On April 30, 2013, the Netherlands will have a king on the throne for the first time in 120 years - until now the kingdom has been ruled by women. 45-year-old Prince Willem-Alexander will inherit from his mother not only the throne and title, but also a considerable fortune. Now Queen Beatrix ranks seventh in the ranking of the richest monarchs on the planet, compiled at the end of 2012 by the British heraldic almanac Almanach de Gotha. The amount of her fortune, depending on the principles of calculation (with or without taking into account real estate belonging to royal dynasties, family collections of antiques, etc.), ranges between $300 million and £10 billion.
1. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain
Age: 85 years
Start of reign: 1952
Net worth: £60 billion ($94.8 billion)
The traditional calculation of the British Queen's wealth does not take into account those unique objects that are perceived as state property, and gives a very modest amount of several hundred million dollars. Meanwhile, taking into account the value of Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, the palaces of St. James and Holyroodhouse, Windsor Castle and other properties owned by the royal family, as well as the royal art collection, the British monarch ranks first in the list of the richest colleagues.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain visited the hospital. Queen Elizabeth in King's Lynn, Norfolk, February 5, 2013. The hospital installed a new magnetic resonance imaging scanner. © AFP PHOTO/POOL/PAUL ROGERS
2. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia
Age: 87 years old
Year of the beginning of the reign: 2005
Net worth: £40 billion ($63.2 billion)
The basis of the Saudi king's fortune is oil, the sale of which brings this state about $1 billion per day. In addition, Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud owns a huge stable, which contains the best Arabian horses (the monarch is known as a passionate rider and the founder of an equestrian club in Riyadh), and a good garage, most of the cars in which are exclusive or antique.
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud meets with French President Francois Hollande at the Royal Palace in Jeddah on November 4, 2012. © AFP PHOTO/BERTRAND LANGLOIS
3. Emir of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan
Age: 64 years
Year of the beginning of the reign: 2004
Net worth: £30 billion ($47.4 billion)
The Sheikh of Abu Dhabi and the current President of the UAE is also rich thanks to the oil produced in his country. This is not surprising: 80% of the oil reserves of the United Arab Emirates are concentrated in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. In addition, Khalif receives a good income from investing his own funds in various sectors of the world economy.
Emir of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the opening of a container terminal at Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, December 12, 2012. © REUTERS/WAM/Handout
4. King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand
Age: 84 years
Start of reign: 1946
Net worth: £28 billion ($44.24 billion)
The Thai monarch is not just one of the richest monarchs in the world, but also one of the most thrifty: he spent a considerable part of his fortune on the development and implementation of more than 3,000 projects for the development of agricultural land in the country. However, there is nothing surprising in this: the king “concurrently” heads the Royal Thai Real Estate Agency, which owns enormous tracts of land in the country. In addition, the royal collection of precious stones is widely known throughout the world, which seriously influences the size of the monarch’s fortune.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand leaves Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, December 5, 2012. © REUTERS/Kerek Wongsa
5. Emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum
Age: 62 years
Year of the beginning of the reign: 2006
Net worth: £25 billion ($39.5 billion)
The Emir of Dubai currently also holds the post of Prime Minister of the UAE and, like the Saudi king, is known for his horses: his stable is considered one of the largest and most expensive in the world. And of course, a considerable part of his fortune comes from the oil reserves that the emirate of Dubai boasts, as well as income from investments in various sectors of the world economy.
Emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Dubai World Cup at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 31, 2012. © REUTERS/Caren Firouz
6. Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah
Age: 65 years
Year of the beginning of the reign: 1967
Net worth: £24 billion ($37.92 billion)
The most famous property of the Brunei Sultan (besides the oil produced in his country) is his collection of cars, which numbers from 3,000 to 6,000 cars, many of which were produced in extremely limited quantities or even in a single copy. The Sultan’s palace, Istana Nurul Iman (Palace of Light), with an area of over 200,000 square meters, is also famous. m, which contains 1,788 apartments and 257 bathrooms.
Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah (right) with his first wife Anak Saleh at the wedding of his daughter Princess Hafiza Sururul of Brunei, 32, who married civil servant Pengiran Haji Muhammad Ruzaini, 29, on September 19, 2012. © STR/AFP/GettyImages
7. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
Age: 74 years
Year of the beginning of the reign: 1980
Net worth: £10 billion ($15.8 billion)
Traditionally, the Queen of the Netherlands' fortune is estimated at $300 million - but this does not take into account the royal share of shares in the Royal Dutch Shell company (it is about 25%), as well as the value of the royal collections of art and jewelry. Taking into account all these riches, the total wealth of Beatrix, who recently announced her impending abdication, is 30 times larger and allows her to enter the top ten richest monarchs in the world.
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands arrived at the Theater. Beatrix in Utrecht, the Netherlands, February 1, 2013. © ROBIN UTRECHT/AFP/Getty Images
8. Emir of Kuwait Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah
Age: 82 years
Year of the beginning of the reign: 2006
Net worth: £9 billion ($14.22 billion)
Sheikh Sabah's annual "scholarship", consisting of his share of oil revenues, is $188 million, and it is these payments that form the basis of the Kuwaiti monarch's fortune. However, the emir is well aware that oil resources are finite, and therefore is already trying to prepare his country for life in the post-oil era, initiating economic reforms based on simplifying the rules for land privatization and facilitating conditions for attracting foreign investment.
Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani at Algerian airport. Houari Boumediena, January 7, 2013. © REUTERS/Louafi Larbi
9. Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani
Age: 60 years
Year of the beginning of the reign: 1995
Net worth: £7 billion ($11.06 billion)
The current emir of Qatar came to power by overthrowing his father, who imprudently went on vacation to Switzerland. Among his Middle Eastern colleagues, Hamad enjoys a reputation as a progressive leader: under him, Qatar was the first country in the region to grant women the right to vote. And the emir ensured the growth of his already considerable fortune by reforming the country’s oil and gas industry, creating ideal conditions for attracting foreign investment from the world’s largest mining companies.
10. Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said Albusaid
Age: 71 years old
Year of the beginning of the reign: 1970
Net worth: £6 billion ($9.48 billion)
The creator of the Sultanate of Oman, which arose after the unification of the Sultanate of Muscat and the Imamate of Oman, is the owner of another “oil” fortune. In addition, a significant share of Qaboos's wealth is the royal palace of Qasr al-Alam, built in 1972, overlooking the main harbor of Muscat, and several yachts (including the 155-meter Al Said, named after the owner), consolidated into a division Royal yachts of the Oman Navy.
Sultan Qaboos bin Said Albusaid of Oman at the opening of a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Doha, December 3, 2007. © REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad/Files
11. King of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifa
Age: 62 years
Year of reign: 2002
Net worth: £3.5 billion ($5.53 billion)
Another passionate lover of Arabian horses in the ranking of the richest monarchs. Created by Hamad in 1977, the Amiri stable was included in the list of the World Arabian Horse Organization a year later and is today one of the largest and most expensive in the world. The basis of the King of Bahrain's fortune is oil, like that of his other Middle Eastern colleagues, as well as income from international investments, which are managed by a special royal fund.
King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa at a meeting of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Sakhir Palace, south of Manama, December 24, 2012. © REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
12. Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Age: 67 years old
Year of the beginning of the reign: 1989
Net worth: £4 billion ($6.32 billion)
The main source of wealth for the current ruler of the small Alpine state is the family bank LGT. In addition to financial income, when calculating Hans-Adam's fortune, several 17th-century palaces in Vienna, a unique collection of works of art collected by the princely family over 400 years, as well as over 20,000 hectares of land were taken into account.
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein at the Monaco Day celebrations at the Prince's Palace in Monaco, November 19, 2012. © Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
13. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
Age: 56 years old
Year of reign: 2000
Net worth: £3 billion ($4.74 billion)
Unlike Middle Eastern monarchs, who built their fortunes on oil, their European counterparts do not have a similarly lucrative source of savings. So the Duke of Luxembourg Henri, nephew of the reigning King of Belgium Albert II, controls his fortune, which consists of bank deposits, gold reserves and real estate, as well as shares of various industrial companies. It is noteworthy that Henri spends part of his income on protecting wildlife, primarily the unique Galapagos Islands.
Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri and Marie-Therese Mestre (Grand Duchess Marie-Therese) enter the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Luxembourg before the wedding ceremony of Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and Belgian Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy. October 20, 2012, Luxembourg. © Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
14. Prince Albert II of Monaco
Age: 53 years
Year of the beginning of the reign: 2005
Net worth: £2.5 billion ($3.95 billion)
The collection of works of art collected by the princely family is the basis of the fortune of the ruling prince of Monaco. In addition to her, he owns an expensive collection of antique cars and a stamp collection and receives significant income from the casino in Monte Carlo.
Prince Albert II of Monaco at a party in West Hollywood in California, February 26, 2012. © Craig Barritt/Getty Images for TWC
15. Imam of the Ismaili-Nizaris Aga Khan IV
Age: 75 years old
Start of reign: 1957
Net worth: £2 billion ($3.16 billion)
Imam Aga Khan is the head of a huge community of Nizari Ismailis (an offshoot of the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam) living in India, Oman, Syria, Tajikistan and Zanzibar. Despite the fact that the Nizaris do not have their own state, their current head is equivalent to the monarch: since 1957, he has held the title “His Highness”, bestowed on him by Queen Elizabeth II. Aga Khan IV is the owner of a herd of purebred Arabian horses numbering 900 heads, which, coupled with a share in one of the British horse auction houses, provides him with an annual income of $300 million. To this must be added income from managing several hotels and airlines, as well as investments in the tourism business in Sardinia (it was through the efforts of the Aga Khan that the Emerald Coast of the island has turned into a fashionable recreation area since the 1960s) and shares of the largest industrial companies.
Nizari Ismaili Imam Aga Khan IV attends the Prix de Diane horse riding race, Chantilly, France, June 17, 2012. © THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/GettyImages
In the modern world, royal misalliances happen quite often, so we decided to remember the most influential, but still free royal offspring of the Middle East. After all, no one knows who you might accidentally bump into even in a crowd.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al MaktoumIn 2011, Kate Middleton's grand wedding took place, the broadcast of which was watched by 162 million viewers, mesmerized by the reality of the scenario of the fairy tale about Cinderella. And the Duchess of Cambridge, in turn, seemed to repeat the scenario of Mary Donaldson, now the Crown Princess of Denmark, whose typical, inconspicuous life changed dramatically after a chance acquaintance in Sydney with Prince Frederick. 3 years after that chance meeting, she was destined to become his bride, and then his wife.
However, not only these two ladies proved that dreams of a royal wedding in the truest sense of the word have every right to exist. Even the most titled persons sometimes choose one of the common people as their life partner. And the Middle Eastern princes and princesses, as we remember, were no exception. Take, for example, the story of the beautiful Rania, Queen of Jordan. But today we are not talking about her. After we counted all the European eligible blue-blooded bachelors, the editorial team came up with the idea to talk about princesses and princes from the Middle East, who also have not yet found their halves.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai (34)
The beloved heir to the throne of the Emirate of Dubai has many talents. He was initially educated at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England, and subsequently attended classes at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
The 34-year-old enviable prince rides horses, scuba dives and is already an almost professional parachute jumper. In addition, he even publishes poems of his own composition, imbued with patriotic and romantic sentiments.
In general, his skills and achievements can be listed endlessly, and he immediately talks about them on his Instagram. There you can also find photo evidence of how much the Crown Prince loves sports and an active lifestyle in general, which cannot but please.
Hussein ibn Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan (22)
He is the eldest child of the couple King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, by the way, one of the most beautiful royalty of our time. The prince is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, where he majored in international history.
Interestingly, last year Prince Hussein had the honor of chairing a meeting of the UN Security Council, thus becoming the youngest participant in the process in its entire history. Thus, Prince Hussein is following in his father’s footsteps, continuing his parent’s endeavors by actively participating in policies to empower youth.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar (28)
The 28-year-old heir to the throne is the 5th son of Sheikh Emir and his second wife Sheikha Moza, one of the most famous women of the East. In 2013, he received his master's degree from Harvard University. In addition to Arabic, the young man speaks fluent English and French.
In addition, Sheikh Mohammed Hamad is the former captain of the Qatar equestrian team. He also chaired the competition to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Sheikha Maita bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Princess of Dubai (36)
Maita is the half-sister of the Crown Prince, who heads our list of free royal offspring of the East. But her fiance will have to work hard to live up to her. And the point here is not at all about the social status of the bride. In addition to her important title, Sheikha is also the honorary president of the United Arab Emirates Taekwondo and Karate Federation and the president of the Women's Committee of the West Asian Karate Federation. She even led the UAE women's team in this sport, which took first place from 2003 to 2006. In addition, Sheikha Maita became the first Arab athlete to carry her country's flag at the Beijing Olympics. In 2008, Forbes magazine included the girl in the list of the 20 most famous representatives of royal dynasties.
DYNASTY OF SHEIKHS OF THE UAE
All emirates are absolute monarchies. The only exception is Abu Dhabi, whose system is close to a constitutional monarchy. The country, which is a federal union of monarchies, has been a member of the UN and the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Non-Aligned Movement, etc. since 1971.
As follows from the very name of this amazing state, its structure is very original. The UAE is divided into seven emirates, each ruled by its own dynasty of monarchs. One of them receives the post of President of the United Arab Emirates during the next elections. And although theoretically any of the seven sheikhs could take the place of the political leader, and therefore it is never possible to accurately predict who will become the next head of state, most often the ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi becomes the president of the UAE.
Until recently, the ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi was the President, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who belonged to the Abu Falah dynasty. Representatives of this family have ruled Abu Dhabi since the founding of the emirate, that is, since 1761.
Sheikh Zayed, the 14th ruler of the Nahyan family, was born in Jahili (Treaty Oman) in 1916 or 1918. This data comes from various sources; The exact date of birth of the head of Abu Dhabi is not known at all, since at that time the Bedouins simply did not record the time of birth of their children. The ruler of the emirate is the youngest of the four sons of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, who was the head of the emirate in 1922-1926 (the father of the future president of the UAE was killed by his own brother Saqr). After the death of Zayed bin Sultan, his sons had to hide with relatives for two years, wandering from oasis to oasis. The brothers were able to “come out of hiding” only after Sakr himself repeated the fate of Zayed bin Sultan, dying a violent death. Then Zaid’s elder brother, Sheikh Shahbut (ruled until 1966), came to power.
Sheikh Zayed began to be involved in government affairs back in 1946, when he received the post of governor of the Al-Ayin district. And 20 years later, on August 6, he replaced his brother as ruler of the emirate. On December 2, 1971, this representative of the Abu Falah dynasty was elected president of the federal state; Since then, Sheikh Zayed has been re-elected to this post every five years. The permanent head of the Emirates was very popular among the population. In the capital alone there were about a thousand of his portraits! The largest image of the president measured just under 500 square meters. On November 3, 2004, Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan passed away.
The ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi had four wives. True, according to Western sources, Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan was married nine times, but in accordance with the requirements of Islam he never had more than four spouses at the same time. The most prominent role in the life of the United Arab Emirates is played by one of them - Fatima bint Mubarak, president of the UAE Women's Society. Sheikh Zayed raised 19 (!) sons who currently occupy high government positions or run their own businesses. It is interesting that the President of the Emirates, who himself was left without an education, forced members of his large family to graduate from the best universities in the world.
In 1833, territories that were owned by two representatives of the Abu Falah dynasty were separated from Abu Dhabi. It was then that the emirate of Dubai came into existence; the resulting new dynasty, which headed this state, began to bear the name al-Maktoum. Today, the head of the ruling family of Dubai is His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He is also the vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. The duties of the UAE Minister of Defense are performed by the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. By the way, traditionally the head of the UAE government is the monarch of Dubai.
As for the emirate of Sharjah, the ruling al-Hashimi dynasty traces its family straight back to... the Prophet Muhammad! Currently, the head of this family is His Highness Sheikh Sultan III bin Muhammad al-Hashimi.
The heads of the Ajman emirate are representatives of the Abu Hurayban and al-Nuaimi dynasties; Today the country is led by His Highness Sheikh Huamid bin Rashid al-Nuaimi.
Ras al-Khaimah is ruled by representatives of the same family as the rulers of the emirate of Sharjah, namely the al-Hashimi dynasty. This is not surprising, especially considering that in the past this emirate was repeatedly part of Sharjah. The current representative of the ruling dynasty of Ras Al Khaimah is His Highness Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Hasimi.
Umm al-Quwain is ruled by the al-Ali dynasty (also called al-Mualla). The head of the ruling house today is His Highness Sheikh Rashid III bin Ahmed al-Mualla.
And finally, the emirate of Fujairah. Actually, its territory until 1952 was part of the Emirate of Sharjah and only then gained independence and its own ruling family - al-Sharqi. Today, Fujairah is led by His Highness Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi.
But the tradition of electing the ruler of Abu Dhabi to the post of president was not interrupted. On the day of the death of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, the Council of the United Arab Emirates proclaimed the most likely candidate for this position: the eldest son and heir of the deceased as the new president of the federation of monarchies. The new President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, 56-year-old Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, before his election to the post of head of state, served as Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country. In addition, Sheikh Khalifa led the affairs of defense and finance in Abu Dhabi and served as chairman of the Board of Investment, the Arab Economic Development Fund and the Supreme Petroleum Council in the emirate.
In ancient times, the emirates that were part of the UAE were part of Oman, but at the same time they all enjoyed significant independence. Both during the reign of the Achaemenids (VI century BC), and during the existence of the Sassanid state (III-VI centuries AD), and later, when the Arab Caliphate was formed, these territories were under the control of the local nobility. In the middle of the 8th - middle of the 9th centuries AD. e. The emirates of Sharjah and Dubai managed to achieve a certain independence, but the Abbasids quickly returned everything to normal, again taking the lands of both emirates under their own hands. At a later time, the interests of Iran, Turkey, Portugal, other states, and Wahhabis collided on the territory of Sharjah and Dubai.
In particular, the Persian and Oman Gulfs came under the dominance of Portugal in the years 1500–1650. Actually, the path for this country to “happy Arabia” was paved by none other than the famous Vasco da Gama. But later the Portuguese were forced out of the territory of the modern emirates: in the years 1600–1773, the region had to go through the era of trade and colonial expansion of the British East India Company.
By that time, relatively independent sheikhdoms had already emerged on the coast of the Persian Gulf, and Oman had become a large and influential state. Then, in the middle of the 18th century, Yemeni tribes appeared on the territory of the modern emirate of Abu Dhabi, who were members of the Bani Yas confederation. The “aliens” settled in the oases of Silva and Liwa, and then occupied the coastal zone. The tribes were headed by a sheikh from the Nahyan clan - the direct ancestor of the current head of the emirate. The headquarters of this ruler was the island of Abu Dhabi, on which a town with the same name was built in 1761. Since then, the Nahyan dynasty has not been interrupted for more than two and a half centuries; its representatives succeed each other on the throne of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Since the end of the 18th century, the political life of the emirates has become very tense and eventful, although the range of problems was not pleasing with its diversity. The fact is that the local population began to conflict with the English East India Company; Each side competed for a leading role in the transportation of goods in the Persian Gulf. Particularly strong resistance to the British attempts to establish control over maritime trade was shown by the Arab tribes who settled the northern coast of the Persian Gulf. Since at that time there were almost regular attacks on the company’s ships, the entire region of the emirates, with the light hand of the British who were dissatisfied with this situation, received the unflattering name - the Pirate Coast. It became the official name of the entire area and appeared in this form on English maps.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Wahhabis managed to capture the territory of the emirates for a short time; the new owners of the coast declared a holy war against the British. In 1804–1808, subjects of the British crown and their Muscat allies constantly fought against the tribes inhabiting the Pirate Coast. In 1809, the British managed to emerge victorious in a clash with the Wahhabi fleet and bombard the city of Ras al-Khaimah from the sea. But five years later, the Wahhabis regained their advantage in this region, after which for another two years they completely blocked all approaches to the Persian Gulf.
Finally, in 1820, the East India Company managed to find a common language with the sheikhs of the local tribes. This happened after England, taking advantage of the fact that Wahhabi forces were concentrated against the Egyptian army leading a land offensive, destroyed the enemy fleet in 1819 and still burned Ras al-Khaimah. A year later, the parties came to an agreement and signed the “General Peace Treaty,” according to which the British were able to control this problematic territory. New agreements in 1835, 1838–1839, and 1847 only strengthened the position of the British in the Persian Gulf. At the same time, it was decided to divide ancient Oman into the Imamate of Oman, the Sultanate of Muscat and the Pirate Coast, which in 1853, after the signing of the “Treaty on Permanent Maritime Wars” by the sheikhs of Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ajman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi world", was named Oman Treaty.
During World War II, sheikhdoms did not take part in hostilities. However, they provided significant military benefits to Great Britain, for which the latter, after the end of the war, increased the status of these territories, making them emirates (principalities). True, one of the emirates, Kalba, which became part of Sharjah, was abolished at the same time. At the same time, in fact, the process of integrating the emirates into the federation began. At meetings in 1945 and 1950–1951, the heads of the emirates discussed the issues of unifying the police forces, the currency system and the customs department. Local armed forces were created in 1951 to protect oil company personnel. A year later, the Council of the Trucial States, headed by a British political agent, and the Trucial States Development Fund began to function in Dubai. The creation of these two institutions laid the foundation for the future federation of monarchies.
However, the internal political situation in the region could not be called problem-free. Border conflicts flared up between the emirates every now and then. Abu Dhabi and Dubai were especially distinguished in this sense, between which serious clashes occurred in 1947–1949. External border conflicts did not stop, often caused by the economic interests of Western monopolies. Thus, the stumbling block became the Al-Buraimi oasis, to which the heads of Abu Dhabi, Oman and Saudi Arabia had laid claim to their rights since the 19th century. The question was that the lands of the ill-fated oasis turned out to be oil-bearing. As a result, until 1955, control of Al-Buraimi belonged to Saudi Arabia and only then, after the failure of negotiations, the armed forces of Abu Dhabi and Oman, supported by the British, took possession of the oasis.
At the end of the 50s of the last century, large oil reserves were discovered in Abu Dhabi. In 1962, the extraction of “black gold” was organized in the emirate and the export of raw materials to Europe and America was established. As a result, in a few years, a very modest emirate turned into a great oil-producing state in the Middle East. In 1966, oil fields were discovered in Dubai, and in 1973 - in Sharjah and other emirates.
The discovery of oil only aggravated the already unfavorable political situation in the country. An anti-imperialist movement developed in the emirates; in 1962, the Emir of Sharjah gave a concession for the extraction of “black gold” to an American company, which, naturally, did not make the British happy. The Sheikh of Ras al-Khaimah followed the example of his colleague. In October 1964, both monarchs, bypassing the British authorities, agreed to accept the Arab League commission. The British could not ignore such a move and ordered the arrest of the ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Saqr ibn Sultan al-Qasimi (1925–1993). The emir was declared deposed, and an attempt was made on the life of the monarch of Ras al-Khaimah. But the British themselves were forced to think about how to prevent further interference by the League of Arab States in the affairs of the emirates.
In 1965, at the initiative of London, the first meeting of the seven emirates that were part of the Treaty of Oman was held in Dubai. The participants reviewed 15 major economic projects aimed at developing the territories. In 1968, Great Britain officially announced that in the near future it intends to withdraw from the zones east of the Suez Canal, transferring power in the emirates to local rulers. Already in the same year, the heads of nine British mandated territories (the seven emirates of Trucial Oman, Qatar and Bahrain) gathered for a meeting in Abu Dhabi. Participants discussed the possibility of creating a federation of monarchies after the British actually left the region. But Qatar and Bahrain subsequently decided to declare independence and refuse to join the union.
The emirates finally got rid of British rule on December 1, 1971, when Great Britain announced the renunciation of its rights to the territories located on the Persian Gulf coast. After the British protectorate over Trucial Oman became a thing of the past, these lands finally gained complete independence. And the very next day, December 2, the six resulting states united and formed the UAE. The seventh emirate, Ras al-Khaimah, became part of the new entity a year later - on February 16, 1972.
A central role in the process of unification of the emirates was played by the head of the largest and richest of the seven members of the UAE - Abu Dhabi - Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who came to power on August 6, 1966 through a bloodless coup. He took the place of the previously ruling emir, Sheikh Shakhbut, his elder brother, who was removed as a result of the decision of the sheikhs of the Nahyan clan. Shakhbut, who managed to boost the state's economy, turned out to be an extremely intractable person and an implacably proud man in matters of foreign policy. He managed to ruin relations with the government of Dubai, which is why a real internecine war broke out between the emirates; quarreled with the British, violating the oil development agreement; handed over part of the fishing territories to the Americans. In addition, the sheikh cared little about the impoverished existence that his subjects continued to eke out: he did not know how to properly use the oil wealth and feared that improving the living conditions of the people would undermine the foundations of the monarchy. In addition, this representative of the Abu Fala clan, constantly at war with his neighbor, kept most of his funds not in the bank, but in the palace on hand - in case of buying weapons and hiring soldiers. But one day it was discovered that rats had profited from the banknotes. Whether this is true is unknown. But the family council really removed the sheikh from his high post and solemnly sent him into retirement, leaving Zayed al-Nahyan to correct the mistakes of his predecessor.
Having come to power, Sheikh Zayed made a policy statement: “If Allah has blessed us with his gifts, then the first thing we should do to please and be grateful to him is to direct the wealth to transform the country and do good to the people. We will build a society with housing, food, health care and education.” And the president kept this promise, turning the impoverished, provincial outskirts of the British Empire into a modern prosperous state, the standard of living of the population of which is one of the highest in the world. Moreover, al-Nahyan did this in record time.
The rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai initiated the unification of the emirates and the creation of an independent federation of monarchies. On February 18, 1968, Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan and Rashid bin Said al-Maktoum signed an agreement to this effect. Seven days later, the heads of the mandated territories discussed the possibility of creating a federal state, and on March 1, 1968, the creation of the Federation of the Arab Emirates was announced. But the monarchs were never able to come to an agreement on defining the role of their emirates in the new state. As a result, two groups emerged. One of the groups included the rulers of the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ajman and Bahrain. They were opposed by the rulers of Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah and Qatar. At the same time, the rulers of Qatar and Bahrain, having a more developed economy and surpassing the other emirates in population, refused to recognize the equality of all members of the federation. So by the end of 1969 the FAE disbanded. And two years later, Qatar and Bahrain declared themselves independent powers.
The heads of the emirates once again gathered for a meeting on July 18, 1971; then six of them voted to create a new federation. Ras al-Khaimah initially refused to join the UAE because it did not receive the desired veto power on national decisions. In addition, this emirate was in conflict with Iran over the oil-rich islands of Greater and Lesser Tunb. The remaining sheikhs did not want to commit themselves to Ras al-Khaimah, foreseeing that the confrontation with Iran could escalate into a military clash.
Having assessed the activities of Zayed al-Nahyan, the heads of the monarchies who made up the Supreme Council of the UAE elected the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi as the first president of the country. In 2001, this man was re-elected to a seventh (!) 5-year presidential term. This “political elder of the planet,” as the press called the UAE president, was second only to Fidel Castro in terms of political longevity, but in terms of age he was truly a patriarch among the world’s heads of state. Zayed al-Nahyan really did a lot for his country, managing to boost its economy, developing international tourism and other areas of the economy, and investing huge amounts of money in construction. By order of the head of state, the capital and many other cities were beautified: fertile soil was brought in, palm trees and flowers were planted (by the way, every bush and tree is irrigated using special desalination plants!). In addition, the president knew how to find compromises when resolving issues that were important for each of the emirates that were part of the federation.
Unfortunately, over the years, the health of the UAE leader began to deteriorate. Back in 1996, he underwent a complex neurosurgical operation on his spine (the president’s problems began at the age of 10, when he fell unsuccessfully from a horse). Four years later, the emir had to go under the surgeon’s knife again - now he needed an urgent kidney transplant. However, the powerful organism of the monarch coped with such a shake-up and allowed Zaid al-Nahyan to again take the post of president of the country. But in 2004, the 86-year-old leader fell ill completely. Before his death, he did not appear in public for several weeks. It seems that the residents of the UAE have still not recovered from the shock they experienced after hearing the news of the death of the “father of the people.” After all, the sheikh, who actually made the Emirates what it is today, was simply idolized during his lifetime. Accepting the legacy of such a person is simple and difficult at the same time. Simply - because he left things in exemplary order. It’s hard because it’s impossible to compete with a person who managed to do so much for the country. But it is not for nothing that the new president of the UAE is the son of the “legend” of the Emirates. And if Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan inherited at least part of his abilities and longevity from his parent, a great future awaits him...
From the book Piebald Horde. History of "ancient" China. author3.3. The oldest Chinese solar eclipse under Emperor Zhong Kang at the beginning of the Xia Dynasty occurred on September 1, 1644 AD. e., in the year of the reign of the Manchu dynasty in China. It is believed that the oldest and most famous Chinese solar eclipse occurred, no less, in the 20th century.
From the book Stratagems. About the Chinese art of living and surviving. TT. 12 author von Senger Harro From the book Great Secrets of Civilizations. 100 stories about the mysteries of civilizations author Mansurova TatyanaMing Dynasty Strategy The idea of building the Great Wall of China became popular again during the reign of the Ming Dynasty emperors, when the Chinese army was defeated by the Oirats (Western Mongols) in 1449 during the Battle of Tumu. The rulers of China never
From the book History of the Byzantine Empire by Dil CharlesI LORD OF THE MACEDONIAN DYNASTY. STRENGTHENING THE DYNASTY (867-1025) For one hundred and fifty years (from 867 to 1025) the Byzantine Empire experienced a period of incomparable greatness. Fortunately for her, the sovereigns who led her for a century and a half, almost without exception, were
author Lyapustin Boris SergeevichIII and IV dynasties The first outstanding ruler of the III dynasty, who laid the foundations of the statehood of the Old Kingdom - the most brilliant, according to the Egyptians themselves, era of their history - was Djoser (c. early 28th century BC). With him is the seat of the court and the royal necropolis
From the book History of the Ancient East author Lyapustin Boris SergeevichV and VI dynasties According to the Egyptian literary work of the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. e. (the so-called tales of the Westcar papyrus), already under Khufu, the god Ra decided to start a new dynasty and honored a woman not from the royal family with him - the wife of a simple priest of Ra.
From the book History of the Ancient East author Avdiev Vsevolod IgorevichIII and IV Dynasties The development of the economy, trade, the development of slavery and wars of conquest entail the further development of property stratification, which becomes more and more sharp. Various wealth, herds, slaves, land, booty captured during trade
From the book Islamic State. Army of Terror by Weiss Michael13. TREATING THE SHEIKHS ISIS BRINGS TRIBES ON TO ITS SIDE According to Jim Hickey, a US Army colonel who helped capture Saddam Hussein in 2003, “Territory is the determining factor in the outcome of ground combat operations. Iraq is a tribal society, and families,
by Suggs HenryChronological Table II FROM THE RISE OF THE AKKADIAN DYNASTY TO THE FALL OF THE THIRD DYNASTY
From the book The Greatness of Babylon. History of the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia by Suggs HenryChronological Table III MAIN DYNASTS IN BABYLON AND ASSYRIA FROM THE FALL OF THE THIRD DYNASTY OF URA TO THE END OF THE FIRST DYNASTY
From the book The Conqueror Prophet [A unique biography of Mohammed. Tablets of Moses. Yaroslavl meteorite of 1421. The appearance of damask steel. Phaeton] author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich3.3. The oldest Chinese solar eclipse under Emperor Zhong Kang at the beginning of the Xia dynasty occurred on September 1, 1644 AD, the year of the reign of the Manchu dynasty in China. It is believed that the oldest and most famous Chinese solar eclipse occurred, no less, in
From the book Lies and Truth of Russian History author Baimukhametov Sergey TemirbulatovichHow dynasties are created Alas, that is history. Ruling dynasties very often came from outside. And not always from a high-born and well-intentioned environment. Let's say, the desperate Turkmen warriors themselves lived a difficult and difficult life, fleeing from enemies in the desert. But at the same time many
From the book Kurbsky against Grozny or 450 years of black PR author Manyagin Vyacheslav Gennadievich16. THE DEATH OF THE DYNASTY The version that the Terrible Tsar was poisoned became one of the main ones among the people almost immediately after his death. As mentioned earlier, both Russian and foreign contemporaries of the tsar wrote about her. Only historians, oddly enough, surrounded this version
by Crofts AlfredRULE OF THE QING DYNASTY The Manchus did not try to rule “from the saddle” for long; since their first victories at Liaodong, they had used captured Chinese scholars to chronicle events. To break the resistance of the garrisons loyal to the Ming rulers, Nurhaci
From the book History of the Far East. East and Southeast Asia by Crofts AlfredDECLINE OF THE DYNASTY It is possible that only foreign intervention saved the Manchu dynasty during the Taiping Rebellion, which would be replaced by the Hong Xiuquan dynasty. In the second half of the century there was a complete decline of the Qings, and millions of Chinese believed that the Qings had lost
From the book Ancient East author Nemirovsky Alexander ArkadevichV and VI dynasties According to an Egyptian literary work of the early 2nd millennium BC. e., the so-called tales of the Westcar papyrus, already under Khufu, the god Ra decided to start a new dynasty and honored a woman not from the royal family with himself - the wife of a simple priest of Ra
9 August 2017, 18:36Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (born 14 November 1982) is a member of the royal family of the Emirate of Dubai, son of Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. 
He is the second in the family twenty three!) children. "I enjoyed a peaceful childhood with my father, mother and brothers and sisters. I was raised in an environment that allowed me to realize the true meaning of life and reflect on the greatness of God." 
After school, he continued his studies in the UK at the Royal Military Academy, along with Prince William and Harry. After which he graduated with honors from the London School of Economics. 
Sheikh Hamdan is the Chairman of the Dubai City Council, President of the Sports Committee of the Emirate of Dubai, honorary patron of the Dubai Autism Research Center and the Youth Business Support League. Forbes magazine assessed the heir's fortune at 18 billion dollars.
SPORT
Prince Hamdan leads an active lifestyle, his list of hobbies is huge - skydiving, diving, fishing, falconry, snowboarding, cycling and much more. His Highness has won several awards from prestigious competitions, including the gold medal of the World Equestrian Games held in France in 2014. 
TRIPS
Travels a lot around the world, often piloting himself. 
PHOTOGRAPHER
The prince is seriously interested in photography. On Instagram he also shares his work and gives advice. 
ANIMALS
Hamdan's pets include such exotic animals as white tigers and lions. Thoroughbred stallions are a particular passion for the prince; the prince indicated that he was born into a family where they adore horses; riding gives him a sense of freedom. 
CHARITY
The heir supports and creates many charitable foundations and participates in events organized by them, and also regularly donates blood. Pays special attention to disabled people and sick children. 
CHILDREN
The prince said that he simply adores children. His Instagram contains many photographs with the offspring of other members of the royal family and their close associates. 
PERSONAL LIFE
The prince is not married. Have no children. He appears in gossip columns as one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet, and his merits include not only a wealth of 18 billion, but also a good education, excellent external data, a broad outlook, and most importantly, kindness and many good qualities. 
POETRY
Hamdan inherited a love of poetry from his father. The prince writes poetry himself. Basically, these are philosophical, romantic and patriotic lyrics. He publishes poems under the pseudonym Fazza, which means "speed" and "success".
These are a little clumsy, but translations :)
The color and smell of your hair,
The sweetness of lips, the tenderness of graceful hands
I didn’t write it in poetry, I carried it in my soul
All times past and present...
Even future ones! Hearts beating
The sparkle of bottomless green eyes -
This is my life! The circle is closed
Where are we together in sleepless nights,
Enchanted by beauty
We enter the shadow along the lunar path...
Like death, separation from you.
Without you I'm a little different
A gloomy day without you, my light,
The night is dark and the moon is unable to
Light it up. In the world there is no
Better than the one I called cute. 
This tired traveler sat down to rest
And he suddenly said thoughtfully: “Prisoner
You are your passions... How will you continue your path,
If your flesh and soul are perishable?
And I thought - as if I had accepted a reproach...
How high I used to fly!
I have become different now, I have changed since then -
I drank the water of truth from the source.
I frayed the horse's bridle on the roads,
Destroyed all the castles in the air,
I learned to forgive, and they forgave me,
I saved to save my soul... 
How beautiful this precious day is,
He rejoices like a thunderstorm at sea!
Each one is dear, like a priceless stone,
He looks into the soul, squinting his eyes...
He grins - are you waiting for the end?
The day has come, the heat and wind reign,
The night of love is like a sheep to the slaughter,
He is in no hurry to let him land.
Only the evening will rush invisibly,
And the sun goes down into sunset,
Horses of Time on a Chariot
The night is coming - there is no turning back!
How painful is the moment of waiting...
Day and night, morning and evening, as of old,
I can't stand the night's breathing
And I’ll tear off the calendar again.
The night is priceless! Like the day, endless
The light of the moon, the marvelous stars of the carnival.
Life is long and, alas, fleeting...
Happy is the one who knows all this!
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum is the full name of the crown prince, an eligible bachelor of the planet, a billionaire and simply a handsome man. How does an Arab prince live?
1. Sheikh is one of 13 children, has 6 brothers and 9 sisters. The heir's fortune is estimated at a tidy sum, just under 20 billion US dollars. Prince Hamdan was born to Prime Minister and Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his first wife. This young man is very popular because of his extraordinary image, close to ordinary people.
2 Like many famous children of heirs, the sheikh was educated in Great Britain, lived for some time in London, after which he returned home, where responsibilities and affairs awaited him.
3. As befits a crown prince, he was prepared for the ruling post from childhood. So the young sheikh takes an active part in the life of his country, regularly appearing at various congresses, to which he invariably wears a kandura and arafat.
4. But, when the officialdom is over, the prince transforms into a simple, smiling guy who passionately loves Formula 1 and horses.
5. The Sheikh is confident in the saddle, which even led to his victory at the Olympic Games.
6. It is quite natural that, despite his European education, the prince is different from other crown princes of other countries! For example, his personal life is kept in the strictest confidence.
7. But you can often see him with small children - these are the sheikh’s nieces and nephews, with whom he willingly takes pictures. In addition, you can see Hamdan surrounded by tiger cubs, falcons and Arabian horses. In short, luxury worthy of the gods.
8. But despite his wealth, Hamdan does not forget about the poor and is involved in charity work, overseeing several relief funds.
9. It is known that he is engaged to a certain relative on his mother’s side. It should be noted that the bride is chosen by the parents, according to Arab traditions, so it is not surprising that the future of the prince has long been decided.
10. However, sheikhs are allowed to have as many wives as they like, but most likely this will also be the choice of his family, and not his romantic interest.
11. Now the prince holds the post of chairman of the Dubai Council, and he is also the president of the sports committee.
12. Hamdan’s versatile talents also extend to poetry. His Highness writes romantic poetry.
13. How well the prince stays in the saddle brought him first place in horse riding.
14. The prince also breeds camels, which in itself is a rather expensive hobby.
15. It is logical that His Highness flies exclusively by private jet.
16. The prince’s list of hobbies includes scuba diving with an elephant.
17. In addition to overseeing charitable foundations, the sheikh supports people with disabilities.
18. The white tiger cub is the prince’s favorite.
19. Hamdan also loves cars.
20. Among the extreme sports that the sheikh practices is skydiving. In flight!
21. Mountaineering
22. Hunting with falcons
23. Hamdan is an excellent photographer, always ready to give advice to beginners in this business.
24. With a camera in hand
25. Diving is also the heir’s hobby.
Loading...
