 Queen of Bhutan)
The new queen is the daughter of a civil aviation pilot. Her mother is a distant relative of the Bhutanese royal family. The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, married a girl from a simple family, 21-year-old student Jetsun Pema.
She was educated in India and is now studying at a university in the UK. Obviously, the girl will be a diplomat, since she is getting a profession in international relations.
Being one of 13 children, and not the eldest, on February 1, 2008 Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum was nevertheless announced Crown Prince of Dubai. The devilishly attractive prince instantly became the object of media attention, and his personal Instagram has not thousands, but millions of subscribers. So who is he, the chosen one of fate?
Hamdan is 34 years old today, and his life is definitely not boring and far from idle. In addition to the official positions that a newly-crowned crown prince is entitled to (chairman of the Executive Council of the City of Dubai, head of the hedge fund HN Capital LLP, head of the Young Entrepreneurs Support League and president of the university), Hamdan has many hobbies to which he devotes his free time.
The Crown Prince manages to practice falconry, cycling, attends horse racing, diving, skydiving, and even writes poetry under the pseudonym Fazza. And at home, on his magnificent estate, the prince is waiting not only for his family, but also for his exotic pets, including camels, white tigers and lions. Hamdan also owns several thoroughbred stallions that regularly win races.
Of course, the Crown Prince is no stranger to the desire for luxury - he often travels to incredibly beautiful places on the planet, stays only in the best hotels, and also travels on his own yacht or in one of his many expensive cars. Not only is the prince fabulously rich, he is also very attractive and is still unmarried, which makes him one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet. Moreover, Hamdan is known for his excellent education and desire to help those in need - the prince devotes a lot of time to charity, helping sick children, the disabled and sponsoring hospitals.
Some consider him handsome and an athlete, and some consider him crazy. After watching one video from his Instagram, I was very surprised - how can the heir risk himself like that? However, he does this all the time.
He is only one of thirteen children and not the oldest, but in early February 2008 he was announced as the Prince of Dubai. His name is Hamdan ibn Mohammed Al Maktoum. Athlete, poet and just an extreme sports enthusiast. He has 4.6 million subscribers on Instagram. Some consider him a darling of fate, and some envy him.
In general, I became interested in his personality after flying on such a device. It's called "Jetman" and is the brainchild of a Swiss pilot-inventor.
Here's a video of Hamdan flying around the city on a jet wing.
Today he is 34 years old and he definitely has a fun life. He has official positions such as chairman of the Dubai City Executive Council, head of the hedge fund HN Capital LLP, and president of the newest university named after him - Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University.
The prince has many hobbies. It's enough for everything at once. If you look at his photos, you can see that he loves to skydive, hunt with a falcon and even dive with a spear gun. He has exotic animals at home. In the photo you can see white tigers, lions and camels. He is also a horse breeder and owns breeding stallions that often win races.
Quadcopter and sports car racing.
It seems that extreme sports is his main hobby.
Luxury is only a small part of his life. Hamdan travels constantly and sometimes on his yacht. Stays in the best hotels and goes to the most colorful places on the planet.
His passion for photography attracts a huge audience.
Everything you need for a good photo:
- Good topic
- Good lens
- And a little patience
With friends
The prince is incredibly rich, and still does not have a wife. In general, all aspects of the royal family's private life are hidden from the general public.
On falconry.
The prince's favorite brand is Mercedes-Benz G-Class
In such a car he moves across the sands
Hamdan himself is well educated, because... studied first at the Dubai Government School, and later in the UK at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
However, he constantly participates in charity events and tries to help those in need.
He sponsors hospitals and helps disabled people and sick children.
On a water hoverboard
With animals
Guest
In addition to beautiful cars, the prince also prefers to ride horses.
This is probably one of the most popular photos.
In training
There are a lot of photographs from spearfishing.
Hunting takes place with the help of an underwater gun.
Sometimes I consider him similar to the actor Eric Bana, known for the films: Black Hawk, Hulk, Troy.
Instagram Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
Hundreds of people die every day in hot spots in the Middle East, but it so happens that the recent death of just one person from the region has attracted the attention of the world's media. One of the richest Arab noble families is experiencing grief - Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum died untimely. He was the eldest in the family of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the second most important and influential person in the political hierarchy of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum serves as the Emir of Dubai and is also the Prime Minister, Vice President and Minister of Defense of the UAE. His eldest son Rashid was only 33 years old - he did not live to see his 34th birthday for a month and a half. Rashid’s younger brother Hamdan al-Maktoum wrote on his social media page: “Today I lost my best friend and childhood companion, dear brother Rashid. We will miss you." World media reported that Rashid died of a heart attack. Of course, thirty-four is not the age to die. But, no matter how sad it is, all people are mortal and it happens suddenly and prematurely. But the death of Sheikh Rashid attracted the attention of the world community not by chance. However, first things first.
Lords of Dubai
The al-Maktoum dynasty is one of the most influential noble Bedouin families on the Persian Gulf coast. The Maktoums come from the powerful Arab clan al-Abu Falah (al-Falahi), which, in turn, belongs to the Beni Yas tribal federation, which has dominated the territory of the modern United Arab Emirates since the mid-18th century. In the 19th century, the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf increasingly attracted the attention of Great Britain, which sought to strengthen its military and trading positions in the southern seas. The growing British presence in the Persian Gulf hampered Arab maritime trade, but local sheikhdoms and emirates were not able to interfere with the largest maritime power. Back in 1820, the British East India Company forced the rulers of seven Arab emirates to sign the “General Treaty”, as a result of which the territory of Oman was divided into the Imamate of Oman, the Sultanate of Muscat and the Pirate Coast. British military bases were located here, and the emirs were made dependent on the British political agent. In 1833, the al-Abu Falah clan migrated from the territory of modern Saudi Arabia to the coast, to which the Maktoum family seized power in the city of Dubai and proclaimed the creation of the independent emirate of Dubai. Access to the sea ensured the economic development of Dubai, which became one of the important ports on the Persian Gulf coast. At the end of the 19th century, British diplomats managed to achieve the conclusion of an “Exceptional Agreement” between the sheikhs of Treaty Oman, as the territory of the modern UAE was previously called, with Great Britain. It was signed in March 1892. Among the sheikhs who signed the agreement was the then ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Maktoum (1886-1894). From the moment the “Exceptional Agreement” was signed, a British protectorate was established over Trucial Oman. Sheikhs, including representatives of the al-Maktoum dynasty, were deprived of the right to conduct international negotiations and enter into agreements with other states, to cede, sell or lease parts of the territories under their control to other states or foreign companies.
First half of the twentieth century. became a turning point for the Persian Gulf emirates, which predetermined the fundamental changes that subsequently occurred in their lives. The once backward desert lands, with a small population loyal to the traditional way of life and customs, received a tremendous impetus for development - huge oil reserves were discovered in the Persian Gulf. Naturally, this immediately attracted the attention of the British authorities, who established control over the granting of permits by the sheikhs for exploration and exploitation of oil fields in the region. However, until the 1950s. There was virtually no oil production in the region, and the Arab Emirates continued to receive most of its income from the pearl trade. But after the oil fields began to be exploited, the standard of living in the emirates began to rise rapidly. The well-being of the sheikhs themselves, who gradually turned into some of the richest inhabitants of the planet, also increased many times over. Unlike many other states of the Arab East, there was practically no national liberation struggle in the emirates of the Persian Gulf. The sheikhs were already pleased with their growing prosperity, especially since they had the opportunity to educate their offspring in Great Britain and purchase real estate there. In 1968, Great Britain, however, decided to gradually withdraw British military units from the Persian Gulf countries. The sheikhs and emirs decided to create the Federation of Arab Emirates of the Persian Gulf. On February 18, 1968, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, and the Sheikh of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum, met and agreed to create the federation of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On December 2, 1971, the emirs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were joined by the rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm al-Quwain, who signed the constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai became the second most important emirate, and therefore its rulers secured the second most important positions in the country. From 1971 to 1990 The emirate was ruled by Rashid ibn Said, under whom the rapid development of Dubai's economy took place. The city began to be built up with modern skyscrapers, the World Trade Center was founded, and work began on clearing coastal waters and developing a seaport. Dubai has transformed from an archaic Arab town into an ultra-modern city, the infrastructure of which was beyond the ability of its indigenous residents to maintain. Therefore, Dubai was flooded with foreign labor migrants - people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the countries of North and North-East Africa. They are currently the main “working link” of the population of both Dubai and other parts of the UAE. After Sheikh Rashid ibn Said died in October 1990, his eldest son Maktoum ibn Rashid al-Maktoum (1943-2006) was proclaimed the new emir of Dubai, who ruled for 16 years.
Currently, the Emir of Dubai is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was born in 1949, educated in London, and after the declaration of independence of Dubai, he was appointed chief of police of the emirate and commander of the defense forces. In 1995, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid appointed his younger brother Mohammed bin Rashid as Crown Prince of Dubai. At the same time, Mohammed began to exercise actual leadership of the city of Dubai itself, making a great contribution to its economic development. One of the merits of Mohammed ibn Rashid is the development of air traffic in Dubai. In the 1970s Sheikh Mohammed, who then headed the Dubai Defense Forces and the UAE Ministry of Defense, was also responsible for the development of the country's civil aviation. It was with his direct participation that Dubai airlines were created, including FlyDubai. Mohammed also came up with the idea of building the world's largest hotel, Burj Al Arab, which is part of the Jumeirah tourism group, which in turn is a component of the Emirati holding Dubai Holding. Currently, Emirati civil aviation provides air transportation all over the world, but primarily to Arab countries and South Asian countries. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed, in 1999, the creation of Dubai Internet City was carried out - a free economic zone on the territory of the emirate. That is, the contribution of the current ruler to the development of his country is very significant, although the emir also never forgot about his own well-being. After Sheikh Maktoum ibn Rashid died during a visit to Australia in 2006, Mohammed inherited the emir's throne of Dubai. He accordingly proclaimed his eldest son Rashid as heir to the throne.
Sheikh Rashid - from succession to the throne to disgrace
Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum was born on November 12, 1981 to Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum and his first wife Hind bint Maktoum bin Yuma al-Maktoum, with whom Mohammed ibn Rashid married in 1979. Childhood Rashid took place in the rich emir's palace, then at the elite school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid in Dubai. In this school, education is based on British standards - after all, the elite of the Emirates then send their offspring to receive higher education in the UK. As a rule, the children of sheikhs receive a military education, since for a real Bedouin only military service is considered worthy. The hero of our article was no exception. Prince Rashid was sent to study at the renowned Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where the sons of many high-ranking persons from Asian and African states that were once British colonies and protectorates study. In particular, the current Emir of Qatar, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Bahrain and the Sultan of Brunei studied at Sandhurst.
After returning to his homeland, Rashid gradually learned the duties of the emir, as his father groomed him for the role of heir and intended to eventually transfer to him the responsibilities of the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister of the UAE. It seemed that the future of young Rashid was predetermined - it was he who would succeed his father Mohammed on the throne of the ruler of Dubai. Naturally, the attention of the world secular press was also focused on one of the richest and most famous young people on the planet. But just over seven years ago, the situation changed dramatically for Rashid. On February 1, 2008, Sheikh Mohammed appointed his second son, Hamdan bin Mohammed, as Crown Prince of Dubai. Another son, Maktoum ibn Mohammed, was appointed to the post of deputy ruler of Dubai. The eldest son, Rashid ibn Mohammed, officially announced his abdication of the throne. Moreover, he did not receive a single important post in the management system of the emirate of Dubai - neither in the army, nor in the police, nor in civilian structures. Moreover, Rashid practically stopped appearing with his father in front of television cameras, but his brother Hamdan increasingly became the hero of television stories and newspaper publications. This indicated real disgrace, into which, for some reason, yesterday’s heir to the emir’s throne, Rashid, fell. Journalists around the world began to wonder what caused Sheikh Mohammed's sudden decision to remove his eldest son from the role of heir to the throne.
When the WikiLeaks documents were published, among them was a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he informed his leadership about the changes that had occurred in the order of succession to the emir's throne. According to Williams, the reason for Sheikh Rashid's disgrace was the crime he committed - the emir's eldest son allegedly killed one of the servants in the emir's palace. Father Sheikh Mohammed for this reason became very angry with his son and removed him from inheriting the throne. Of course, criminal prosecution of Sheikh Rashid never came, but he was removed from leadership positions in the emirate. Let us note once again that this is unconfirmed information, so there is no reason to unconditionally believe it, but we cannot exclude the fact that the everyday behavior of the heir to the throne could serve as one of the reasons for the deterioration of his relationship with his father and, as a result, disgrace and exclusion from inheriting the throne . 
The media did a lot of work to promote his younger brother Hamdan. Hamdan was reported to be a very athletic person, a diver and a lover of skydiving. In addition, Hamdan loves animals and keeps lions and white tigers in his personal zoo, and loves falconry. He is a rider and an excellent driver, a yachtsman and even a poet who writes his poems under the pseudonym Fazza. Hamdan is positioned as a philanthropist who organizes donations to the disabled, sick children and the poor. Naturally, the secular press immediately dubbed Hamdan one of the most eligible bachelors of the modern world. However, there were very good reasons for this - Hamdan is truly a fabulously rich man, his fortune reaches 18 billion dollars (this is 9 times more than the fortune of his late older brother Rashid). Apparently, Hamdan has a calmer disposition than his older brother - at least, no scandals involving him are known. Obviously, this circumstance influenced Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to make Hamdan heir.
What happened to Sheikh Rashid?
After disgrace, Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed completely entered the world of sports and other entertainment. We must give him his due - as a rider he was really quite good. The Al Maktoum family has traditionally had a keen interest in equestrian sports, and Rashid owned the Zabeel Racing International corporation. But he acted not only as the organizer of the races, but also as their direct participant. Rashid had 428 medals won in various competitions in the emirates and other countries. He received two gold medals at the Asian Games, held in 2006 in Doha - while Rashid was heir to the throne. In 2008-2010 Rashid headed the Olympic Committee of the United Arab Emirates, but then left this position. He explained his resignation from the post of president of the committee by the lack of free time and the associated impossibility of fully fulfilling the duties of the head of this structure. In 2011, public attention was focused on another scandal related to the behavior of members of the emir's family. As you know, sheikhs have real estate not only in the emirates, but also abroad, including in the UK. This property is serviced by hired personnel, among whom are not only UAE citizens, but also workers from other countries. One of the UK courts received a lawsuit from an African named Olantunji Faleye. Mr. Faleye, an Anglican by religion, worked for some time at the British residence of the al-Maktoum family. He told the court that family members called him "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", made contemptuous comments about Faleye's race, also made insulting comments about Christianity and tried to persuade the worker to convert to Islam. Faleye considered this to be racial and religious discrimination, and therefore appealed to the UK judicial authorities. Another former employee of the emir's residence named Ejil Mohammed Ali testified as a witness at the court hearings, who, under oath, told the court that Sheikh Rashid allegedly suffered from drug addiction and had recently (at the time of the trial) undergone a rehabilitation course for the consequences of drug abuse. It is likely that Rashid's dependence, if it existed, could also be one of the reasons why Sheikh Mohammed excluded his eldest son from inheritance.
If the rumors about addiction are true, then death at 33 from a heart attack can be easily explained. Indeed, under the wording “heart attack” in this case, either an ordinary overdose or an actual failure of the heart as a result of many years of drug use could be hidden. But everything turned out to be even more confusing. Almost immediately after the death of Sheikh Rashid, the Iranian media (and Iran, as you know, is the main opponent of Saudi Arabia and its ally the UAE in the Islamic world and the Middle East) reported that the prince did not die of a heart attack. He died in Yemen - in the province of Marib, in the central part of the country. Allegedly, Rashid and the officers and soldiers of the United Arab Emirates army accompanying him came under fire from the rocket artillery of the Houthis - Yemeni rebels fighting against supporters of the ousted President Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some others acting on their side states of the region. After the news of Rashid’s death, the UAE authorities chose to hide this fact from the country’s population. Apparently, the report of death from a heart attack, which caused a lot of misinterpretation and speculation, including attributing the death to the consequences of drug use, still seemed more acceptable to the Dubai authorities than the statement about Rashid’s death in battle. It would seem that the heroic death of the young sheikh would only raise the authority of the emir's family, but in reality everything is not so simple. The UAE authorities, like other Gulf states, are very wary of popular unrest.
The Emirates is a country of rich natives and poor migrants
The socio-economic situation of these states, despite the untold oil wealth, is gradually deteriorating, which is associated, among other things, with the formation of an extremely polarized and explosive society. The prosperity of the UAE, like other oil-producing monarchies in the Persian Gulf, is based not only on oil production, but also on the brutal exploitation of foreign migrant workers who work in almost all sectors of the country's economy. Migrants make up at least 85-90% of the total population of the United Arab Emirates, without having any rights. All social benefits and economic wealth of the UAE are concentrated in the hands of the ruling family of sheikhs al-Maktoum and the indigenous inhabitants of the country - representatives of Arab Bedouin tribes. The indigenous population makes up only 10-15% of the total population of the UAE. It turns out that the emirates can only very conditionally be called Arab, since the vast majority of their inhabitants, albeit temporary, are not Arabs. The bulk of migrants arrive in the UAE from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. These people, coming from overpopulated countries with very high unemployment rates, are willing to work for 150-300 US dollars a month, living in poverty and subject to total police control. The majority of construction and port workers in the UAE are migrant men. Among immigrants from India, residents of the southern states predominate - primarily representatives of the Dravidian peoples of Telugu and Tamil. As for the militant Punjabis and Sikhs from Northern India, the UAE government prefers not to get involved with them, so it is extremely reluctant to grant them work permits. Among Pakistanis, the bulk of migrants are Baluchis - this ethnicity inhabits the southwest of Pakistan, which is geographically closest to the Persian Gulf. Women work in the service and healthcare sectors. Thus, 90% of nurses in UAE healthcare institutions are Filipino citizens.
Compared to Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos, people from other, poorer Arab states are very few in the UAE. It would seem that it is much easier to accept Arabs, with whom there are no linguistic and cultural barriers, than Indians or Filipinos, but the UAE government has been doing so since the 1980s. took a conscious course to limit immigration from Arab countries as much as possible. Note that the UAE does not accept Syrian refugees either. This is explained by the fact that the UAE authorities, like other Gulf monarchies, suspect the Arabs of political disloyalty. Many Arabs from poor states are carriers of radical ideologies - from fundamentalism to revolutionary socialism, which the Emirati authorities do not like very much. After all, “foreign” Arabs are capable of influencing the political views and behavior of the local Arab population. In addition, Arabs will be more confident in defending their labor rights and may demand citizenship. The authorities of the Persian Gulf countries finally decided to put an end to the issue of placing Arab immigrants after the events of 1990, when Iraq tried to annex the territory of neighboring Kuwait. Kuwait was home to a sizeable community of Palestinians who were encouraged by Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to cooperate with the Iraqi army. In addition, Saddam Hussein's policies were also supported by Arabs from other states who sympathized with the national socialist views of the Baath Party. The Kuwaiti events caused the mass deportation from the Gulf countries of more than 800 thousand people from Yemen, 350 thousand Palestinian Arabs, and many thousands of citizens of Iraq, Syria and Sudan. Note that all of the listed Arab communities are represented by people from those countries where nationalist and socialist ideas have traditionally spread, which are considered by the monarchs of the Gulf countries as dangerous threats to the political stability of the region.
Naturally, foreign migrants who do not have labor rights do not have any political rights. There are no political parties or trade unions in the UAE, and worker protests are prohibited. As the American writer and publicist Michael Davis writes, “Dubai is a huge gated community, a green zone. It is the apotheosis of the neoliberal values of late capitalism, more than Singapore or Texas; this society seems to be written within the walls of the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. And indeed, Dubai has achieved what American reactionaries can only dream of - an oasis of “free enterprise” without taxes, trade unions and political opposition” (Quoted from: The life of guest workers in the neoliberal-feudal UAE // http://ttolk.ru/ ?p=273). In fact, foreign workers are in a bonded position in the UAE, since upon arrival in the country their passports and visas are taken away, after which they are settled in guarded camps on the outskirts of Dubai and are not allowed to visit public places in the city. The labor organization system in the UAE was inherited from the colonial era - then the British colonialists also imported Indian coolies who worked for next to nothing and were in bondage to their employers. Any attempts by foreign workers to speak out in defense of their rights and interests are brutally suppressed by the emirate authorities. But even under these conditions, mass unrest periodically occurs in the country, initiated by crowds of exploited Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi workers. In 2007, a mass strike of Indian and Pakistani construction workers took place in the UAE, in which about 40 thousand migrants took part. The reason for the strike was workers' dissatisfaction with wages, working and living conditions, as well as the standard of two liters of free water per person per day. As a result of the strike, 45 Indian workers were sentenced to 6 months in prison and subsequent deportation from the UAE for endangering public safety and destroying property. However, labor conflicts are not always the cause of the unrest that is increasingly occurring in Dubai. The presence in the UAE of a huge number of young men who do not have families here and do not have regular contact with the female sex, in itself turns out to be a serious factor provoking an increase in all kinds of crimes. Thus, in October 2014, riots in Dubai were caused by clashes between Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers who fought after watching a broadcast of a football match between teams of the two countries. On March 11, 2015, construction workers working on the construction of Fountain Views, an elite residential area, protested in Dubai. They demanded higher wages. However, much more than unrest organized by migrants, the UAE authorities are afraid of discontent among the indigenous population.
After oil development began and the UAE economy began to grow at a rapid pace, the Emirati authorities sought in every possible way to improve the life of the indigenous population of the country, including in order to eliminate the possibility of anti-government protests on the part of Bedouin tribes. For citizens of the country of indigenous origin, numerous benefits were established, benefits and all kinds of cash payments were introduced. By doing this, the UAE government sought to protect the country from the spread of radical views popular in other Arab countries. However, at present, the stability gained through the ongoing social policy to support the indigenous population is under threat. And the reason for this is the country’s involvement in hostilities in Yemen.
The war in Yemen is claiming more lives of UAE citizens
Like other Gulf states, the UAE, including the emirate of Dubai, spends huge amounts of money on defense and security. The militarization of the country especially intensified after the events of the Arab Spring in 2011 and the civil wars caused by its consequences in a number of states in the Middle East and North Africa. It was the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, that made the main contribution to provoking and inciting armed conflicts in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Media owned by Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia played a major role in the “information war” against the regimes of Assad, Mubarak, Gaddafi, and Saleh. With direct financial, organizational and even personnel support from the Gulf countries, radical religious and political organizations operate in almost all countries and regions of the Islamic world - from West Africa to Central Asia, from the North Caucasus to Indonesia. However, by directly supporting radical forces, the Gulf countries also jeopardized their own security. Radical fundamentalist groups, supported by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, have long accused the monarchical elites of the Gulf countries of betraying religious ideals and adopting a Western way of life. Then, in 2011, the Arab Spring miraculously did not overwhelm the Gulf monarchies. Today, the situation has been seriously aggravated by the fact that the monarchies of the region are mired in the civil war in Yemen.
Let us recall that back in 2004, contradictions intensified in Yemen between the government and the Shiites - the Zaydis, whose movement was called “Houthis” - named after Hussein al-Houthi, the first leader of the Zaydi uprising, who was killed in September 2004. In 2011, the Houthis took part in the revolution that overthrew the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Houthis intensified their fighting in 2014 and captured the capital Sanaa in early 2015, forcing President Mansour Hadi to flee to neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis created the Revolutionary Council to govern Yemen. The President of the Revolutionary Council is Muhammad Ali al-Houthi. According to Western and Saudi politicians, the Yemeni Houthis are actively supported by Iran, as well as Lebanese Shiites from Hezbollah and the Syrian government. Fearing the transformation of populous Yemen into an outpost of Iranian influence on the Arabian Peninsula, the Arab monarchies decided to take part in the civil war in the country, supporting the ousted President Mansour Hadi. Operation Storm of Determination began on March 25, 2015 with an attack by the Saudi Arabian Air Force on Houthi positions in a number of cities in Yemen. For a long time, Saudi Arabia, which acted as the leader of the anti-Houthi coalition, and its allies did not dare to conduct a ground operation against the Houthis, limiting themselves to constant air raids on Yemeni cities and military bases. However, in the end, direct clashes could not be avoided and they immediately revealed the entire weakness of the anti-Houthi coalition. Moreover, the Houthis managed to transfer hostilities to the border areas of Saudi Arabia. On June 10, 2015, Saudi soldiers voluntarily abandoned their defensive positions in the city of Najran. This was explained not so much by the cowardice of the Saudi military, but by their reluctance to fight with the Yemenis. The fact is that the majority of privates, sergeants and junior officers of the Saudi army units are themselves Yemenis by origin and do not see the need to fight with their fellow countrymen and even fellow tribesmen. It is known that in the Gulf countries the bulk of the employed population is represented by foreign migrants. The armed forces and police are no exception, in which there are also a lot of people from other countries, including Yemen. On June 21, 2015, the Ahrar al-Najran movement - "Free Citizens of Najran" - announced the annexation of the tribes of the Saudi province of Najran to the Houthis and opposed the policies of the Saudi government. Thus, the civil war spread to the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The United Arab Emirates also became involved in the standoff in Yemen, siding with Saudi Arabia. Soon, the participation of UAE troops in ground operations entailed serious casualties. Thus, several dozen UAE military personnel were killed as a result of missile attacks by the Yemeni army on Saudi positions at the base in Wadi al-Najran, where units of the UAE contingent were stationed. On September 4, 2015, there was a new missile attack by the Yemeni army on the location of anti-Houthi coalition troops in Marib province. An explosion occurred as a result of the strike, which hit an ammunition depot. 52 soldiers of the UAE army, 10 soldiers of the Saudi Arabian army, 5 soldiers of the Bahrain army and about 30 militants of the Yemeni anti-Houthi forces were killed. The destruction of the UAE armed forces camp was the largest Houthi military action against the Saudi coalition in Yemen to date. In addition to soldiers and officers, a large amount of ammunition, armored vehicles, and Apache helicopters in service with the UAE army were destroyed during the missile attack. Among those wounded in the shelling of the UAE army camp was the son of the ruler of the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi. It appears that his injury has opened a tally of high-ranking Emirati figures who have been injured as a result of their participation in the fighting in Yemen. Later, in the Al-Safer area, the Houthis managed to shoot down an Apache helicopter belonging to the UAE armed forces with a surface-to-air missile. The UAE army personnel on board the helicopter were killed. On September 5, the UAE declared national mourning for the soldiers killed in the Wadi al-Najran camp.
Meanwhile, for the United Arab Emirates itself, getting involved in conflicts in neighboring countries is increasingly costly and affects the internal life of the state. Thus, in 2014, the UAE introduced compulsory conscription for military service for male citizens aged 18-30 years. It is provided that citizens who have a high school diploma serve 9 months, and citizens who do not have a secondary education serve 24 months. Until 2014, the UAE army was recruited exclusively on a contract basis. To serve in the UAE armed forces, Balochis from Pakistan were hired for private and sergeant positions, and Jordanian Circassians and Arabs for officer positions. In addition, the UAE army formed a battalion of 800 foreign mercenaries who had previously served in the Colombian, South African and French armies. Calling on the citizens of the Emirates who are spoiled and pampered with free education, benefits and payments is, apparently, an extreme measure. The UAE leadership does not trust foreign migrant contract workers and prefers to use representatives of the country's indigenous population. However, the latter have to fight outside the UAE - to realize the political ambitions of their leaders and within the framework of allied relations with Saudi Arabia. Naturally, the population of the UAE likes the current situation less and less. Especially after the news of the mass death of Emirati soldiers and officers in the Wadi al-Najran camp. In this situation, any informational occasion can provoke massive discontent among the country's population. Therefore, the reluctance of the UAE leadership to disclose the true causes of the death of Prince Rashid bin Mohammed al-Maktoum, if he really died in Yemen as a result of a Houthi attack, and did not die of a heart attack, is understandable.
The leadership of the Emirates fears that the death of the young prince will be perceived painfully by the indigenous population of the country - after all, many young men - citizens of the UAE - will subconsciously put themselves in the place of the deceased prince. Wealthy residents of the UAE do not at all want to die in Yemen, so it is likely that a response to the death of the prince could be mass anti-war protests and a boycott of military conscription. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that information about the death of Sheikh Rashid in Yemen, which first appeared in the Iranian media, may be a component of the information confrontation between Iran and the coalition of Gulf countries. But, whatever the true reasons for the death of the former heir to the Dubai throne, the UAE, by getting involved in large-scale hostilities in Yemen, jeopardized its own political and social stability. The monarchies of the Persian Gulf, being an instrument of the United States in realizing its own interests in the Middle East, have long functioned in the mode of “waiting for a social explosion.” Whether it will be, what it will be like and what will cause it - time will tell.
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