Arabian horses. Prince from an oriental tale Hamdan ibn Mohammed al Maktoum state

Hundreds of people die every day in hot spots in the Middle East, but it so happens that the recent death of just one person from the region has attracted the attention of the world's media. One of the richest Arab noble families is experiencing grief - Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum died untimely. He was the eldest in the family of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum - the second most important and influential person in the political hierarchy of the United States. United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum serves as the Emir of Dubai and is also the Prime Minister, Vice President and Minister of Defense of the UAE. His eldest son Rashid was only 33 years old - he did not live to see his 34th birthday for a month and a half. Rashid's younger brother Hamdan al-Maktoum wrote on his social media page: “Today I lost my best friend and a childhood friend, dear brother Rashida. We will miss you." World funds mass media reported that Rashid died of a heart attack. Of course, thirty-four is not the age to die. But, no matter how sad it is, all people are mortal and it happens suddenly and prematurely. But the death of Sheikh Rashid attracted the attention of the world community not by chance. However, first things first.

Lords of Dubai

The al-Maktoum dynasty is one of the most influential noble Bedouin families on the Persian Gulf coast. The Maktoums come from the powerful Arab clan al-Abu Falah (al-Falahi), which, in turn, belongs to the Beni Yas tribal federation, which has dominated the territory of the modern United Arab Emirates since the mid-18th century. In the 19th century, the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf increasingly attracted the attention of Great Britain, which sought to strengthen its military and trade positions in southern seas. The growing British presence in the Persian Gulf hampered Arab maritime trade, but local sheikhdoms and emirates were not able to interfere with the largest maritime power. Back in 1820, the British East India Company forced the rulers of seven Arab emirates to sign the “General Treaty”, as a result of which the territory of Oman was divided into the Imamate of Oman, the Sultanate of Muscat and the Pirate Coast. British military bases were located here, and the emirs were made dependent on the British political agent. In 1833, the al-Abu Falah clan migrated from the territory of modern Saudi Arabia to the coast, to which the Maktoum family seized power in the city of Dubai and proclaimed the creation of the independent emirate of Dubai. Access to the sea ensured the economic development of Dubai, which became one of the important ports on the Persian Gulf coast. IN late XIX century, British diplomats managed to achieve the conclusion of an “Exceptional Agreement” between the sheikhs of Treaty Oman, as the territory of the modern UAE was previously called, with Great Britain. It was signed in March 1892. Among the sheikhs who signed the agreement was the then ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Maktoum (1886-1894). From the moment the “Exceptional Agreement” was signed, a British protectorate was established over Trucial Oman. Sheikhs, including representatives of the al-Maktoum dynasty, were deprived of the right to conduct international negotiations and enter into agreements with other states, to cede, sell or lease parts of the territories under their control to other states or foreign companies.

First half of the twentieth century. became a turning point for the Persian Gulf emirates, which predetermined the fundamental changes that subsequently occurred in their lives. The once backward desert lands, with a small population loyal to the traditional way of life and customs, received a tremendous impetus for development - huge oil reserves were discovered in the Persian Gulf. Naturally, this immediately attracted the attention of the British authorities, who established control over the granting of permits by the sheikhs for exploration and exploitation of oil fields in the region. However, until the 1950s. There was virtually no oil production in the region, and the Arab Emirates continued to receive most of its income from the pearl trade. But after the oil fields began to be exploited, the standard of living in the emirates began to rise rapidly. The well-being of the sheikhs themselves, who gradually turned into some of the richest inhabitants of the planet, also increased many times over. Unlike many other states of the Arab East, there was practically no national liberation struggle in the emirates of the Persian Gulf. The sheikhs were already pleased with their growing prosperity, especially since they had the opportunity to educate their offspring in Great Britain and purchase real estate there. In 1968, Great Britain, however, decided to gradually withdraw British military units from the Persian Gulf countries. The sheikhs and emirs decided to create the Federation of Arab Emirates of the Persian Gulf. On February 18, 1968, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, and the Sheikh of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum, met and agreed to create the federation of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On December 2, 1971, the emirs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were joined by the rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm al-Quwain, who signed the constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai became the second most important emirate, and therefore its rulers secured the second most important positions in the country. From 1971 to 1990 The emirate was ruled by Rashid ibn Said, under whom the rapid development of the Dubai economy took place. The city began to be built up with modern skyscrapers, the World Trade Center was founded, and work began on clearing coastal waters and developing a seaport. Dubai has transformed from an archaic Arab town into an ultra-modern city, the infrastructure of which was beyond the ability of its indigenous residents to maintain. Therefore, Dubai was flooded with foreign labor migrants - people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the countries of North and North-East Africa. They are currently the main “working link” of the population of both Dubai and other components UAE. After Sheikh Rashid ibn Said died in October 1990, his eldest son Maktoum ibn Rashid al-Maktoum (1943-2006) was proclaimed the new emir of Dubai, who ruled for 16 years.

Currently, the Emir of Dubai is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was born in 1949, educated in London, and after the declaration of independence of Dubai, he was appointed chief of police of the emirate and commander of the defense forces. In 1995, Sheikh Maktoum ibn Rashid appointed his younger brother Mohammed ibn Rashid crown prince Dubai. At the same time, Mohammed began to exercise actual leadership of the city of Dubai itself, making a great contribution to its economic development. One of the merits of Mohammed ibn Rashid is the development of air traffic in Dubai. In the 1970s Sheikh Mohammed, who then headed the Dubai Defense Forces and the UAE Ministry of Defense, was also responsible for the development of the country's civil aviation. It was with his direct participation that Dubai airlines were created, including FlyDubai. Mohammed also had the idea of ​​​​building the world's largest hotel, Burj Al Arab, which is part of the Jumeirah tourism group, which in turn is a component of the Emirati holding Dubai Holding. Currently, Emirati civil aviation provides air transportation all over the world, but primarily to Arab countries and South Asian countries. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed, in 1999, the creation of Dubai Internet City was carried out - a free economic zone on the territory of the emirate. That is, the contribution of the current ruler to the development of his country is very significant, although the emir also never forgot about his own well-being. After Sheikh Maktoum ibn Rashid died during a visit to Australia in 2006, Mohammed inherited the emir's throne of Dubai. He accordingly proclaimed his eldest son Rashid as heir to the throne.

Sheikh Rashid - from succession to the throne to disgrace

Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum was born on November 12, 1981 to Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum and his first wife Hind bint Maktoum bin Yuma al-Maktoum, with whom Mohammed ibn Rashid married in 1979. Childhood Rashid took place in the rich emir's palace, then at the elite school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid in Dubai. In this school, education is based on British standards - after all, the elite of the Emirates then send their offspring to receive higher education to the UK. As a rule, the children of sheikhs receive military education, since for a real Bedouin only military service is considered worthy. The hero of our article was no exception. Prince Rashid was sent to study at the illustrious Royal military academy at Sandhurst, where the sons of many high-ranking persons from Asian and African states that were once British colonies and protectorates study. In particular, the current Emir of Qatar, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Bahrain and the Sultan of Brunei studied at Sandhurst.

After returning to his homeland, Rashid gradually learned the duties of the emir, as his father groomed him for the role of heir and intended to eventually transfer to him the responsibilities of the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister of the UAE. It seemed that the future of young Rashid was predetermined - it was he who would succeed his father Mohammed on the throne of the ruler of Dubai. Naturally, the attention of the world secular press was also focused on one of the richest and most famous young people on the planet. But just over seven years ago, the situation changed dramatically for Rashid. On February 1, 2008, Sheikh Mohammed appointed his second son, Hamdan bin Mohammed, as Crown Prince of Dubai. Another son, Maktoum ibn Mohammed, was appointed to the post of deputy ruler of Dubai. The eldest son, Rashid ibn Mohammed, officially announced his abdication of the throne. Moreover, he did not receive a single important post in the management system of the Dubai Emirate - neither in the army, nor in the police, nor in civilian structures. Moreover, Rashid practically stopped appearing with his father in front of television cameras, but his brother Hamdan increasingly became the hero of television stories and newspaper publications. This indicated real disgrace, into which, for some reason, yesterday’s heir to the emir’s throne, Rashid, fell. Journalists around the world began to wonder what caused Sheikh Mohammed's sudden decision to remove his eldest son from the role of heir to the throne.

When the WikiLeaks documents were published, among them was a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he informed his leadership about the changes that had occurred in the order of succession to the emir's throne. According to Williams, the reason for Sheikh Rashid's disgrace was the crime he committed - the emir's eldest son allegedly killed one of the servants in the emir's palace. Father Sheikh Mohammed for this reason became very angry with his son and removed him from inheriting the throne. Of course, criminal prosecution of Sheikh Rashid never came, but he was removed from leadership positions in the emirate. Let us note once again that this is unconfirmed information, so there is no reason to unconditionally believe it, but we cannot exclude the fact that the everyday behavior of the heir to the throne could serve as one of the reasons for the deterioration of his relationship with his father and, as a result, disgrace and exclusion from inheriting the throne . The media did a lot of work to promote his younger brother Hamdan. Hamdan was reported to be a very athletic person, a diver and a lover of skydiving. In addition, Hamdan loves animals and keeps lions and white tigers in his personal zoo, and loves falconry. He is a rider and an excellent driver, a yachtsman and even a poet who writes his poems under the pseudonym Fazza. Hamdan is positioned as a philanthropist who organizes donations to the disabled, sick children and the poor. Naturally, the secular press immediately dubbed Hamdan one of the most eligible bachelors modern world. However, there were very good reasons for this - Hamdan is truly a fabulously rich man, his fortune reaches 18 billion dollars (this is 9 times more than the fortune of his late older brother Rashid). Apparently, Hamdan has a calmer disposition than his older brother - at least, no scandals involving him are known. Obviously, this circumstance influenced Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to make Hamdan heir.

What happened to Sheikh Rashid?

After disgrace, Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed completely retreated into the world of sports and other entertainment. We must give him his due - as a rider he was really quite good. The Al Maktoum family has traditionally had a keen interest in equestrian sports, and Rashid owned the Zabeel Racing International corporation. But he acted not only as the organizer of the races, but also as their direct participant. Rashid had 428 medals won in various competitions in the emirates and other countries. He received two gold medals at the Asian Games, held in 2006 in Doha - while Rashid was heir to the throne. In 2008-2010 Rashid headed the Olympic Committee of the United Arab Emirates, but then left this position. He explained his resignation from the post of president of the committee by the lack of free time and the associated impossibility of fully fulfilling the duties of the head of this structure. In 2011, public attention was focused on another scandal related to the behavior of members of the emir's family. As you know, sheikhs have real estate not only in the emirates, but also abroad, including in the UK. This property is serviced by hired personnel, among whom are not only UAE citizens, but also workers from other countries. One of the British courts received a lawsuit from an African named Olantunji Faleye. Mr. Faleye, an Anglican by religion, worked for some time at the British residence of the al-Maktoum family. He told the court that family members called him "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", made contemptuous comments about Faleye's race, also made insulting comments about Christianity and tried to persuade the worker to convert to Islam. Faleye considered this to be racial and religious discrimination, which is why he turned to judiciary Great Britain. Another former employee of the emir's residence named Ejil Mohammed Ali spoke as a witness at the court hearings, who, under oath, told the court that Sheikh Rashid allegedly suffers from drug addiction and not so long ago (at the time of the trial) was undergoing rehabilitation from the consequences of abuse narcotic substances. It is likely that Rashid's dependence, if it existed, could also be one of the reasons why Sheikh Mohammed excluded his eldest son from inheritance.

If the rumors about addiction are true, then death at 33 from a heart attack can be easily explained. Indeed, under the wording “heart attack” in this case, either an ordinary overdose or an actual failure of the heart as a result of many years of drug use could be hidden. But everything turned out to be even more confusing. Almost immediately after the death of Sheikh Rashid, the Iranian media (and Iran, as you know, is the main opponent of Saudi Arabia and its ally the UAE in the Islamic world and the Middle East) reported that the prince did not die of a heart attack. He died in Yemen - in the province of Marib, in the central part of the country. Allegedly, Rashid and the officers and soldiers of the United Arab Emirates army who accompanied him came under fire from the rocket artillery of the Houthis - Yemeni rebels fighting against supporters of the ousted President Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some others acting on their side states of the region. After the news of Rashid's death, the UAE authorities chose to hide this fact from the country's population. Apparently, the report of death from a heart attack, which caused a lot of misinterpretation and speculation, including attributing the death to the consequences of drug use, still seemed more acceptable to the Dubai authorities than the statement about Rashid’s death in battle. It would seem that the heroic death of the young sheikh would only raise the authority of the emir's family, but in reality everything is not so simple. The UAE authorities, like other Gulf states, are very wary of popular unrest.

The Emirates is a country of rich natives and poor migrants

The socio-economic situation of these states, despite the untold oil wealth, is gradually deteriorating, which is due, among other things, to the formation of an extremely polarized and explosive society. The prosperity of the UAE, like other oil-producing monarchies in the Persian Gulf, is based not only on oil production, but also on the brutal exploitation of foreign migrant workers who work in almost all sectors of the country's economy. Migrants make up at least 85-90% of the total population of the United Arab Emirates, without having any rights. All social benefits and economic wealth of the UAE are concentrated in the hands of ruling family sheikhs al-Maktoum and the indigenous inhabitants of the country - representatives of Arab Bedouin tribes. The indigenous population is only 10-15% of total number population of the UAE. It turns out that the emirates can only very conditionally be called Arab, since the vast majority of their inhabitants, albeit temporary, are not Arabs. The bulk of migrants arrive in the UAE from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. These people, coming from overpopulated countries with very high unemployment rates, are willing to work for 150-300 US dollars a month, living in poverty and subject to total police control. The majority of construction and port workers in the UAE are migrant men. Among immigrants from India, residents of the southern states predominate - primarily representatives of the Dravidian peoples of Telugu and Tamil. As for the militant Punjabis and Sikhs from Northern India, the UAE government prefers not to get involved with them, so it is extremely reluctant to grant them work permits. Among Pakistanis, the bulk of migrants are Baluchis - this ethnic group inhabits the southwest of Pakistan, which is geographically closest to the Persian Gulf. Women work in the service and healthcare sectors. Thus, 90% of nurses in UAE healthcare institutions are citizens of the Philippines.

Compared to Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos, people from other, poorer Arab states are very few in the UAE. It would seem that it is much easier to accept Arabs, with whom there are no linguistic and cultural barriers, than Indians or Filipinos, but the UAE government has been doing so since the 1980s. took a conscious course towards limiting immigration from Arab countries as much as possible. Note that the UAE does not accept Syrian refugees either. This is explained by the fact that the UAE authorities, like other Gulf monarchies, suspect the Arabs of political disloyalty. Many Arabs from poor states are carriers of radical ideologies - from fundamentalism to revolutionary socialism, which the Emirati authorities do not like very much. After all, “foreign” Arabs are capable of influencing the political views and behavior of the local Arab population. In addition, Arabs will be more confident in defending their labor rights and may demand citizenship. The authorities of the Persian Gulf countries finally decided to put an end to the issue of placing Arab immigrants after the events of 1990, when Iraq tried to annex the territory of neighboring Kuwait. Kuwait was home to a sizeable community of Palestinians who were encouraged by Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to cooperate with the Iraqi army. In addition, Saddam Hussein's policies were also supported by Arabs from other states who sympathized with the national socialist views of the Baath Party. The Kuwaiti events caused the mass deportation from the Gulf countries of more than 800 thousand people from Yemen, 350 thousand Palestinian Arabs, and many thousands of citizens of Iraq, Syria and Sudan. Note that all of the listed Arab communities are represented by people from those countries where nationalist and socialist ideas have traditionally spread, which are considered by the monarchs of the Persian Gulf countries as dangerous threats for the political stability of the region.

Naturally, foreign migrants who do not have labor rights do not have any political rights. There are no political parties or trade unions in the UAE, and worker protests are prohibited. As the American writer and publicist Michael Davis writes, “Dubai is a huge gated community, a green zone. It is the apotheosis of the neoliberal values ​​of late capitalism, more than Singapore or Texas; this society seems to be written within the walls of the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. And indeed, Dubai has achieved what American reactionaries can only dream of - an oasis of “free enterprise” without taxes, trade unions and political opposition” (Quoted from: The life of guest workers in the neoliberal-feudal UAE // http://ttolk.ru/ ?p=273). In fact, foreign workers are in a bonded position in the UAE, since upon arrival in the country their passports and visas are taken away, after which they are settled in guarded camps on the outskirts of Dubai and are not allowed to visit public places in the city. The labor organization system in the UAE was inherited from the colonial era - then the British colonialists also imported Indian coolies who worked for next to nothing and were in bondage to their employers. Any attempts by foreign workers to speak out in defense of their rights and interests are brutally suppressed by the emirate authorities. But even under these conditions, mass unrest periodically occurs in the country, initiated by crowds of exploited Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi workers. In 2007, a mass strike of Indian and Pakistani construction workers took place in the UAE, in which about 40 thousand migrants took part. The reason for the strike was workers' dissatisfaction with the size wages, working and living conditions, as well as the standard of free water per day, two liters per person. As a result of the strike, 45 Indian workers were sentenced to 6 months in prison and subsequent deportation from the UAE for endangering public safety and destroying property. However, labor conflicts are not always the cause of the unrest that is increasingly occurring in Dubai. The presence in the UAE of a huge number of young men who do not have families here and do not have regular contact with the female sex, in itself turns out to be a serious factor provoking an increase in all kinds of crimes. Thus, in October 2014, riots in Dubai were caused by clashes between Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers who fought after watching a broadcast of a football match between teams of the two countries. On March 11, 2015, construction workers working on the construction of Fountain Views, an elite residential area, protested in Dubai. They demanded higher wages. However, much more than unrest organized by migrants, the UAE authorities are afraid of discontent among the indigenous population.

After oil development began and the UAE economy began to grow at a rapid pace, the Emirati authorities sought in every possible way to improve the life of the indigenous population of the country, including in order to eliminate the possibility of anti-government protests on the part of Bedouin tribes. For citizens of the country of indigenous origin, numerous benefits were established, benefits were introduced, all kinds of cash payments. By doing this, the UAE government sought to protect the country from the spread of radical views popular in other Arab countries. However, at present, the stability gained through the ongoing social policy to support the indigenous population is under threat. And the reason for this is the country’s involvement in hostilities in Yemen.

The war in Yemen is taking everything away more lives UAE citizens

Like other Gulf states, the UAE, including the emirate of Dubai, spends huge amounts of money on defense and security. The militarization of the country especially intensified after the events of the Arab Spring in 2011 and the civil wars caused by its consequences in the territory of a number of states in the Middle East and North Africa. It was the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, that made the main contribution to provoking and inciting armed conflicts in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Qatari, UAE and Saudi Arabian owned media played a major role in the “ information war“against the regimes of Assad, Mubarak, Gaddafi, Saleh. With direct financial, organizational and even personnel support from the Gulf countries, radical religious and political organizations operate in almost all countries and regions of the Islamic world - from West Africa to Central Asia, from North Caucasus to Indonesia. However, by directly supporting radical forces, the Gulf countries also jeopardized their own security. Radical fundamentalist groups, supported by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, have long accused the monarchical elites of the Gulf countries of betraying religious ideals and adopting a Western way of life. Then, in 2011, the Arab Spring miraculously did not overwhelm the Gulf monarchies. Today, the situation has been seriously aggravated by the fact that the monarchies of the region are mired in the civil war in Yemen.

Let us recall that back in 2004, contradictions intensified in Yemen between the government and the Shiites - Zaydis, whose movement was called “Houthis” - named after Hussein al-Houthi, the first leader of the Zaydi uprising, who was killed in September 2004. In 2011, the Houthis took part in the revolution that overthrew the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Houthis intensified their fighting in 2014 and captured the capital Sanaa in early 2015, forcing President Mansour Hadi to flee to neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis created the Revolutionary Council to govern Yemen. The President of the Revolutionary Council is Muhammad Ali al-Houthi. According to Western and Saudi politicians, the Yemeni Houthis are actively supported by Iran, as well as Lebanese Shiites from Hezbollah and the Syrian government. Fearing that populous Yemen will become an outpost of Iranian influence on Arabian Peninsula, the Arab monarchies decided to take part in the country's civil war, supporting the ousted president Mansour Hadi. Operation Storm of Determination began on March 25, 2015 with an attack by the Saudi Arabian Air Force on Houthi positions in a number of cities in Yemen. For a long time Saudi Arabia, which acted as the leader of the anti-Houthi coalition, and its allies did not dare to conduct a ground operation against the Houthis, limiting themselves to constant air raids on Yemeni cities and military bases. However, in the end, direct clashes could not be avoided and they immediately revealed the entire weakness of the anti-Houthi coalition. Moreover, the Houthis managed to transfer hostilities to the border areas of Saudi Arabia. On June 10, 2015, Saudi soldiers voluntarily abandoned their defensive positions in the city of Najran. This was explained not so much by the cowardice of the Saudi military, but by their reluctance to fight with the Yemenis. The fact is that the majority of privates, sergeants and junior officers of the Saudi army units are themselves Yemenis by origin and do not see the need to fight with their fellow countrymen and even fellow tribesmen. It is known that in the Gulf countries the bulk of the employed population is represented by foreign migrants. The armed forces and police are no exception, in which there are also a lot of people from other countries, including Yemen. On June 21, 2015, the Ahrar al-Najran movement - "Free Citizens of Najran" - announced the accession of the tribes of the Saudi province of Najran to the Houthis and opposed the policies of the Saudi government. So Civil War spread to the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates also became involved in the standoff in Yemen, siding with Saudi Arabia. Soon, the participation of UAE troops in ground operations entailed serious casualties. Thus, several dozen UAE military personnel were killed as a result of missile attacks by the Yemeni army on Saudi positions at the base in Wadi al-Najran, where units of the UAE contingent were stationed. A new one followed on September 4, 2015 missile strike Yemeni army on the location of anti-Houthi coalition troops in Marib province. An explosion occurred as a result of the strike, which hit an ammunition depot. 52 soldiers of the UAE army, 10 soldiers of the Saudi Arabian army, 5 soldiers of the Bahrain army and about 30 militants of the Yemeni anti-Houthi forces were killed. The destruction of the UAE armed forces camp was the largest Houthi military action against the Saudi coalition in Yemen to date. In addition to soldiers and officers, a large amount of ammunition, armored vehicles, and Apache helicopters in service with the UAE army were destroyed during the missile attack. Among those wounded in the shelling of the UAE army camp was the son of the ruler of the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi. It appears that his injury has opened a tally of high-ranking Emirati figures who have been injured as a result of their participation in the fighting in Yemen. Later, in the Al-Safer area, the Houthis managed to shoot down an Apache helicopter belonging to the UAE armed forces with a surface-to-air missile. The UAE army personnel on board the helicopter were killed. On September 5, the UAE declared national mourning for the soldiers killed in the Wadi al-Najran camp.

Meanwhile, for the United Arab Emirates itself, getting involved in conflicts in neighboring countries is increasingly costly and affects the internal life of the state. Thus, in 2014, the UAE introduced compulsory conscription for military service for male citizens aged 18-30 years. It is provided that citizens who have a high school diploma serve 9 months, and citizens who do not have a secondary education serve 24 months. Until 2014, the UAE army was recruited exclusively on a contract basis. To serve in the UAE armed forces, Balochis from Pakistan were hired for private and sergeant positions, and Jordanian Circassians and Arabs for officer positions. In addition, the UAE army formed a battalion of 800 foreign mercenaries who had previously served in the Colombian, South African and French armies. Call for the spoiled and caressed free education, benefits and payments to citizens of the Emirates - apparently, a last resort measure. The UAE leadership does not trust foreign migrant contract workers and prefers to use representatives of the country's indigenous population. However, the latter have to fight outside the UAE - to realize the political ambitions of their leaders and within the framework of allied relations with Saudi Arabia. Naturally, the population of the UAE likes the current situation less and less. Especially after the news of the mass death of Emirati soldiers and officers in the Wadi al-Najran camp. In this situation, any informational occasion can provoke massive discontent among the country's population. Therefore, the reluctance of the UAE leadership to disclose real reasons the death of Prince Rashid bin Mohammed al-Maktoum, if he actually died in Yemen as a result of a Houthi attack, and did not die of a heart attack.

The leadership of the Emirates fears that the death of the young prince will be perceived painfully by the indigenous population of the country - after all, many young men - citizens of the UAE - will subconsciously put themselves in their place dead prince. Wealthy residents of the UAE do not at all want to die in Yemen, so it is likely that a response to the death of the prince could be mass anti-war protests and a boycott of military conscription. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that information about the death of Sheikh Rashid in Yemen, which first appeared in the Iranian media, may be a component of the information confrontation between Iran and the coalition of Gulf countries. But, whatever the true reasons for the death of the former heir to the Dubai throne, the UAE, by getting involved in large-scale hostilities in Yemen, jeopardized its own political and social stability. The monarchies of the Persian Gulf, being an instrument of the United States in realizing its own interests in the Middle East, have long functioned in the mode of “waiting for a social explosion.” Whether it will be, what it will be like and what will cause it - time will tell.

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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.

DYNASTY OF SHEIKHS OF THE UAE

All emirates are absolute monarchies. The only exception is Abu Dhabi, whose system is close to 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 in place political leader It could be any of the seven sheikhs, and therefore it is never possible to predict exactly who will become the next head of state; most often, the president of the UAE becomes the ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

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 different 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 most large image President's building had an area of ​​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 finish best universities peace.

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 being; 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 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 control. 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 provided by the Arab tribes who settled the northern coast of the Persian Gulf. Since at that time almost regular attacks were carried out 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 territory of the emirates on a short time managed to capture the Wahhabis; 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 mutual 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 of Permanent sea ​​world", received the name 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 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 the Treaty of Oman became a thing of the past, these lands finally found 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 British Empire into a modern, prosperous state, the standard of living of whose population 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 coveted 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 new president It is not for nothing that 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...

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The love story of a simple girl and a prince is a classic plot for fairy tales and has been popular since time immemorial, so not only little girls, but also well-established adult women dream of marrying a handsome, rich and intelligent “prince on a white horse.” And miracles happen, the main thing is to know where to look for him, this prince. We present to your attention the five most beautiful and richest heirs of the Muslim world.

1. Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Son of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and his wife sheikhs Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma al-Maktoum. Sheikh Hamdan- a very popular person in the United Arab Emirates. He received an excellent education in Great Britain, graduating military school ground forces Sandhurst, London College of Economics and Dubai College administrative management. The sheikh's popularity earned him charity: The prince directly oversees a number of foundations that organize fundraising for the treatment of seriously ill children.

Sheikh Hamdan belongs to the al-Maktoum dynasty and officially holds the position of head of the Dubai Executive Council, that is, he heads the government of the emirate of Dubai, but he has time for numerous hobbies. Born on Valentine's Day, the prince is fond of romantic poetry, has the creative pseudonym Fazza, and even publishes collections of poetry. Sheikh Hamdan also loves horse riding, has a large collection of Arabian horses and regularly takes part in numerous equestrian competitions.

The Crown Prince is not married, but, alas, even before his birth he was engaged to a maternal relative. However, don’t be upset - no one can forbid a sheikh to have as many wives as he wants!

2. Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah

Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah The King's eldest child Abdullah II and queens Rania, 20-year-old crown prince Hussein bin Abdullah since 2009 he has been heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Jordan. Belongs to the Hashemite dynasty.

In 2007, the prince entered the Royal Academy in Madaba, then, as usual, went to study in the West, and is currently studying political science in Washington, at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. In addition to his native Arabic, the Prince of Jordan is fluent in three foreign languages: English, French and Hebrew.

Hussein bin Abdullah is involved in charity work, runs a foundation to support the development of science among youth, and also has a number of hobbies, including football and collecting motorcycles.

Despite the fact that Jordan is a country characterized by a higher level of transparency and more “Western” values ​​than neighboring UAE and Saudi Arabia, there is no information about the personal life of the heir to the throne in open access no, we only know that he is not married yet.

3. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnun al-Nahyan

Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan Son of the President of the United Arab Emirates Caliphs bin Zayed al-Nahyan, sheikh Sultan bin Tahnun al-Nahyan is a member of the oldest ruling dynasty of Abu Dhabi - al-Nahyan. He received a bachelor's degree from the UAE University in Engineering and Architecture, then studied international relationships at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA.

Sheikh Sultan oversees many issues of national importance. He is involved in investments in the development of sports, architecture, and also serves as the head of the Committee for the Development of the Eastern Region. In addition, he controls the work of state charitable foundations, as well as a large number of organizations dealing with cultural heritage issues.

Among the sheikh's many hobbies are many sports, collecting art and traveling.

There is no information about the personal life of Sheikh Sultan either on the Internet or in the media.

4. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Sixth son of the former ruling Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa and the fifth son of his second wife - sheikhs Mozy bint Nasser al-Misned, sheikh Mohammed is a representative of another major dynasty of the Arab world, the ruling family of Qatar - al-Thani.

He studied at the Qatar Academy, received a bachelor's degree from the Diplomatic School of Georgetown University in Qatar, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University. Sheikh Mohammed is fluent in Arabic, English and French.

According to the laws of Arab monarchies, the eldest son of the ruler of the state is considered the crown prince, so Mohammed, being the sixth son of the emir, will most likely never become the head of Qatar. But this does not mean that the younger children of rulers do not take part in managing the affairs of the state. Typically, the children of emirs occupy positions in the cabinet or head numerous committees overseeing issues of national importance. This happened with Sheikh Mohammed. A former captain of the Qatar equestrian team, he is very passionate about sports, and is therefore directly involved in the leadership of the Committee for the preparation of the FIFA World Cup, which is to be held in Qatar in 2022.

According to unconfirmed reports, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is not married.

5. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Brother sheikh Mohammed al-Thani(not only by father, but also by mother), sheikh Jasim is definitely on the list of the most handsome Arab men. By the way, the appearance of two brothers in our rating today al-Thani not surprising. The fact is that their mother is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful women in the Muslim world. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Misned- the second wife of the former emir of Qatar is known not only as a beauty and a style icon, but also as a very gifted politician, who takes a hidden, but quite significant part in many state issues. And therefore, it is not at all surprising that such a woman gave birth to such attractive and gifted children.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was Crown Prince of Qatar from 1996 to 2003, but subsequently, realizing that he was unfit to fulfill this role, renounced the status of heir apparent in favor of his younger brother, the current Emir of Qatar Tamima al-Thani.

He was educated at the British Royal Academy at Sandhurst, then returned to his homeland and became involved in charity work. He is now the honorary president of the Qatar National Cancer Society (QNCS) and is also involved in environmental issues.

Unfortunately, Sheikh Jasim has already chosen his first wife. She became a representative of the same dynasty, Sheikha Buthaina bint Ahmad al-Thani, daughter of the sheikh Hamada bin Ali al-Thani. The couple already have three children. But, as we know,

Princess Amira is the wife of Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. She is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Al-Waleed bin Talal Foundation, an international non-profit organization, supporting programs and projects to combat poverty, the consequences of disasters, supporting women's rights and interfaith dialogue. The princess is also on the board of trustees of Silatech, an international organization for youth employment.

Princess Amira is a graduate of the University of New Haven (USA) with a degree in business administration.

She defends women's rights, incl. and the right to drive, obtain education, and obtain employment without having to seek permission from a male relative. Amira herself has international driver license and drives the car herself on all trips abroad.

Known for her impeccable dress sense, Amira is the first Saudi princess to refuse to wear the traditional abaya in public like other women in the kingdom.

2. Rania Al-Abdullah (Queen of Jordan)

Rania showed herself to be very ambitious when she was rejected for a senior position at Apple Jordan (she was 22 years old at the time), slammed the door and headed to Citibank Amman, owned by King Abdullah's sister and brother-in-law. It was in the bank office in the spring of 1993 that the girl and the prince exchanged glances for the first time. It didn't take them long to fall madly in love with each other, and the couple celebrated their wedding on June 10, 1993.

The girl received her education in foreign educational institutions: Studied at the New English School in Kuwait, then received a degree in business administration from the American University in Cairo in Egypt. She never wore a headscarf. And he is unlikely to wear it in the future.

By the way, she was born in 1970.

www.queenrania.jo is her website, where she independently responds to visitors every day.

Her Royal Highness Haya bint Al Hussein, Princess of Jordan and Sheikha of the Emirate of Dubai. Younger wife of the Emir of Dubai, loving mother of a 4-year-old daughter, President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), patroness of the World Sports Academy, UN Ambassador of Peace, charming woman, President of the Dubai Health Service.

Princess Haya bint Al Hussein was born on May 3, 1974, to King Hussein I of Jordan. Her mother, Queen Alia, tragically died in a helicopter crash in February 1977, leaving three young children orphaned.

Haya received an excellent European education: she studied in England, where she attended Badminton School for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School in Dorset, and then St Hilda's College at the University of Oxford, from which she graduated with an honors degree in philosophy, politics and economics.

On April 10, 2004, Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, whose fortune is estimated at $20 billion.

4. Princess Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned (Qatar)

Sheikha Moza Nasser breaks all stereotypes about eastern wives, she is the second of the three wives of the Sheikh Emir of the State of Qatar and the daughter of the famous Nasser Abdullah All-Misned.

In 1986, Sheikha entered the National University of Qatar and after some time successfully graduated with a degree in Sociology.

Sheikha holds some international and Qatari posts:

• Chairman of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development;
• President of the Supreme Council of Family Issues;
• Vice President of the Supreme Council for Education;
• UNESCO Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education.

Besides!!! She has seven children: five sons and two daughters.

And again besides that!!! She topped Vanity Fair's "best dressed women" list for the second time.

5. Princess Akishino Mako (Japan)

On October 23, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akishino Mako, eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, celebrated her 20th birthday. According to Japanese law, the princess becomes an adult.

Princess Mako is currently a 3rd grade student at Gakushuin Girls' Senior High School in Tokyo.

Princess Mako has been something of an internet idol since 2004, when she was shown on television wearing a Japanese school uniform as a sailor suit. An image bank was established and a video featuring Princess Mako fanart (with music by IOSYS) was uploaded to the popular video archive website Nico_Nico_Douga, attracting over 340,000 views and 86,000 comments. The Imperial Household Affairs Office, responding to a request for comment, said it was not sure how to handle the matter as it saw no evidence of slander or insults against the Imperial Family.

6. Crown Princess of Brunei - Sarah

Sarah Saleh is a commoner. Before meeting the heir, the girl studied mathematics, biology and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. The smart and charming wife of Crown Prince Al-Muhtadi Bill and mother of Prince Abdul Muntaqim. The Crown Princess is beautiful role model for Brunei youth, the most popular member of the family of the Sultan of Brunei.

By the way, at the wedding she had a bouquet made of gold and diamonds:

7. Lalla Salma (Morocco). Princess engineer :)

She attended a private school in Rabat and then graduated from the Hassan II Lyceum with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. For two years the girl attended preparatory courses at the Lyceum. Moulay Yossefa, and in 2000 she graduated from the Higher School of Informatics and Systems Analysis, after which she interned at the largest private corporation in Morocco - Omnium North Africa (in which the royal family has a 20 percent stake). Six months later, Lalla received the position of information systems engineer.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco became the first monarch in his country's history to break with long-standing tradition and publicly announce his desire to marry twenty-four-year-old Lalla Salma Bennani. computer engineer. For centuries, Moroccan kings, including the father of the groom, King Hassan II, hid the fact of their marriage and

often even the name of his chosen one. This information was considered a state secret, and queens never played a significant role in governing the country.

From the very beginning, Lalla Salma established certain rules and, making sure that the king was ready to accept them, agreed to his advances. One of the main conditions was monogamous marriage.

Bennani, like Queen Rania of Jordan and Prince William's fiancée Kate Middleton, has quickly become a trendsetter in her country. As soon as the engagement was announced, Moroccan women began to dye their hair red.

In a survey of readers of Hola! Princess Lalla Salma took first place as "the most elegant guest at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge" thanks to her national dress - the kaftan.

8. Princess Sirivannavari (Thailand)

Sirivannavari, the granddaughter of the current ninth king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, appears more often than any other member of the royal family at social events and meetings high level, thereby performing representative functions immediately for all of their numerous relatives.

The main passion of the 24-year-old Thai princess is fashion design. Collections under the Princess Sirivannavari brand are now successfully traded not only in Bangkok, but also in Paris, Milan and New York.

The modest personal fortune of the heir to the throne of Thailand is almost $35 billion.

9. Princess Ashi Jetsun Pema (since October 13, 2011 Queen of Bhutan)

The new queen is the daughter of a civil aviation pilot. Her mother is a distant relative of the Bhutanese royal family. The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, married a girl from a simple family, 21-year-old student Jetsun Pema.

She was educated in India and is now studying at a university in the UK. Obviously, the girl will be a diplomat, since she is getting a profession in international relations.