The UAE, some history
 

Documentary on Sheikh Zayed, Abu Dhabi and the UAE in the early days.
(posted before but worth posting again)

Re: The UAE, some history
 

I love it when you do this Shiva........
Thanx.

Re: The UAE, some history
 

pleasure is all mine, I love this film and figured since it was national day, why not. Will try find something similar for Dubai specifically but it may take some time.

Re: The UAE, some history
 

Yeh ..i pinned a tune on our music thread for National Day..............
Try and find that photo of Zayed and him holdin the torch on the falcon...speaks volumes.Remember the one Shiva?

Re: The UAE, some history
 

this one?
http://www.uaeembassybrussels.be/pics/szaid.JPG

got it
http://www.sheikh-zayed.8m.com/slide...w/zayed014.jpg

Re: The UAE, some history
 

That speaks volumes .........d'on't it?
Just for as minute-if every one viewing-reflects.....
Different spin.

Re: The UAE, some history
 

Shiva, you got another one in your collection- Zayed is sitting with other tribesmen.It's gettin dark....he still sits.
Can you find it?
I'll try too.

Re: The UAE, some history
 

hhmm having issues finding them to be honest and with linking when i do?????

Re: The UAE, some history
 

potted history of Abu Dhabi

The first reference to Bani Yas dates back to 1633, and is found in a manuscript called "Kashf Al Ghumma Al Jame'i Li Akhbar Al Umma" (A Collected Chronology of Grief in the Nation's Tales) by Omani historian Said Bin Sarhan. The manuscript states that Bani Yas rushed to the assistance of the Al Dhahira people in their struggle to drive the Portuguese out of the Gulphar Fortress, north of Ras Al Khaimah.

The Bani Yas Alliance represented the land force in the area under the leadership of Al Bu Falah. The name "Bani Yas Alliance" was given to the tribal assemblage that formed this alliance. It consisted of a group of tribes under the leadership of Al Bu Falah, from whom the Al Nahyan family, who reigned for more than two hundred years, is descended.

As mentioned by the sources, one of the main divisions in the Bani Yas Alliance was Al Bu Falasah, from whom the rulers of the Dubai Emirate are descended; the Qubeissat who dwelled in Liwa in the middle of Al Dhafra territory; and the Suwaidis, most of who have lived in the Bateen area. There are other sub-groups of Bani Yas such as Mazaar'i, Al Bu Mihiar, Hawamil, Marrs, Rumeithat, Maharba, Qamzan, Sabais, Al Busair, ar-Rawashid and Mushaqibin.

There were also small groups that were subordinated to the Bani Yas such as Al Bu Ameen, Al Eireifat, Al Dhuhailat and others, in addition to sub-groups of some other tribes that lived under the aegis of the Al Nahyan.

It could be said that: "The coherence of this Alliance and the strong ties between its members made this Alliance acquire the term "tribe", since the seventeenth century, as historic sources and references refer to Bani Yas Tribe."

The Al Nahyan "Family" In Abu Dhabi

It is a pleasure and delight to see Abu Dhabi gain such prominence in the modern age, and to introduce men whose names have been brightly etched in the annals of history.

Al Nahyan rulers have measured up to the task, and have reigned with prudence and wisdom. As a result, the country has lived in unprecedented peace, security, and stability. It could not be otherwise in the prevailing atmosphere of boundless generosity, unlimited loyalty and justice, like a fountain of light and a beacon of peace and prosperity. The Al Nahyan rulers have been great leaders, responsible, devoted and focused on nation building.

Towards the end of the 18th century, Sheikh Eissa Bin Nahyan managed to assemble all the Bani Yas under his banner. Thus, he is considered as the first ruler from the Al Nahyan. Sheikh Dhiab Bin Eissa laid the foundation for the coastal area in Abu Dhabi and chose Sahl Al Hamrah, north of Al Dhafra Land, as his place of residence. In spite of his short reign, justice became widespread and he ruled with wisdom and prudence, creating stability and peace.

Sheikh Shakhbout Bin Dhiab took over the leadership of Al Bu Falah during the period between 1793 and 1816, after the death of Dhiab Bin Eissa. He was well known for his broadmindedness, keen perception and thorough analysis.

Under his rule, the Al Bu Falah leadership of the Bani Yas was established. He engaged in battles to defend Oman from foreign invaders and associated with the Rulers of Muscat, Al Bu Saeed. This paved the way for the creation of the spirit of solidarity and respect between the Al Nahyan Rulers and the Al Bu Saeed Rulers.

Sheikh Shakhbout Bin Dhiab will be remembered for taking a daring step, which had a great and far-reaching political and economic impact on the life of the Abu Dhabi Emirate. He shifted his headquarters from Liwa, located in the interior, to the town which was coming into being on Abu Dhabi Island, and encouraged trade, pearl diving, hunting and navigation.

Tahnoun Bin Shakhbout succeeded Sheikh Shakhbout Bin Dhiab. He was distinguished by his devotion to work, his dynamism and vitality. Under his rule (1818-1833) Abu Dhabi, supported by Bani Yas, grew into a power to be reckoned with on the Oman Coast, thanks to his wise policy, armory and great warriors.

When Sheikh Khalifa Bin Shakhbout took over the reign after his brother Tahnoun, Abu Dhabi was already a great political and military power in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Shakhbout's reign lasted from 1833 to 1845. Abu Dhabi experienced times of turmoil because of the conflict between Sheikh Khalifa and his brother, Sultan, who shared the power with him for some time. But later Sheikh Khalifa ruled alone. At that time the Al Bu Falasah seceded from the Bani Yas and established their own authority in Dubai.

Sheikh Khalifa remained in power until it was taken over by Sheikh Saeed Bin Tahnoun who ruled from 1845 to 1855. All those years Abu Dhabi was exposed to many foreign dangers. However, Sheikh Saeed, with his strong will and love for his country, defended it, and with his prudence and wisdom managed to attract, among others, the Al Dhawaher and the Al Naeem tribes to his side.

Zayed The First (Senior)

Zayed the First, who was called شthe Senior', ruled Abu Dhabi Emirate from 1855 and remained in power until 1909. He ruled and managed with prudence, and endeavored to develop the country through uniting the tribes in the Emirate and marrying from the tribes inhabiting the Oman Coast.

Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa was a very practical and perceptive man. He was fully supported by all the tribes. He had eight sons who played significant roles in their fatherصs life. Those were Khalifa, Tahnoun, Saeed, Hamdan, Hazaa, Sultan, Saqer and Mohammed.

Zayed the Senior believed in consultation, and overcame many obstacles through the friendly relations that he established with the Bani Yas and the Qawassim, and through his cooperation with the Al Maktoum in Dubai. He also established his authority in Buraimi.

Mr. Hamdi Tammam, author of the book Zayed, The Leader and the March says: "The efforts of Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan were not just limited to the political and economic development of the society; those efforts also brought about great development in the intellectual and cultural spheres. This was evident in the heritage of many scholars and men of letters who emerged in the Emirate society during his rule.

"When Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa died, the majlis of the Al Nahyan family met and agreed that the late Zayed should be succeeded by his eldest son Sheikh Khalifa who was known for his strong personality and intelligence. However, Sheikh Khalifa thanked the family members but refused to succeed his father. So Sheikh Tahnoun, the second eldest son of Sheikh Zayed the First was chosen as ruler. Sheikh Tahnoun ruled for three years from 1909 to 1912. During his rule, the Abu Dhabi Emirate witnessed great economic welfare and prosperity, commercial activity and large-scale development in the fields of fishing and pearl diving.

Following the death of Sheikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed was again offered to take over, but he refused. His brother Hamdan took over in 1912 and ruled for a full decade during which the country was very peaceful and stable. The pearl industry flourished. Tolerance prevailed throughout the state as Sheikh Hamdan was a very generous man, and thus all the tribes were positively disposed towards him, both during and after his rule.

In 1922, Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed took over the rule and remained in power for five years until 1926. He was a very brave and wise ruler. He established good relations with his neighbors, the Princes of the Coast of Oman. Sheikh Sultan gave special care to agriculture and irrigation. He ordered the drilling of the Al Muwaiji Falaj, which resulted in the flourishing of Al Muwaiji village, and built a palace in the eastern part of Al Ain that can still be seen today. In August 1926, Sheikh Saqer Bin Zayed took over. As he ruled for a short time, his achievements did not come to the foreground.

Sheikh Shakhbout then took over the rule in the Emirate (Abu Dhabi) for thirty-eight years. He was one of the grandsons of Sheikh Zayed the Senior. The Al Nahyan family pledged allegiance to him, following the directions given by Sheikha Salama Bint Butti, mother of Sheikh Shakhbout. He paid special attention to the basic elements of life, in particular the aspect of drinking water. During his rule the first drinking water pipeline was extended from Al Sad area, near Al Ain city, to Abu Dhabi.

On August 6, 1966, H.H. Sheikh Shakhbout transferred the rule to his brother H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This heralded the beginning of a bright new era of bounty during which Abu Dhabi has experienced progress, increased welfare, prosperity and justice - an era of abundance that, we pray to God, will ever remain so.

A Chronicle of Al Nahyan Rulers in Power:

1. Eissa Bin Nahyan (18th Century)

2. Dhiab Bin Eissa (18th Century)

3. Shakhbout Bin Dhiab (1793 - 1816)

4. Mohammed Bin Shakhbout (1816-1818)

5. Tahnoon Bin Shakhbout (1818-1833)

6. Khalifa Bin Shakhbout (1833-1845)

7. Saeed Bin Tahnoun (1845- 1855)

8. Zayed Bin Khalifa (1855 - 1909)

9. Tahnoun Bin Zayed (1909 - 1912)

10. Hamdan Bin Zayed (1912 - 1922)

11. Sultan Bin Zayed (1922 - 1926)

12. Saqer Bin Zayed (1926 - 1928)

13. Shakhbout Bin Sultan (1928 - 1966)

14. Zayed Bin Sultan (1966 - to date)

Why was it called Abu Dhabi?

A report by the Indian Government, written in 1831, refers to an incident when one of the Al Bu Falah men discovered a water well for the first time on Abu Dhabi Island in 1761, which prompted some of the Bani Yas members to migrate and settle on the island.

Different stories are told about the name "Abu Dhabi" One of these stories recounts that the island was given that name because there were plenty of deer living in the area. Another story claims that a hunter caught a deer after a persistent chase. Both died of thirst near a dry well, which was then given the name "Abu Dhabi" Since then the island has been known by that name and later the whole Emirate. Some people say that the name was "Umm Dhabi" in the beginning and was changed afterwards to "Abu Dhabi"

Until oil was discovered, extracted and exported, pearl diving and fishing were the principal occupations of Abu Dhabi people. Contemporaries of that period say that Bani Yas and its numerous affiliate tribes in Abu Dhabi, as well as 70 percent of the Al Ain population lived from diving and the pearl trade. The diving season was between June and October. When the diving season ended, the men would join their families and go out hunting in the rainy and green seasons or go fishing.

The Abu Dhabi population was divided into the tribes (or sub-tribal groups) of the Bani Yas in adjacent localities (Ferjan). East of the present Central Market, the area was occupied by the Rumeithis and Qubaissis. The Otaibas and Yamounahs were in ar-Ras. West of old Al Hisn (Fortress) were the Qamzis, Hamdans, Hawmails, Mazrouies and Mohairba. Bateen was occupied by the Suwaidis and Muheirys. The main port of Abu Dhabi (or Qutaa) was located opposite to the present Clock Tower Roundabout on the Corniche road and had no docks.

There was also زAl Bandarس another port at the present location of Mina Zayed, and a third port at Mina Al Bateen. Types of dwellings:

Traderصs dwellings were made of gravel and plaster, comprising stores and living rooms (majlis). But, the majority used to live in dwellings made of palm leaves, or in tents made of palm leaves and palm trunks.

Re: The UAE, some history
 

on a role now.
Here is an interpretation and opinion on Abu Dhabi's intricate internal power structure

"Right up to the announcement of Zayed's death, even those locals and veteran expatriates who considered themselves among the best informed had got it all wrong. Indeed, with the exception of just one publication, almost all had predicted the succession of Zayed's astute, dynamic and highly visible third-eldest son, Muhammad. Only one year previously, Muhammad had been appointed by his father to the all-new position of deputy crown prince, a move interpreted by some as deliberately smoothing the way for the succession. However, in accordance with primogeniture, the eldest of Zayed's sons and Abu Dhabi's crown prince since 1966, Khalifa, was quietly proclaimed the new ruler.

Khalifa got no full brothers. A bloc of six of Zayed's other sons are, however, full brothers, and most significantly their mother, Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak al-Qitbi, was Zayed's favored wife and continues to be regarded as the UAE's "First Lady." Predictably, as something approaching a cohesive political bloc in an otherwise highly fragmented dynasty, they have collectively grown in power as they have grown older.
Partly due to their Western education, they are thought to have much in common with emerging technocratic elements in the Council of Ministers and the Federal National Council. Crucially, they have between them gained important control over foreign affairs and parts of the military, domestic intelligence, information services, and other institutions closely connected to national security.
The eldest of these Bani Fatima is the crown prince Muhammad.

To contain the power of the Bani Fatima President Sheikh Khalifa got support from a more splintered fraction that often are referred to as the Bani Muhammad bin Khalifa, they where the main powerbrokers during the late Emirs reign and with him basically built the UAE from scratch.
Indeed, of the late Khalifa's six grandsons, all assumed important positions of power during the early years of Zayed's administration. The eldest of these, Hamdan, was one of the most vociferous supporters of Zayed's cause in 1966 and was at one point even considered as a potential crown prince should anything happen to Zayed's sons. He was the first chairman of Abu Dhabi's new Public Works Department and then became the UAE's deputy prime minister for much of the 1970s and the early 1980s. The second eldest grandson, Mubarak, served as Abu Dhabi's chief of police during the critical first few years of Zayed's rule and was later rewarded with control over the Ministry of the Interior. Tahnun, the third of the Bani Muhammad bin Khalifa, has for some years been a member of the Supreme Petroleum Council and a former director of the Abu Dhabi National oil Company (ADNOC), in addition to holding the deputy chairmanship of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council (Abu Dhabi's emirate-level cabinet). Perhaps most significantly, Tahnun remains the governor of Abu Dhabi's eastern region, which includes the enormous responsibility of governing the emirate's second largest city, Al-Ayn.
Notable among the other grandsons have been Saif, who was chairman of the Abu Dhabi Planning Department and the UAE's minister of health for much of the 1970s, and Surur who was the original chairman of Abu Dhabi's Department of Justice, the chamberlain of the Presidential Court for a long period, the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Water and Electricity, and at one point also the chairman of the UAE Central Bank.

Today, many of these grandsons remain influential, and many of their own sons have formed the latest generation of the loyal Bani Muhammad bin Khalifa. In particular, Hamdan's son Khalifa is the chairman of Abu Dhabi's Department of Economy, while his other sons include Hamad, a successful businessman with the nickname "The Rainbow Shaikh' given his fleet of multicolored cars, and Sultan, chairman of Protocol and the Presidential Guest House. Mubarak's eldest surviving son, Nuhayyan, is minister of education and the president of Zayed University, with his other son, Hamdan, serving as the chairman of Abu Dhabi's Civil Aviation Department (and at one point being the chairman of Gulf Air). Similarly prominent are Tahnun's sons, who between them hold positions on the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the chairmanship of the powerful General Industry Corporation (essentially a government parastatal),

Despite their ongoing influence however, they and their sons are nowhere nearly as powerful as they were in Zayed's early years. For example, Hamdan bin Muhammad's position of deputy prime minister has been lost to Hamdan bin Zayed, while Surur bin Muhammad's chairmanship of the UAE Central Bank has also been lost (remarkable, given that many believed Surur could have become Khalifa's new crown prince following Zayed's death77). Similarly the Bani Muhammad bin Khalifa have lost the directorship of ADNOC, the chamberlainship of the Presidential Court, and indeed almost all of the ministerial portfolios that they held during the 1970s and 1980s. Clearly, they have been squeezed, mainly by the rising Bani Fatima, and, although there has been some intermarriage between the two blocs, they remain a completely distinct faction. Crucially, of Zayed's sons, they have always been closer to Khalifa, as he is, of course, not a part of the Bani Fatima and therefore regarded as the best potential balancing force. In addition, Khalifa's mother, Shaikha Hussa, was a sister of the Bani Muhammad bin Khalifa, and most of Khalifa's daughters have been married into this branch, further reinforcing any future Khalifa-Bani Muhammad bin Khalifa link.



So as you can imagine HH Sheik Khalifa is by no means a figurehead, it´s just that there are two main blocks of power so his powers are limited in certain areas."
taken from here http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...a-16781-2.html


Bani Fatima loyals
Sheikh Muhammad. crown prince and very much the architect behind the modernisation of Abu Dhabi. He´s still very much considered the military leader of UAE.

Sheikh Hamdan, deputy prime minister.

Sheikh Hazza, heads the security and intelligence services. Not a man to cross..

Sheikh Tahnoun, heads the presidents private department.

Sheikh Mansour, minister of presidential affairs (The Royal chamberlain really)

Sheikh Abdullah, minister of foreign affairs

Re: The UAE, some history
 

Thanks Shiva :thumbsup:- really interesting info and great video footage.

Re: The UAE, some history
 

excellent Shiva :thumbup:

Re: The UAE, some history
 

This is just great reading -thanx Shiva.
This is yourt other thread you put up not so long ago.The photo I referred to??? is just a red cross now:( anyways for sure the Codrai's are worth looking at again.

You should ask the Mods to pin your thread Shiva-its really invaluable reading for anyone genuinely interested in UAE.

Thanx again

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=517761

Re: The UAE, some history
 

yeah, i agree, it's not often you get any history here, and this is fabulous stuff...

MM, xx

Re: The UAE, some history
 

Oh I love it. Just watching it again-finished 5/6 of Youtube Videos wherein you actually hear Zayed's voice-great. Hahahahha- thekids at school too learning English rote fashion 'this is the floor,this is the ceiling.....so sweet and it looks like 'Little Richard' is their teacher.
Seeing Zayed sit with his people 'at a table' and not on the floor- and the
gauche way he is managing his cutlery-trying to learn how to use it, all fascinating.I had to laugh though about the hospital scene in this particular video-not at the poor folks and their afflictions(eye disease off the richter scale-is that becos of sand/dust I wonder?) but the number of injuries sustained falling out of date trees!!!!!
Guess nowadays.......for date trees read Land Cruisers.....
Amazing stuff though.