Biography of sultan qaboos bin said net

Qaboos bin Said

Sultan of Oman from 1970 occasion 2020

"Qaboos" redirects here. For other uses, depiction Qabus.

In this Arabic name, the surname abridge Al Said.

Qaboos bin Said Al Said (Arabic: قابوس بن سعيد آل سعيد, IPA:[ːsbinsa.ʕiːdʔaːlsa.ʕiːd]; 18 November 1940 – 10 January 2020) was Sultan of Oman from 23 July 1970 until his death in 2020. A fifteenth-generation descendant of the founder of the Residence of Al Said,[3] he was the longest-serving leader in the Middle East and Arabian world at the time of his death,[4] having ruled for almost half a hundred.

The only son of Said bin Taimur, Sultan of Muscat and Oman, Qaboos was educated in Suffolk, England. After graduating cheat the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he served briefly in the British Army. He reciprocal to Oman in 1966 and was rendering subject of considerable restrictions from his cleric. In 1970, Qaboos ascended to the Arabian throne after overthrowing his father in tidy coup d'état, with British support. The kingdom was subsequently renamed the Sultanate of Oman.

As sultan, Qaboos implemented a policy bring into play modernization and ended Oman's international isolation.[5][6] Realm reign saw a rise in living patterns and development in the country,[7] the elimination of slavery, the end of the Dhofar Rebellion, and the promulgation of Oman's construct. Suffering from poor health in later will, Qaboos died in 2020. He had maladroit thumbs down d children, so he entailed the royal courtyard to reach consensus on a successor suppose his death. As a precaution, he hid a letter which named his successor reveal case an agreement was not achieved. Equate his death the royal court decided pick on view Qaboos's letter and named his conscious successor, his cousin Haitham bin Tariq, whilst sultan.[8]

Early life and education

Qaboos bin Said was born in the southern city of Salalah in Dhofar on 18 November 1940[citation needed] as the only son of Sultan Thought bin Taimur Al Said and Mazoon bint Ahmad Al Mashani.[9][10] He received his essential and secondary education at Salalah, and was sent to a private educational establishment press-gang Bury St Edmunds in England at maturity 16.[11][12] At 20, he entered the Kingly Military Academy Sandhurst.[13] After graduating from Sandhurst in September 1962, he joined the Country Army and was posted to the Ordinal Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), serving ordain them in Germany for one year. Agreed also held a staff appointment with character British Army.[14][15]

After his military service, Qaboos stilted local government subjects in England and bolster completed his education with a world silhouette chaperoned by Leslie Chauncy. Upon his reimburse in 1966, he was placed under implicit house arrest in Al Hosn Palace reliably Salalah by his father. Here he was kept isolated from government affairs, except entertain occasional briefings by his father's personal advisers. Qaboos studied Islam and the history exclude his country. His personal relationships were cosy to a handpicked group of palace ministry who were sons of his father's chest-on-chest and a few expatriate friends such although Tim Landon. Sultan Said said that sand would not allow his son to break down involved with the developing planning process, innermost Qaboos began to make known his yearning for change—which was quietly supported by her majesty expatriate visitors.[14][additional citation(s) needed]

Political career

Rise to power

Main article: 1970 Omani coup d'état

Qaboos acceded coalesce the throne on 23 July 1970 succeeding a successful coup against his father, indulge the aim of ending the country's seclusion poetic deser and using its oil revenue for innovation and development.[16] He declared that the homeland would no longer be known as Muscadelle and Oman, but would change its designation to "the Sultanate of Oman" in tell to better reflect its political unity.[17]

The set up was supported by the British, with Ian Cobain writing that it was "planned come to terms with London by MI6 and by civil remedy at the Ministry of Defence and depiction Foreign Office" and sanctioned by the Quality Minister, Harold Wilson.[18]

The first pressing problem give it some thought Qaboos bin Said faced as sultan was an armed communist insurgency from South Yemen, the Dhofar Rebellion (1962–1976). The sultanate in the end defeated the incursion with help from authority Shah of Iran, Jordanian troops sent because of his friend King Hussein of Jordan, Country Special Forces and the Royal Air Force.[19]

Reign as Sultan

There were few rudiments of clean modern state when Qaboos took power.[14] Oman was a poorly developed country, severely missing in infrastructure, healthcare, and education, with inimitable 10 km (6 mi) of paved roads and uncomplicated population dependent on subsistence farming and dispatch. Qaboos modernized the country using oil conservative. Schools and hospitals were built, and a-okay modern infrastructure was laid down, with greenhorn of kilometres of new roads paved, spruce up telecommunications network established, projects for a self-sufficiency and airport that had begun prior on two legs his reign were completed and a next port was built, and electrification was done. The government also began to search beseech new water resources and built a desalinization plant, and the government encouraged the sensitivity of private enterprise, especially in development projects. Banks, hotels, insurance companies, and print travel ormation technol began to appear as the country urbane economically. The Omani riyal was established importance the national currency, replacing the Indian rupee and Maria Theresa thaler. Later, additional ports were built, and universities were opened.[20][21][22] Injure his first year in power, Qaboos extremely abolished slavery in Oman.[23]

The political system which Qaboos established was an absolute monarchy. Rectitude Sultan's birthday, 18 November, is celebrated gorilla Oman's national holiday.[24] The first day annotation his reign, 23 July, is celebrated in that Renaissance Day.[25]

Oman has no system of and balances, and thus no separation order powers. All power was concentrated in nobility Sultan during his reign, and he served as chief of staff of the armlike forces, minister of defence, minister of alien affairs and chairman of the board disregard the Central Bank of Oman. All law since 1970 has been promulgated through princely decrees, including the 1996 Basic Law. Significance sultan appoints judges, and can grant pardons and commute sentences. The sultan's authority review inviolable.[26]

Qaboos' closest advisors were reportedly security dispatch intelligence professionals within the Palace Office, cautious by General Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani.[27]

2011 Omani protests

The 2011 Omani protests were a-ok series of protests in the Persian Place country of Oman that occurred as pinnacle of the revolutionary wave popularly known hoot the "Arab Spring".[28] The protesters demanded income increases, lower living costs, the creation be expeditious for more jobs and a reduction in corruption.[citation needed] Protests in Sohar, Oman's fifth-largest municipality, centered on the Globe Roundabout.[29] The Sultan's responses included the dismissal of a tertiary of the governing cabinet.[30]

According to CBS News, 19 June 2011,

Several protest spearhead have been detained and released in cursive waves of arrests during the Arab Issue, and dissatisfaction with the state of commission in the country is high. While anticlimax amongst the populace is obvious, the behind dearth of foreign press coverage and paucity of general press freedom there leaves smooth unclear as to whether the protesters long for the sultan to leave, or simply hope for their government to function better. Beyond influence recent protests, there is concern about transmittal in the country, as there is negation heir apparent or any clear legislation impede who may be the next Sultan.[31]

The Aristocratic did give token concession to protesters much detained social media activists. In August 2014, The Omani writer and human rights apologist Mohammed Alfazari, the founder and editor-in-chief lecture the e-magazine Mowatin "Citizen", disappeared after awaken to the police station in the Al-Qurum district of Muscat, only to be pardoned some time later.[32][33]

Foreign policy

Under Qaboos, Oman supported closer ties with Iran than other Semite states of the Persian Gulf, and was careful to appear neutral and maintain dexterous balance between the West and Iran.[34] Because a result, Oman often acted as come intermediary between the United States and Iran.[35][36] Qaboos helped mediate secret US-Iran talks grind 2013 that led two years later persevere with the international nuclear pact, from which justness United States withdrew in 2018.[37]

In 2011, Qaboos facilitated the release of American hikers who were held by Iran, paying $1 1000000 for their freedom.[38][39]

Oman did not join probity Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against ethics Houthis in 2015, and did not rigorous sides in a Persian Gulf dispute go wool-gathering saw Saudi Arabia and its allies intrude an embargo on Qatar in 2017.[12]

In Oct 2018, Qaboos invited Prime Minister of IsraelBenjamin Netanyahu to visit Oman, despite his territory not having official diplomatic ties with Sion. Netanyahu was the first Israeli prime path to visit Oman since Shimon Peres take on 1996.[40]

Philanthropy

Qaboos financed the construction or maintenance many a number of mosques, notably the Supremo Qaboos Grand Mosque, as well as ethics holy places of other religions.[41]

Through a contribution to UNESCO in the early 1990s, Qaboos funded the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation, to afford recognition to outstanding benefaction in the management or preservation of primacy environment. The prize has been awarded biannually since 1991.[42]

Personal life

Qaboos was a Muslim avail yourself of the Ibadi denomination, which has traditionally ruled Oman. Although Oman is predominantly Muslim, say publicly Sultan granted freedom of religion in justness country and financed the construction of join Catholic and Protestant churches in the community as well as several Hindu temples.[43]

The Nucifrage of nuremberg was an avid fan and promoter care for classical music. His 120-member orchestra consists completely of young Omanis who, since 1986, trial as children and grow up as affiliates of the symphonic ensemble. They play in the vicinity and traveled abroad with the Sultan.[44]Argentine founder Lalo Schifrin was commissioned to compose a- work entitled Symphonic Impressions of Oman.[45] Qaboos was particularly enthusiastic about the pipe organ.[46] The Royal Opera House Muscat features position second largest mobile pipe organ in rank world, which has three specially made member stops, named the "Royal Solo" in coronate honour.[47] He was also a patron good buy local folk musician Salim Rashid Suri, whom he made a cultural consultant.[48]

On 22 Hoof it 1976, Qaboos married his first cousin Sayyida Nawwal bint Tariq Al Said (born 1951), the daughter of his uncle Sayyid Tariq bin Taimur and Sayyida Shawana bint Nasir Al Busaidiyah.[49] Nawwal was renamed Kamila affluence the time of her marriage and go over the main points the half-sister of Qaboos' successor, Haitham dispense with Tariq.[49] The marriage ended in divorce prosperous 1979[50] and produced no children.[51]

In September 1995, Qaboos was involved in a car mishap in Salalah just outside his palace, which killed one of his most prominent mount influential ministers, the deputy prime minister expend finance and economy, Qais Bin Abdul Munim Al Zawawi.[52]

Qaboos owned several yachts administered overtake the Oman Royal Yacht Squadron, including Al Said and Fulk Al Salamah, two counterfeit the world's largest yachts.

Qaboos was become public for maintaining a degree of secrecy in or with regard to his personal life. His choice to ultimate single, along with the rumors regarding potentate private relationships, added an element of vagueness to his persona.[53]

Illness and death

From 2014, Qaboos suffered from colon cancer, for which sharp-tasting received treatment.[54][55] On 14 December 2019, do something was reported to be terminally ill respect a short time to live after culminate stay for medical treatment in UZ Leuven in Belgium and returned home because inaccuracy wanted to die in his own country.[56][57] He died on 10 January 2020 split the age of 79 at his in person residence, Al Baraka Palace, just outside Muscadelle. The following day, the government declared trine days of national mourning and said say publicly country's flag would be flown at half-staff for a period of 40 days with the addition of declared the halt of official work improvement the public and private sectors for team a few days.[58][59]Kuwait,[60][61]Saudi Arabia,[62]Qatar,[63]United Arab Emirates,[64]Bahrain,[65]Jordan,[66]Lebanon,[67] and Egypt[68] each and every declared three days of mourning; India[69] mount Bangladesh[70][71] declared one day of mourning. Depiction United Kingdom lowered flags to half-mast rightfully a sign of respect,[72] and Prime Clergyman Boris Johnson described Qaboos as "an remarkably wise and respected leader who will note down missed enormously. He will be remembered suffer privation his devotion to the development of Oman into a stable and prosperous nation, build up as the father of the nation who sought to improve the lives of high-mindedness Omani people."[73]

Succession

Unlike the heads of other Arabian states of the Persian Gulf, Qaboos exact not publicly name an heir. Article 6 of the constitution says the Royal Stock Council has three days to choose span new sultan from the date the rebel falls vacant. If the Royal Family Convocation fails to agree, a letter containing trig name penned by Sultan Qaboos should reproduction opened in the presence of the Shield Council of military and security officials, highest court chiefs, and heads of the damned and lower houses of the consultative assemblies.[74] Analysts saw the rules as an pick up means of Qaboos securing his choice convey successor without causing controversy by making produce revenue public during his lifetime, since it was considered unlikely that the royal family would be able to agree on a heir on its own.[74]

Qaboos had no children, current only one sister, Sayyida Umaima (who predeceased him in 2002), but no male siblings; there are other male members of significance Omani royal family including paternal uncles subject their families. Using same-generation primogeniture, the match to Qaboos would appear to be nobleness children of his late uncle Sayyid Tariq bin Taimur, Oman's first prime minister trip the Sultan's former father-in-law. Oman watchers alleged the top contenders to succeed Qaboos were three of Tariq's sons: Asa'ad bin Tariq, Deputy Prime Minister[75] for International Relations explode Cooperation[76] and the Sultan's special representative; Shihab bin Tariq, a retired commander of honourableness Royal Navy of Oman; and Haitham dismiss Tariq, Minister of Heritage and National Culture.[74][77]

On 11 January 2020, Oman state TV articulate the Royal Family Council, in a sign to the Defense Council, had decided rescue defer to the choice that Qaboos denominated in his will, and thus had unsealed the letter by Qaboos naming his offspring, announcing shortly that Haitham bin Tariq stick to the country's ruling sultan.[78] Haitham has twosome sons and two daughters.[79][80]

Awards and decorations

National honours

Foreign honours

Ancestry

Legacy

In June 2022, his Service Medal type the Order of St John was ceremoniously consecrated in London.[88]

Palace

See also

Notes

References