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The Al Said dynasty was founded when Ahmad ibn Said Al Said was elected imam following the expulsion of the Persians from Muscat in 1744. Like Oman’s predecessors, Al Said dynastic rule has been characterized by a history of family struggle, murder, and revolts. Apart from problems within the Al Siad family, there was the present issue from the tribes of the interior who rejected the authority of the sultan, recognizing the imam as the valid leader, and pressing by resort to weapons, for the re-establishment of the imamate. Divisions within the family were apparent before Ahmad ibn Saids death in 1783, and were later noticeable with the division of the family into two main lines, the Sultan ibn Ahmad Al Said (1792-1806) line controlling the coastal state, with insignificant control over the entire country; and the Qais branch, with power over the Al Batinah, and Ar Rustaq areas. During the period of Sultan Said ibn Sultan Al Saids rule (1806-1856), Oman tightened its grip over its East African colonies, and furthered its proceeds from the slave trade. As a regional commercial power in the nineteenth century, Oman held territories in the East African regions of Zanzibar, Mombassa, and until 1958, Gwadar in present-day Pakistan. ... The death of Sultan Said ibn Sultan in 1856 provoked a further separation, the descendants of the late sultan (Thuwaini ibn Said Al Said, 1856 -1866) ruled Oman, and Zanzibar (Mayid ibn Said Al Said, 1856-1870). ...
The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Court of France, and the Minister Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of His Majesty, the Emperor of the French, being furnished with the necessary powers, hereby declare, in consequence, that their said Majesties take reciprocally that engagement. ... ” Not only did the British seek to take part in divisions, and shifting alliances within Oman, the Qais branch occasionally allied itself with the Ulama to reinstate imamate authority. With the assistance of the Ulama in 1868 Azzam ibn Qais Al Said (1868 -1871) emerged as the self-declared imam. ... The British, who interpreted his policy of bringing the tribes under the central government as a move against their policy, resorted to the military as means to unify Oman in interest to protect its Indian trade routes. Imam Azzam estranged members of the Ghafiri tribes, who revolted in 1870 –1871; the British gave Imam Azzams rival, Turki ibn Said Al Said, financial, and political support. Turki ibn Said succeeded in defeating the forces of Azzam, who was killed in battle outside Matrah in January 1871. ... For a brief period, Turki ibn Said appeased his opposition with cash payments, and British military strength. His authority extended from the Al Batinah coast to Suhar, with the rest of the country operating autonomously. Sultan Turki ibn Said suffered a stroke in the early 1870s, and eventually died 1888. He was succeeded in 1888 by his son, Faisal ibn Turki Al Said, who was the first ruler of the family in the nineteenth century to assume power peacefully, without resorting to arms or political fraud. Four sultans of the Al Said family have ruled Oman in the twentieth century: Faisal ibn Turki Al Said (1888 -1913), Taimur ibn Faisal Al Said (1913 -1932), Said ibn Taimur Al Said (1932 -1970), and Qabus ibn Said Al Said (1970 -). ... The process of state structure in Oman and the centralization of political power within the ruling family followed the same pattern found in other gulf shaykhdoms, particularly Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. ... The treaty was among the sultan, and the tribes, represented by Sheikh Isa ibn Salih al Harthi, leader of the Al Harth tribe. ... When Sultan Taimur ibn Faisal abdicated for financial reasons in 1932, the twenty-two-year-old Said ibn Taimur inherited an administration that was in debt. During the years 1932 - 1970, Said ibn Taimur ruled Oman, and marked on it his own vision. ... This coincided with the death of Imam Muhammad ibn Abd Allah al Khalili, who had ruled the interior of the country, and the election in 1954 of a new imam, who led a secession movement in quest of independence from coastal Oman. ... After 1958 Said ibn Taimur established his residence at Al Hisn near Salalah, in Dhofar, where he remained permanently except for episodic visits to London. Said ibn Taimur furthered his authority in Oman by refusing to meet frequently with tribal sheikhs, and distribute subsidies, thereby avoiding exhaustion of the treasury. He also married Dhofari wives, one of which bore him his only heir, Qabus ibn Said. Above all, Said ibn Taimur created his personal fiefdom, and sought to avoid modernization by enforcing archaic laws, and public executions. The segregation, and intolerance that he forced on Dhofar in order to crush interior opposition left Oman grossly underdeveloped, despite increasing oil export revenues in the mid to late 1960s. Said ibn Taimur’s heir to the throne Qabus ibn Said, spent his early years secluded within the royal palace. At the instigation of his fathers British advisers, Qabus ibn Said was allowed to go to Britain in 1958 for his education.
Approximate Word count = 4196
Approximate Pages = 16.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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