Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa (1872–1942)
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Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa KCIE, CSI (6 February 1872 – 20 February 1942) was the Hakim (ruler) of
Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
from the death of his father, Isa bin Ali, on 9 December 1932 until his own death in 1942.


Biography

Hamad was born on 6 February 1872, the second-born son of eight of Sheikh
Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa (1848 – 9 December 1932) was the ruler of Bahrain from 1869 until his death. His title was Hakim of Bahrain. He is one of the longest reigning monarchs of the region, a reign lasting 63 years. He was forced by the B ...
(his elder brother predeceased him in 1893), and received a private education. On 26 May 1923, Shaikh Hamad was officially proclaimed Deputy Ruler. On 9 December 1932 he succeeded his father on the throne of
Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
and his appointment was made official on 9 February 1933. He lived in the Al-Sakhir Palace from around 1925 until his death. He died on 20 February 1942 in Al Rumaitha,
Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
, and was buried in the Al Hunaynya Cemetery next to his ancestor Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.


Political training and reign


Hamad and the British advisor

While the
Persian Gulf Residency The Persian Gulf Residency () was a subdivision of the British Empire from 1822 until 1971, whereby the United Kingdom maintained varying degrees of political and economic control over several states in the Persian Gulf, including what is toda ...
was in charge of the external representation of the Emirates in the Gulf, an advisor was assigned to assist the Sheikh in managing the affairs of his Emirate. In 1926,
Charles Belgrave Sir Charles Dalrymple Belgrave KBE (9 December 1894 – 28 February 1969) was a British citizen and advisor to the rulers of Bahrain from 1926 until 1957, as "Chief Administrator" or "adviserate". He first served under Shaikh Hamad ibn Isa Al ...
was appointed the government advisor due to the unrest prevailing since 1919 over the application in Bahrain of the civil and criminal laws of the
British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...
. Faced with this violence, then Commissioner Sir Clive Kirkpatrick Daly had forced Sheikh Isa to abdicate in 1923. The Raj withdrew Major Daly from Bahrain in 1926 and invited Hamad to take over as vice-ruler and appoint an advisor. Thus, Belgrave helped establish municipal government. Starting as an economic advisor, he soon became a political, military, and judicial one as well, commanding the police, judiciary, health, customers, public works, and parks departments. Although Belgrave's many duties spread him quite thin, he did manage to produce improvements in education, surveying, and internal security, serving until 1957.


Hamad’s reign and the age of oil

During King Hamad's reign, the search for oil began under the aegis of the
Bahrain Petroleum Company The Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) is an integrated petroleum company that is the national oil company of Bahrain. It was founded in 1929 and discovered the first oil field in the Persian Gulf outside of Iran in 1932. Shipments of crude oil co ...
(Bapco), and in 1932 the first oil well on the western side of the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
began production. He had already established the first customs office in
Manama Manama ( ', Bahrani Arabic, Bahrani pronunciation: ) is the capital and List of cities in Bahrain, largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 297,502 as of 2012. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is ...
as crown prince in 1917, and in 1923 he built a port for 5,000 rupees and appointed British customers officer Claude de Grenier as Director. In 1941, a bridge was opened between Manama and
Muharraq Island Muharraq Island (), formerly known as Moharek, is the second largest island in the archipelago of Bahrain after Bahrain Island. It lies east of the capital, Manama, on Bahrain Island. History The island is named after Muharraq City, the form ...
. Dealing with international conflicts in the region, Hamad developed electricity, water, health, and education in his territory during his reign.


Family

Hamad married four times. * (first) Shaikha Aisha bint Ali bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, a granddaughter of Bahrain's Ruler Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa (1843–1868). * (second) Shaikha Lulwa bint Abdulla bin Sulayman Al Jalahma. * (third) Shaikha Aysha bint Rashid bin Mohamed Al Khalifa (her father Shaikh Rashid died in 1947, she died in 1953). * (fourth) Shaikha Thajba bint Salman bin Duaij Al Khalifa (her father was Shaikh Isa bin Ali's cousin and slain in Dhahran by the Al Murrah tribe in December 1900, her mother is Latifa bint Mubarak Al Fadhel). From these unions Hamad had a total of ten children: * Salman bin Hamad (1894–1961) * Ali (1896–1997) * Rashid (?–1916) * Mubarak (1910–1977) * Abdullah (1915 – 23 July 1973) * Duaij (1917–April 1969) * Ahmed (1918–1985) * Khalifa (1912–April 1984) * Ibrahim (1913–1972)


See also

*
Al Khalifa The House of Khalifa () is the ruling family of the Kingdom of Bahrain. They profess Sunni Islam and belong to the Anizah tribe. Some members of this tribe joined the Utub alliance which migrated from Najd in central Arabia to Kuwait, then r ...
*
History of Bahrain Bahrain was a central location of the ancient Dilmun civilization. Bahrain's strategic location in the Persian Gulf has brought rule and influence from mostly the Persian people, Persians, Sumerians, Assyrian people, Assyrians, Babylonians, Po ...
*
Bahrain administrative reforms of the 1920s The administrative reforms of the 1920s were a series of British-led reforms that have laid the foundations of modern Bahrain. They took place between 1919 and 1927, but their background extends to the early 19th century. Britain signed a number ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (1872-1942) Hamad Isa Hamad Isa 1872 births 1942 deaths Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Honorary companions of the Order of the Star of India 20th-century Bahraini people 20th-century monarchs in the Middle East People from Muharraq