Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi (1908 – 6 September 1974)[1] was an Emirati royal, politician and a founder of the United Arab Emirates who served as the ruler of Fujairah from 1938–1974. In 1952 he was to see his father's long-held dream of independence for Fujairah recognised by the British, the last Trucial State to be so recognised,[2] as well as shortly afterwards to help take the UAE to independence as a nation, in 1971. Due to his skills in diplomacy and politics he was called the wolf of the Gulf.[3]
Mohammed bin Hamad succeeded as head of the Sharqiyin tribe and Sheikh of Fujairah in 1939 on the death of his elder brother, Saif bin Hamad, and immediately set about consolidating the Sharqiyin holdings of Fujairah and its surroundings. By 1950, he had won over Dibba to the North, as well as the coastal settlements of Bidayah and Sakamkam and the inland village of Al Bithnah the strategically important Al Bithnah Fort dominating the Wadi Ham.[4]
Trucial statusEdit
The British had staunchly refused recognition of Fujairah's independence in the 50-odd years since Mohammed's father had proclaimed it in 1901. However, by the 1950s PCL, Petroleum Concessions Limited, was seeking oil exploration concessions throughout the Trucial States and the company needed someone they could 'do business with'. The government (by now affairs in the Trucial States were squarely in the hands of the Foreign Office in London following Indian independence in 1947) decided to grant Mohammed bin Hamad recognition as a Trucial Ruler and he acceded in 1952 as the Ruler of the seventh emirate to be so recognised (Kalba, previously recognised as a Trucial State in 1939, was subsumed back into Sharjah in 1951).
IndependenceEdit
Fujairah was the last of the Trucial States to become a British protectorate where the British government took care of foreign policy and defence. While others had signed the General Maritime Treaty of 1820, the Perpetual Maritime Truce of 1853, and the 'Exclusive Agreement' of 1892, Fujairah was to enjoy just sixteen years of British protection until British Prime Minister Harold Wilson's announcement, on 16 January 1968, that all British troops were to be withdrawn from 'East of Aden'. The decision was to pitch the coastal emirates, together with Qatar and Bahrain, into fevered negotiations to fill the political vacuum that the British withdrawal would leave behind.[5]
Mohammed bin Hamad was to join the meeting of Trucial Rulers on 25 February 1968 in Dubai, at which the principle of founding a union of emirates was laid out by the rulers of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai.[6] Over the next two years, negotiations and meetings of the rulers followed—often stormy—as a form of union was thrashed out. Bahrain and Qatar dropped out of talks and Ras Al Khaimah decided not to accede to the Union, leaving six of the seven former Trucial States to agree on union on 18 July 1971.[7]
On 2 December 1971, Fujairah, together with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain joined in the Act of Union to form the United Arab Emirates. The seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, joined the UAE on 10 February 1972, following Iran's annexation of the RAK-claimed Tunbs islands.[8]
Border dispute in 1972Edit
The long history of squabbles and disputes between Fujairah and its neighbour came to the fore once again following the act of Union, when a land dispute broke out into open fighting. In early 1972, the newly founded Union Defence Force was called in to take control of the fighting which, by the time the UDF moved in, had killed 22 and seriously injured a dozen more. The dispute was finally settled after mediation between Sheikh Rashid of Dubai and other Rulers and a statement announcing the settlement was sent out on 17 July 1972.[9]
DeathEdit
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi died in 1974.[1][10] He was succeeded by his son, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the present Ruler of Fujairah.
^Said., Zahlan, Rosemarie (2016). The Origins of the United Arab Emirates : a Political and Social History of the Trucial States. Taylor and Francis. p. 188. ISBN9781317244653. OCLC 945874284.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Al Maktoum, Mohammed bin Rashid (2012). Spirit of the Union. UAE: Motivate. pp. 27–39. ISBN9781860633300.
^Maktoum, Mohammed bin Rashid (2012). Spirit of the Union. UAE: Motivate. p. 30. ISBN9781860633300.
^Al Abed, Ibrahim (2001). United Arab Emirates: A New Perspective(PDF). Trident Press. pp. 129–133. ISBN1-900724-47-2.
^Ahmadi, Kourosh (2008). Islands and International Politics in the Persian Gulf: The Abu Musa and Tunbs in Strategic Context. London: Routledge. p. 96.
^Wilson, Graeme (1999). Father of Dubai. UAE: Media Prima. p. 178. ISBN9789948856450.
^Said., Zahlan, Rosemarie (2016). The Origins of the United Arab Emirates: a Political and Social History of the Trucial States. Taylor and Francis. p. 239. ISBN9781317244653. OCLC 945874284.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External linksEdit
Media related to Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi at Wikimedia Commons
August 29, 2023
mohammed, hamad, sharqi, sheikh, 1908, september, 1974, emirati, royal, politician, founder, united, arab, emirates, served, ruler, fujairah, from, 1938, 1974, 1952, father, long, held, dream, independence, fujairah, recognised, british, last, trucial, state, . Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi 1908 6 September 1974 1 was an Emirati royal politician and a founder of the United Arab Emirates who served as the ruler of Fujairah from 1938 1974 In 1952 he was to see his father s long held dream of independence for Fujairah recognised by the British the last Trucial State to be so recognised 2 as well as shortly afterwards to help take the UAE to independence as a nation in 1971 Due to his skills in diplomacy and politics he was called the wolf of the Gulf 3 Mohammed bin Hamad Al SharqiSheikhMohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi pictured on a Fujairah postage stampRuler of FujairahReign1938 1974PredecessorSaif bin Hamad Al SharqiSuccessorHamad bin Mohammed Al SharqiBorn1908 1 Died1974HouseAl Sharqi Contents 1 Ruler of Fujairah 1 1 Accession 1 2 Trucial status 1 3 Independence 1 4 Border dispute in 1972 2 Death 3 References 4 External linksRuler of Fujairah EditAccession Edit Mohammed bin Hamad succeeded as head of the Sharqiyin tribe and Sheikh of Fujairah in 1939 on the death of his elder brother Saif bin Hamad and immediately set about consolidating the Sharqiyin holdings of Fujairah and its surroundings By 1950 he had won over Dibba to the North as well as the coastal settlements of Bidayah and Sakamkam and the inland village of Al Bithnah the strategically important Al Bithnah Fort dominating the Wadi Ham 4 Trucial status Edit The British had staunchly refused recognition of Fujairah s independence in the 50 odd years since Mohammed s father had proclaimed it in 1901 However by the 1950s PCL Petroleum Concessions Limited was seeking oil exploration concessions throughout the Trucial States and the company needed someone they could do business with The government by now affairs in the Trucial States were squarely in the hands of the Foreign Office in London following Indian independence in 1947 decided to grant Mohammed bin Hamad recognition as a Trucial Ruler and he acceded in 1952 as the Ruler of the seventh emirate to be so recognised Kalba previously recognised as a Trucial State in 1939 was subsumed back into Sharjah in 1951 Independence Edit Fujairah was the last of the Trucial States to become a British protectorate where the British government took care of foreign policy and defence While others had signed the General Maritime Treaty of 1820 the Perpetual Maritime Truce of 1853 and the Exclusive Agreement of 1892 Fujairah was to enjoy just sixteen years of British protection until British Prime Minister Harold Wilson s announcement on 16 January 1968 that all British troops were to be withdrawn from East of Aden The decision was to pitch the coastal emirates together with Qatar and Bahrain into fevered negotiations to fill the political vacuum that the British withdrawal would leave behind 5 Mohammed bin Hamad was to join the meeting of Trucial Rulers on 25 February 1968 in Dubai at which the principle of founding a union of emirates was laid out by the rulers of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai 6 Over the next two years negotiations and meetings of the rulers followed often stormy as a form of union was thrashed out Bahrain and Qatar dropped out of talks and Ras Al Khaimah decided not to accede to the Union leaving six of the seven former Trucial States to agree on union on 18 July 1971 7 On 2 December 1971 Fujairah together with Abu Dhabi Sharjah Ajman and Umm Al Quwain joined in the Act of Union to form the United Arab Emirates The seventh emirate Ras Al Khaimah joined the UAE on 10 February 1972 following Iran s annexation of the RAK claimed Tunbs islands 8 Border dispute in 1972 Edit The long history of squabbles and disputes between Fujairah and its neighbour came to the fore once again following the act of Union when a land dispute broke out into open fighting In early 1972 the newly founded Union Defence Force was called in to take control of the fighting which by the time the UDF moved in had killed 22 and seriously injured a dozen more The dispute was finally settled after mediation between Sheikh Rashid of Dubai and other Rulers and a statement announcing the settlement was sent out on 17 July 1972 9 Death EditSheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi died in 1974 1 10 He was succeeded by his son Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi the present Ruler of Fujairah References Edit a b c Founders of the Union Bey Frauke 1996 From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates UK Longman p 296 ISBN 0582277280 Brandon Friedman 2020 The End of Pax Britannica in the Persian Gulf 1968 1971 Cham Switzerland Palgrave Macmillan p 63 ISBN 978 3 030 56182 6 Said Zahlan Rosemarie 2016 The Origins of the United Arab Emirates a Political and Social History of the Trucial States Taylor and Francis p 188 ISBN 9781317244653 OCLC 945874284 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Al Maktoum Mohammed bin Rashid 2012 Spirit of the Union UAE Motivate pp 27 39 ISBN 9781860633300 Maktoum Mohammed bin Rashid 2012 Spirit of the Union UAE Motivate p 30 ISBN 9781860633300 Al Abed Ibrahim 2001 United Arab Emirates A New Perspective PDF Trident Press pp 129 133 ISBN 1 900724 47 2 Ahmadi Kourosh 2008 Islands and International Politics in the Persian Gulf The Abu Musa and Tunbs in Strategic Context London Routledge p 96 Wilson Graeme 1999 Father of Dubai UAE Media Prima p 178 ISBN 9789948856450 Said Zahlan Rosemarie 2016 The Origins of the United Arab Emirates a Political and Social History of the Trucial States Taylor and Francis p 239 ISBN 9781317244653 OCLC 945874284 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link External links Edit Media related to Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi amp oldid 1166813397, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
