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Oman History
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OVERVIEW
There are many different opinions as to how Oman gained its
name. Various sources link it to the Qahtani tribe of Oman,
others to the Arabic adjective, 'aamen', which means 'a
settled man'. The early Roman historian, Yalainous (23 - 79AD)
was one of the first to acknowledge a city named Omana, which
is also mentioned in the writings of Ptolemy.
Oman has also been referred to as Mazoun and Magan, perhaps a
direct reference to Oman's history of shipbuilding (a magan is
a type of ship's chassis). Indeed, Oman was renowned for its
role in ocean navigation by the magnitude of its ships and
also by its prolific trade in copper, stone and timber to the
Mesopotamian cities. Due to its strategic position lying on
some of the world's most important trade routes, the ports of
Sohar and Muttrah have held great prominence among spice,
edible oil and textile trading merchants. By around 300AD,
Oman was considered one of the world's wealthiest countries
due to its abundance of frankincense, which, at one time, was
more valuable than gold.
Al-Qurum in Muscat is thought to be one of the oldest
inhabited regions in the Arabian Peninsula. Archaeological
digs have found evidence of villages which have been dated at
around 6000BC, indicating the existence of communities since
the Stone Age. Other excavations have unearthed dwelling
sites, tombs and kilns for firing pottery, the remains of
which date back to 3400-3000BC.
STONE AGE
Wattayah, located in the governorate of Muscat, is the oldest
human settlement and dates to the Stone Age, making it around
10,000 years old. Archaeological remains from different dates
have been discovered here, the earliest representing the Stone
Age, then the Heliocene Age and finally, the Bronze Age.
Findings have consisted of stone implements, animal bones,
shells and fire hearths. The latter date back to 7615 BC and
are the oldest signs of human settlement in the area. Other
discoveries include hand-moulded pottery bearing
distinguishing pre-Bronze Age marks, heavy flint implements
made from slivers of quartz, and sharp, pointed tools and
scrapers.
On a mountain rock-face in the same district, animal drawings
have been discovered. Similar drawings have also been found in
the Wadi Sahtan and Wadi Bani Kharus areas of Rustaq. These
drawings consist of human figures carrying weapons and being
confronted by wild animals. Siwan in Haima is another Stone
Age location and some of the archaeological finds have
included arrowheads, knives, chisels and circular stones which
have been used to throw at animals.
Oman in the Fourth Millenium BC
Ras al-Hamra, in the north west of Muscat, contains evidence
to show that the region had human settlements in the fourth
millennium BC. The site consists of settlements heaped one on
top of the other. The layer representing the dwellings is
composed of sand, shells, fishbone, ash and coal.
Interestingly, no pottery remains have been found.
Other archaeological finds include a symmetrically shaped pit,
such as might be used for waste disposal, fire hearths, flint
tools, snare weights fashioned from rock crystal, and hunting
hooks made from copper and seashells. Hunting fish and turtles
appears to have been the principal activity of these dwellers.
There was evidence that the lotus tree was widespread, as well
as mangrove swamps, sorghum and mulberry bushes. The
inhabitants of this time built their homes from branches and
reeds. The dwellings were circular in shape with a central
excavation.
A burial ground was unearthed at this site which contained 220
skeletons lying on one side in a foetal position facing the
sea (the source of their subsistence), their arms folded
upwards and back. In some cases the hand was folded firmly
over an oyster. However, in one case a pearl was discovered.
This pearl is one of the oldest examples found in the Gulf. In
many cases, the skeleton was adorned with jewellery made from
shells, including rings and bracelets, along with necklets
made from stone beads with shell pendants shaped like leaves.
Oman in the Third Millenium BC
There are many locations throughout the Sultanate which
represent the third millennium BC, including Bat, Ras Al-Hadd
and Samad Al-Shan.
Bat is east of Ibri in the Dhahirah region. A burial site
located at a distance of 1 - 2km north of the village was
discovered which consisted of 100 burial sites made from
stone. These have become known as the Bat Tombs and they are
circular in shape, constructed from blocks of local stone and
incorporating two walled enclosures, one inside the other,
constituting the burial structure. Parallels between these
tombs and those found at Umm Nar in the United Arab Emirates
have been made. A fine quality of terracotta earthenware has
been found at both sites and the interior walled enclosure of
the tombs has had the effect of sectioning it into several
chambers.
The vestiges of six square-based stone towers, marking out and
enclosing rectangular shaped dwellings has been unearthed. It
has been calculated that the height of one of the six towers
was over ten metres. Carbon dating has placed the structures
at 2750BC.
Water channels have been uncovered which were probably used to
deliver water from a more remote spot, making them some of the
first examples of the aflaj irrigation system in Oman.
The Samad Al-Shan site is located in the wilayat of Al-Mudhaibi
in the eastern part of the Sultanate. There are a number of
ring-shaped graves huddled together which are built from large
stone blocks and three different types have been identified:
The men's graves contained iron and copper weapons, such as
daggers, knives and arrowheads as well as large earthenware
jars and shells used as drinking vessels.
The women's graves have deep stone vessels and earthenware
flasks for storing viscous liquids such as essences and shells
containing a green substance used as a cosmetic, together with
a variety of shells.
Dual graves, containing the skeletons of men and women
together.
Archaeological studies of the artefacts from this site have
established that it dates back to around 500BC. The pottery
has been hand-made from a coarse clay and fired at a moderate
temperature. It was coated inside and out and decorated with
one of three patterns:
A fishbone design
A grid of crossed lines
Inscriptions from Southern Arabia
These decorations date back to 200 - 50BC and were impressed
onto the vessels before firing. The size and function of these
vessels were as follows:
Large water storage jars
Cream-coloured vessels used for storing grain
Earthenware flasks used for storing viscous liquids
Small, dark-coloured bottles which were probably used for
burial purposes only
Recent excavations have unearthed the skeleton of a she-camel
which was situated close to the rest of the burial site. It
was adorned with a necklet of stone beads which date the
burial to the Iron Age.
At the Ras Al-Hadd site in Sur, an edifice has been discovered
which is constructed of brick and sub-divided into several
elongated chambers. It is thought that these were used for
storage. A workshop for carving flintheads was also identified
in which were found fragments of red shert, a type of flint
specifically associated with the pre-historic period. The
workshop was also used as a production unit for making
jewellery from shells, such as rings, beads and pendants.
A number of pots were found, the most important dating back to
the third millenium BC. These are of the Harappan type and
probably belong to the last of the Mohanjudaru Dynasty from
India. Red terracotta earthenware was also found, with dark
stripes and illustrations. Other archaeological discoveries
include pieces of burnished pottery of the Sassanid Islamic
period and also African ware and Chinese porcelain.
The buildings are distinguished by their unique use of brick.
This is the only district in Oman and its environs, including
south of Iran, Baluchistan and the Sind Valley, where brick
was used during the Bronze Age. It has been surmised that the
inhabitants of Ras al-Hadd were pioneers of using brick as a
construction material, a practise which persisted for more
than 1500 years in Oman.
The most commonly found artefacts are flint implements:
chisels used for boring holes into beads, hammers, stone snare
weights and shell ornaments such as rings, necklets and oyster
shells containing antimony. A variety of beads have also been
unearthed, made from red carnelian and lapis lazuli, as well
as green porcelain vessels dating to around 1800BC. There were
also large quantities of bones from fish, turtles and sharks.
Oman in the Second Millenium BC
There are a number of sites scattered over Oman which date
back to this period. These include the Mikhailif site and the
Al Waset site in Batinah. Many smooth, soapstone vessels have
been discovered at these areas as well as ornaments
characteristic of the period, bronze spearheads, arrowheads
and knives.
Oman in the First Millenium BC
The most important site dating back to the first millennium BC
is located in Sohar. A settlement was unearthed there in which
were found constructions below the buildings of the first
century AD, indicating a flourishing settlement. The artefacts
discovered show that Sohar was a significant trading centre at
this time. Merchant seals were found and a type of fine
terracotta earthenware, possibly imported from India. Other
forms of pottery included Chinese porcelain of a type found in
abundance in the first century of the Islamic Age, confirming
that trade with China was flourishing then. This trade
continued until the 14th century AD.
The succession of strata at the site shows the gradual decline
of trade and the subsequent stagnation of the city as a result
of the overlordship of Hormuz passing to Qalhat near Sur. Thus
trade and its attendant enterprise and tax revenue were
relocated there.
The fortification of Sohar was raised by order of one of the
princes of Hormuz with the purpose of imposing a trade
blockade on the town, until it was severely reduced and the
inhabitants were forced to flee. After the Portuguese had been
expelled from the region, Sohar saw a trade revival and an
increase in its mercantile exchanges in the Far East.
Frankincense brought the city of Dhofar in the south of the
Sultanate to worldwide prominence. Dhofar was the prime source
of this exotic commodity and also of gum. Frankincense was in
the forefront of commodities traded in the past, particularly
once it had caught the attention of the early historians
around 400 BC, such as Herodotus, Pliny, Ptolemy, Strabo and
Diodorus.
Field studies carried out in Dhofar indicate that frankincense
was transported by land and sea across the world. The crop was
collected for outward transport from Ras Fartak port (Jebel Al
Qamr) to Yemen and the rest of Asia, via Aden port. The land
route started to the west of Dhofar and passed through the
Nejd to the south of the Arabian peninsula, then swinging
north to Najran and on to Gaza. However, the most significant
route was that which linked Dhofar with the east of the
Arabian peninsula and continued to Sumer, in Iraq.
Ptolemy I was the first geographer to draft a map of the
Dhofar district in which he identified the Salalah Plain (Khwar
Rawri) as the region where frankincense was cultivated. He
also highlighted an area which he named Suq al Omaniyeen (the
Omani Marketplace). Other studies show that the Omanis
controlled the principal districts on the south coast of the
Arabian Sea. Muslim historians made reference to Ubar or Wabar,
placing it in the northern part of Dhofar. Nashwan bin Said
Al-Homeiri also referred to this place, but believed it to be
in the territory occupied by the Aad tribe (the eastern part
of Yemen). The historian Al-Tabai speaks of Ubar without
specifying its whereabouts in a reference to its having been
stricken with drought. At all events, there are many
references indicating that the Aad clan was settled at Ubar.
The Quran also records a tale of the Aad who were destroyed
and buried without their domicile being known. Thus it can be
concluded that Ubar was not the name of a city, but of a
substantial territory, the precise location of which is a
matter of debate between historians and archaeologists.
From the earliest times, Dhofar was a habitat uniquely suited
to the cultivation of the frankincense bush, although it
appears that the use of frankincense as a traded commodity did
not occur before the Neolithic Period, some 8000 years
previous. During the Islamic Era, frankincense trade traversed
the routes of the Neolithic Period which were constructed by
the Arabs and Romans. The frankincense route from Oman to
Egypt travelled by way of the Negev and Sinai. Thus, trade may
have occurred between the Arabian peninsula and Dhofar during
the Neolithic Period.
Certainly, South Arabia was once endowed with many rivers and
lakes and consequently, traversed by many roads, in particular
across the Rub al-Khali. The evidence for this comes from
vessels and implements associated with the Neolithic Period
which were found along the length of the route and at various
sites throughout the Arabian peninsula. Further evidence came
in the form of paintings on rock faces in the west of the
peninsula and in Yemen. Finds along the route to Sumer in Iraq
were all characterised by the same feats of decoration.
Oman did not confine its exports to raw frankincense, or
olibanum. By blending this with a form of tallow, it was
possible to process it into incense for religious rites. Ivory
and perfumes were also among Oman's exports during the
Neolithic Period. Investigative surveys stumbled on a quantity
of Sumerian tablets bearing the name bokhur (incense) and
records have described bokhur as "extracted from the
frankincense bush".
In conclusion, from approximately 5000 BC to around 1800 BC,
Iraq's need for incense, as supplied by Dhofar, grew. Some
time around 2000 BC the region probably witnessed a change of
climate and the environment began to experience drought and
gradual desertification. This happened around the time
inhabitants began to domesticate the camel for use in the
overland caravan route. Archaeological findings in the
peninsula and in Egypt prove that the land trade became an
established reality circa 1500 BC.
At all events, the locality known as Shasir was the Nejd/Dhofar
district's principal trade centre for the northern land route
which began at the start of the Neolithic Period and which
appears to have been associated with trade between Dhofar and
the north of the Arabian peninsula to Sumer in the south of
Iraq. It is possible that the trade links between Dhofar and
Sumer extended from the earliest times to trade with Gaza and
Ancient Egypt.
Shasir continued to thrive after the end of the Bronze and
Iron ages. Recent excavations have unearthed traces of fine
buildings, suggesting a well-populated place on the trading
activities of its citizens. During the Middle Ages, many
sources refer to their uncommon enterprise in the export of
incense, horses and gum. It is likely that Shasir retained its
trading prominence up to the start of the 16th century, when
its inhabitants left and relocated in the surrounding regions.
Field surveys carried out in 1993 on the Salalah Plain
discovered a similarity in the buildings excavated,
particularly at the Ain Hamran site, with those of the Shasir
district, sharing many identical architectural features. A
large group of buildings at Balid in Salalah were also found.
These studies ascribe considerable significance to this
locality as a busy trading post engaged in the export and
import of goods, as evidenced by the presence of a variety of
coins and ceramic vessels, dating to the 14th century AD.
Archaeologists also found parallel samples in Shasir,
establishing that a link existed between the region to the
interior of Dhofar and the coast right up to the 15th century.
From this brief outline, it can be seen that Oman was home to
a civilisation which went back in time continuously to the
pre-Islamic Age. Throughout the Islamic age itself, Oman
enjoyed a cultural expansion on a par with the other Islamic
lands, with which it communicated through trade and
navigation.
Oman From the Dawn of Islam
It is said that a massive human migration occurred during the
earliest part of recorded history, from the north of the
Arabian peninsula, south to Oman and its coastal periphery due
to the drought affecting the interior of Arabia. The exact
date of the migration has not been established, nor whether it
took place as a single migration or a series. The migrants
came from the Nazarene tribe, Adnani Arabs from the north.
Arab sources relate how Oman was the focus of an intense
influx from Yemen when, in the time of Sharhabil Yaafar al-Himyari
in the mid 5th century AD, the Ma'rib Dam was breached and
destroyed. As a result of an inability to repair the dam, the
Lakhm and the Azd inhabitants fled the city to various parts
of the peninsula. Some of the Azd travelled into the eastern
part of Oman, while the Awas and the Khazrah settled in
Yathrib. The Bani Amru bin Amer, who were descended from Mazin
bin Al-Azd, headed north towards the hills of El-Sham. Al-Bilathuri
describes how the Azd, after they had left their home country,
went first to Mecca and there they separated to travel to
Oman, As'Sirah, Al-Anbar and Al Hirah, and El-Sham.
The historian, Phil, refers to the Azd tribe which inhabited
the Ma'rib at the end of the first century AD. He remarks that
they fled from Ma'rib across the Hadramaut Valley, arriving at
Saihout under the command of Malik bin Fahm who went on by sea
to Qalhat and embarked on a series of battles with the
Persians to liberate Oman. He thus became Oman's first
independent overlord.
It is said that Malik was the first of the Azd to enter Oman.
Malik crossed into Oman with an armed force of more than 6000
men and horses. Upon finding the Persians there, he retired to
Qalhat and then engaged in a protracted and fierce battle with
them. The Persians sought to terrorize the Arabs by bringing a
number of their elephants to the front of their battle lines.
But Malik's company were not intimidated and fell upon the
animals with weapons, until the beasts fell and crushed many
of the Persian troops.
Despite the Persians' spirited resistance, the Azdi tribesmen
were victorious and the Persians were forced to sue for peace.
Under this arrangement, Malik was to maintain peace for one
year, while the Persians moved out of Oman. However, the
Persian King, enraged by the defeat, reneged on his promise to
move out and sent down reinforcements via Bahrain. Malik,
despite an inferior force, attacked the 3000-strong army and
routed them. Thus, Malik bin Fahm attained control of Oman and
seized all the wealth and possessions of the Persians.
This showdown with the Persians made the Omani Arabs fiercely
protective of their independence, Arab identity and lineage.
They descended on Persia itself and succeeded in wresting
control of Karman, which remained in Omani hands until the
death of Selima bin Malik. The Persians inflicted defeat on
the Omanis and regained possession of Karman. Thus, a portion
of the Omani Arabs returned to Oman.
For a period before the Julanda came to power, the Azd tribe
had been pouring steadily into Oman. Among the first to settle
was Omar bin Amru bin Amer and his sons, Al-Hajar and Al-Aswad.
From these two are descended many of the Omani tribes.
The Bani Al-Aswad took part in the Muslim Conquests after the
emergence of Islam and a branch of them was to travel as far
as Andalucia when they went down to Bajana seaport and partook
in a jihad by sea. Of the Bani Maawiya bin Shams Al-Azdi were
Gaifar and Abd, sone of Al-Julanda bin Karkar bin Al-Mustakbir
bin Mas'ud bin Al-Jarar Abdul Azi bin Ma'wila bin Shams, King
of Oman at the time of the Prophet. Ibn Hazm recounts how the
Prophet sent them a dispatch inviting them to adopt Islam.
This they did with full and complete conviction and along with
them the people of Oman. This was in the eighth year of the
Hegira, soon after Amr bin Al-A'as had adopted the faith.
It is reported that Amr bin Al A'as recounted his journey and
events in Oman as follows:
"I travelled to Oman and visited Abd who was better than his
brother and behaved himself. I told him that I am the
messenger of Allah's Messenger to you and your brother. He
replied, 'My brother is older than me and his rank is higher
than my own. I will introduce my brother to you and he will
read your letter.' Then he asked me, 'What are you going to
say to him?' I replied that I would ask him to submit to Allah
alone and nothing other than Allah and to believe that
Mohammed is his servand and messenger. He said, 'O Amr, you
are the son of your people's Master…How did your father Al
A'as bin Waa'el, whom we respect very much, decide?' I said
that he died and did not believe in Mohammed. I wished that he
was the Messenger's follower. I was like him before, until
Allah - may He be exalted - led me to the right way and I
converted to Islam. He asked me, 'When did you follow
Mohammed?' I said recently and he then asked, 'Where did you
convert?'. I told him that I converted before Al-Najashi and I
told him that Al-Najashi had already converted to Islam. He
asked, 'What was the attitude of your people?' I told him that
they approved and that they had followed suit. He then asked,
'What about the Christian priests and bishops?' I replied that
they also had converted. He replied to me in disbelief saying,
'Look Amr, what you say is not more than a lie.' I said that I
told the truth and that lies were prohibited in our religion.
He then said, 'Did Hercules know about Al-Najashi's submission
to Islam?' I told him that he did. He asked, 'What was the
outcome?' I told him that Al-Najashi used to pay tax to
Hercules, but when Al-Najashi placed his faith in Mohammed
(peace be upon Him) and submitted to Islam, he decided and
swore by Allah that he would never pay Hercules, even if
Hercules asked him to pay a single drachma. Hercules was told
about what Al-Najashi had said and Hercules' brother asked
him, 'How come your slave has decided not to pay you tax and
to believe in a new religion?' and Hercules replied, 'What can
I do for a man who chooses his religion? In the name of God,
if I was not the country's leader, I would do what he did.'
He then said to me, 'Think Amr, about what you are saying.' I
replied, in the name of Allan I have told you the truth. Then
Abd asked me, 'What is his advice and from what does he want
the people to desist?' I said, He wants everyone to be
obedient to Allah - may He be exalted. He forbids disobedience
and has ordered us to do everything that is good and to be
good to relatives. He forbids oppression and injustice. He
also forbids adultery, alcoholic drinks and the worshipping of
stones, as well as the prohibition of praying to idols and the
cross. Abd replied, 'What a great thing he is leading the
people to. If my brother agrees with me, we will travel to,
and will believe in, Mohammed. But my brother is selfish with
his property and would not wish to become a follower.' I said,
if he submitted to Islam, then Allah's Messenger will assign
him to be the leader of his people and will take the alms from
the rich and give it to the poor. He said, 'It is really a
wonderful story, but what are the alms?' I told him that
Allah's Messenger had imposed a certain amount of tax on the
wealthy people. When I mentioned the cattle, he asked me, 'Do
you mean that some of the pasturing cattle will be taken?' I
replied that they would. He said, 'My God, I don't think that
all my people will accept such a rule.'"
Amr bin Al-A'as remained at this city and continued his
narrative, thus:
"My mission was conveyed to Abd's brother who in turn invited
me to visit him where he lived. His soldiers took my arm and
he told them to enter. When I went in, they refused to allow
me to sit. I looked into his eyes and he asked me, 'Tell me
what you want?' I gave him the closed letter. He took it and
finished reading the letter and passed it over to his brother
to read it. Then he said, 'Would you tell me what Qureish
did?' I said, they trusted and followed Him, whether through
sincere belief in the religion or whether forced by the sword
to accept it. He then asked, 'Who supports him?' I replied
that the people who accepted and chose Islam as their religion
understood Islam with the help of Allah. They were in darkness
and that I did not know anyone left in the area who did not
believe in Islam, except him. If he did not submit to Islam
and follow it, the horses would crush him and destroy his
followers, If he submitted to Islam, then he would be assigned
the leader of his people and the horses and the soldiers would
not enter his place. He replied, 'Give me one day to think and
come back tomorrow.'
On the next day, I returned to him, but he did not allow me to
enter his room. I went to his brother and told him that they
did not allow me to see him. He came with me and entered the
room, and Gaifar said to me, 'I have reflected upon what you
demanded but I should be the greatest weakling of all the
Arabs if I were to give another man rule over all that I
possess.' I told him that I was leaving tomorrow. When he was
certain that I was really leaving, he went to have a private
talk with his brother. On the next morning, he called me and
dedicated himself to Islam, together with his brother and his
people. They paid their alms and ruled their people. They
helped me and stood side by side with me against any
opposition. Both submitted to Islam and many people followed
them too."
Another branch of the Omani Azd came from Al-Hodan bin Shams,
brother of Ma'wila bin Shams. A delegation of these approached
the Prophet after Mecca had fallen to the Muslims under Maslia
bin Mazin Al-Hadani. Another detachment of them then migrated
to Basra and others stayed in Oman.
Emergence of Islam
Historians cannot give specific dates as to when Islam emerged
in Oman, but documents indicate that the Prophet Mohammed
(Peace Be Upon Him) contacted Oman's leaders in 6th Hegira (AH
- from the Islamic calendar). The first Omani called to the
Islamic faith was Mazin bin Ghaduba Al-Tay who declared that
he had destroyed the idols and '..come before the Messenger
and converted to Islam.' Following his revelation, Mazin
travelled to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and dedicated himself
to the faith of Islam, to obeying its laws and to spreading
the word of Islam to the unbelievers. The Arab Islamic
Conquest continued from the time of the Prophet's death in
11th century AH for around 100 years. With Oman's strong
merchant trading links, it was instrumental in spreading the
word to other countries such as Persia.
In the 16th century AD, Oman was invaded by Portuguese troops,
who were vying for control of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
Their occupation lasted around 150 years until they were
finally expelled by Sultan bin Saif al-Yarubi in 1650AD, the
date which most consider to be the start of Oman's complete
independence. The following Ya'aruba Dynasty brought a
new-found renaissance to the country and it was during this
time that many of the decadent forts and castles were built,
some of which are still standing.
In 1718AD, the Imam, Sultan bin Saif II died and civil war
broke out over the election of his successor. This war raged
for the next 18 years and two factions emerged: one supporting
the leadership of Saif bin Sultan, who was, at the time, a
young boy; and the other supporting Muhanna bin Sultan who
held the necessary qualities to be an Imam. Muhanna was
smuggled into Rustaq Fort where he was thus established as
Imam in 1719AD. He was not a popular leader, despite his hard
work, and only one year later, Ya'arub bin Bal'arab forced him
to concede his leadership and killed him. Ya'arub installed
the young Saif bin Sultan as Imam and declared his own role as
Saif's custodian. However, he abused his role and Bal'arab bin
Nasir took over the welfare of Saif in 1723AD.
In 1738AD, a huge battle took place between Persian troops and
the Arabian forces in Bahla. The Arabian forces were defeated
and Imam Saif escaped to Buraimi where he declared his
intention to fight and overthrow the Persians. However, unrest
among the people, who now favoured Sultan bin Murshid as new
Imam, gave the Persians the opportunity to capture Muscat. On
the Persians' attempts to take over Sohar, Ahmad bin Said, the
deputy of the town, overthrew them and drove them from Oman.
The Al Bu Said Dynasty
Ahmad bin Said was subsequently elected Imam in 1744 and was a
popular and well-respected leader. Despite having to reconcile
the warring factions after the civil war, Ahmad bin Said
developed and built up the Oman navy into a fierce task force,
which assisted in the expulsion of the Persians from Basra. He
died in 1783. Ahmad bin Said's son, Said, was elected Imam but
he was an unpopular choice and was replaced by his son, Hamad.
With Hamad's sudden death in 1792, Sayyid Sultan bin Ahmed
assumed power until 1804 when, upon his demise, his son,
Sayyid Said bin Sultan acceded to the throne. Sayyid Said
nurtured his country's economy and commercial activities. He
made Zanzibar Oman's second capital and established diplomatic
relations with Europe and the United States. Oman thus
prospered and held colonies in East Africa and across the
Gulf.
During the First World War, Oman's economy and trade links
declined and the country was left in relative isolation until
1970, when His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos bin Said took to the
throne.
His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos bin Said
Sultan Qaboos bin Said was born in Salalah in Dhofar on 18
November, 1940. He is the only son of Sultan Said bin Taimur (dec'd)
and is of the 8th generation of the Al Busaidi dynasty. He
received his primary and secondary education in Salalah, and
at 16, was sent to a private educational establishment in
England. At the age of 20, he entered the Royal Military
Academy at Sandhurst. After passing out of Sandhurst, he
joined a British Infantry battalion on operations in Germany
for one year and also held a staff appointment with the
British Army.
After his military service, Sultan Qaboos studied local
government subjects in England and, after a world tour,
returned home to Salalah where he studied Islam and the
history of his country. Upon his accession to the throne on 23
July 1970, he moved to Muscat where he declared that the
country would no longer be known as 'Muscat and Oman', but
would be united as the 'Sultanate of Oman'.
Since this time, Sultan Qaboos has faced many obstacles, not
least than when he came to power. Oman today has an excellent
health service, a clear road network and many educational
establishments for girls and boys, from nursery levels, to
university degrees.
His Majesty is a renowned peacemaker and this fact was
acknowledged in 1998 when he was presented with the
International Peace Award by the National Council on US-Arab
relations. He also forges and maintains good relations with
other Arab States and partners in the Arab Gulf Cooperation
Council (AGCC).
Each year, Oman celebrates the reign of Sultan Qaboos on
National Day, 18th November. Festivities take place all over
the country and are lavish displays in the Sultan's honour. |
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