Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi ( ar, سلطان بن محمد القاسمي; born 2 July 1939) is the sovereign ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah and a member of the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates. He has ruled Sharjah continuously since January 1972, apart from a six-day period in June 1987, during an attempted coup led by his elder brother Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi.

Early life and education

Sultan's mother was Maryam bint Sheikh Ghanem Al Shamsi (1915–2010). He has four brothers and two sisters: Khalid, Sheikh Saqr, Abdul Aziz, Abdullah, Sheikha and Naema. In 1948, at the age of nine years, he enrolled in Eslah As Qasimia School. After completing his elementary and secondary education between Sharjah,

Kuwait City Kuwait City ( ar, مدينة الكويت) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economical centre of the emirate, ...

and Dubai, Al-Qasimi went on to study a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering at Cairo University, graduating in 1971. He completed a PhD in history at Exeter University in 1985, and another in the political geography of the Gulf at

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

in 1999.

Political career

Sultan succeeded his brother, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, as emir after his assassination on 25 January 1972. He was previously the minister of education for the Emirates. In addition to those offices, he holds several educational posts. He became president of both the American University of Sharjah and the University of Sharjah in 1997 and was named a visiting professor at Exeter University, his alma mater, in 1998. He became a professor of modern history of the Gulf at the University of Sharjah in 1999. In 2008 he also became a visiting professor at Cairo University. Sultan celebrated the 50th anniversary of his accession to the throne on 25 January 2022. He is the longest reigning Arab ruler, beating Qaboos bin Said's record of 49 and a half years,.

Honours and awards

Honours

National honour

* : Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Zayed

Foreign honours

* : Grand Cross of the Order of Honour * : Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of Leopold Order of Leopold may refer to: * Order of Leopold (Austria), founded in 1808 by emperor Francis I of Austria and discontinued in 1918 * Order of Leopold (Belgium), founded in 1832 by king Leopold I of Belgium * Order of Leopold II, founded in Congo ...

* : Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Republic * : Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters * : Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany * : Grand Cross of the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit (french: link=no, Ordre du Mérite) is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by K ...

Honorary degrees and awards

* ''Honoris Causa'' in History; University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal, October 2018 * Honorary Doctorate in Education and Cultural Relations; University of Calicut, Kerala, India; September 2017 * Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences; Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, May 2015 * Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters; University of Paris Diderot, Paris, France; March 2012 * Honorary Doctorate in Political Science; Hanyang University, South Korea, September 2011 * Honorary Doctorate, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan; April 2010 * Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters; American University in Cairo (AUC) Cairo, Egypt; February 2009 * Honorary Doctorate in Arts; University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; November 2008 * Honorary Doctorate in Administration; University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; May 2008 * Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy, Tübingen, Germany; October 2006 * Honorary Doctorate; Armenian Academy of Science; Yerevan, Armenia; September 2005 * Honorary Doctorate in Administration; McMaster University; Hamilton, Canada; May 2004 * Honorary Doctorate in Laws; South Bank University; London, UK; April 2003 * Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters; University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; 15 July 2001 * Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy; in Education; International Islamic University of Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; February 2001 * Honorary Doctorate in History; The Eastern Studies Institute, Academy of Russian Studies; Moscow, Russia; 1995 * Honorary Doctorate in Arabic and Islamic studies; Exeter University; Exeter, UK; 1993 * Honorary Doctorate in Law; Khartoum University; Khartoum, Sudan; 1986 * Honorary Doctorate in Sciences; Faisalabad University, Faisalabad, Pakistan; April 1983

Personal life

With his wife, Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, he had four children:. * Bodour bint Sultan (b. 1978) is married to Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi and had three children: ** Maryam bint Sultan Al Qasimi ** Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi ** Alya bint Sultan Al Qasimi * Noor bint Sultan (b. 1979) * Hoor bint Sultan (b. 1980) * Khalid bin Sultan (1980–2019) His eldest son from his first marriage, Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi (1974–1999), was the crown prince of the emirate and died after a heroin overdose at the Emir's residence in Wych Cross Place, near Forest Row,

East Grinstead East Grinstead is a town in West Sussex, England, near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders, south of London, northeast of Brighton, and northeast of the county town of Chichester. Situated in the extreme northeast of the county, the civ ...

, on 3 April 1999 at the age of 24 years. A state mourning period in Sharjah of seven days was observed and flags flew at half-mast. With reports of increasing drug abuse problems in the emirate, in May 2018 the emir announced the directive to establish the "Irada" drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation centre in Sharjah. His younger son Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi (1980–2019), owner of British clothing chain Qasimi, died in London aged 39. His death was, according to the coroner, 'drug related' as 'toxicology tests revealed Khalid had high levels of GHB and "recreational" amounts of cocaine in his system'.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Qasimi, Sultan Raul Bin Mohamed al- 1939 births Living people Sultan bin Mohamed Alumni of Durham University Alumni of the University of Exeter Emirati autobiographers Sultan bin Mohamed Cairo University alumni American University of Sharjah faculty University of Sharjah faculty Agricultural engineers Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Recipients of the Bronze Wolf Award Al Qasimia University faculty