Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah
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| Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة |
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| King of Bahrain | |
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| Reign | 6 March 1999 – present |
| Born | 28 December 1948 |
| Birthplace | Riffa, Bahrain |
| Predecessor | Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah |
| Heir-Apparent | Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa |
| Consort | Sabika bint Ibrahim |
| Offspring | Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Abdullah ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Khalifa ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Najla ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Nasser ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Khalid ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Noora ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Munira ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Hessa ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Sultan ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Reema ibn Hamad Al Khalifah Faisal ibn Hamad Al Khalifah |
| Royal House | Al-Khalifa |
| Royal anthem | Bahrainona |
| Father | Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah |
| Religious beliefs | Muslim - Sunni |
Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, KCMG (Arabic: حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة) (born 28 January 1950, Riffa, Bahrain) is the current King of Bahrain (since 2002), having previously been its Emir (from 1999). He is the son of Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah, the previous emir.
For his secondary schooling, he attended the The Leys School, Cambridge, England. He later attended military colleges in the United Kingdom (including Sandhurst) and the United States (including Fort Leavenworth).[1]
Al Khalifah has great interest in preserving heritage and continues to indulge in a number of sports activities and hobbies including falconry, golf, fishing, tennis and football. His keen interest in Arabian horses caused him to establish the Amiri stables in June 1977 which was registered in the World Arabian Horses Organization in September 1978.
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[edit] Reign
Upon succeeding his father, King Hamad brought in sweeping political reforms to the Kingdom which included the release of all political prisoners, granting women the right to vote, and holding elections for parliament. The reforms were described by Amnesty International as representing a "historic period of human rights."[2] The country was declared a kingdom in 2002. It formerly was considered an emirate and officially called a "state." In 2002, he took a stance opposing any 'unilateral' military action by the United States against Iraq.
[edit] Family
He and his wife, Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, have four living children:
- His Royal Highness Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain, born on October 21, 1969
- His Royal Highness Sheikh Abdullah, born on June 30, 1975
- His Royal Highness Sheikh Khalifa, born June 4, 1977
- Her Royal Highness Sheikha Najla, born May 20, 1981
- A sixth son, Sheikh Faisal ibn Hamad Al Khalifa, died in a fatal car accident (born February 12, 1991 - January 13, 2006)
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Bahrain Embassy
- The New Amir of Bahrain: Marching Sideways, Abdulhadi Khalaf, Civil Society, Volume 9, Issue 100, April 2000
- The King’s Dilemma: Obstacles to Political Reforms In BahrainPDF (227 KiB), Abdulhadi Khalaf, Fourth Mediterranean Social and Political Research Meeting, European University Institute, March 2003
- Generational change and elite-driven reforms in the Kingdom of Bahrain. (Sir William Luce Fellowship Paper No. 7) Dr. Steven Wright (2006) Institute for Middle East and Islamic Studies, University of Durham, (PDF Format)
- Bahrian: The Royals rule, Le Monde Diplomatique, March 2005
- An Arab exception: Reform in Bahrain The Economist, 29 July 2004 (requires subscription)
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Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah
Born: 28 January 1950 |
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| Regnal titles | ||
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| Preceded by Isa ibn Salman al-Khalifa |
Emir of Bahrain 1999 – 2002 |
Succeeded by Himself As King of Bahrain |
| Preceded by Himself As Emir of Bahrain |
King of Bahrain 2002 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent Designated heir: Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa |
