Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani
| Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani الشيخ خليفة بن حمد آل ثاني | |
|---|---|
| Emir of Qatar | |
| Reign | 22 February 1972 – 27 June 1995 |
| Predecessor | Ahmad ibn 'Ali Al Thani |
| Successor | Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani |
| Born | 17 September 1932 Rayyan, Qatar |
| House | House of Thani |
| Father | Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani |
| Mother | Aisha Bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani GCB GCMG[1] (born 1932; Arabic: خليفة بن حمد آل ثاني) was the Emir of Qatar from 27 February 1972 until he was deposed by his son Hamad bin Khalifa on 27 June 1995.[2] He is the grandfather of the current Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Early years
Sheikh Khalifa was born in Rayyan in 1932.[3][4] He was the son of Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani and grandson of Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani.
Career
In 1957, Khalifa was named as the minister of education.[5] Then he was appointed the deputy Emir.[5] He was named as the heir apparent on 24 October 1960.[6] In the 1960s he also served as the prime minister and the minister of finance.[5]
On 22 February 1972, Sheikh Khalifa became the Emir of Qatar, seizing power from his cousin and then emir Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani.[7] While many Western news outlets referred to it as an overthrow, the Qatari population merely considered it to be a succession of power.[6] His initial activity was the process of the reorganization of the government.[4] He also limited the financial privileges of members of the ruling family.[6] Next, he appointed a foreign minister and an adviser to himself regarding the day-to-day affairs.[4] On 19 April 1972, he amended the Constitution and expanded the Cabinet by appointing more ministers. Diplomatic relations were also established with a number of the foreign countries at ambassadorial level.
Khalifa's reorganization of the system of government saw a dramatic shift in the hierarchy of authority. He immensely reduced the traditional powers afforded to the heir-apparent while projecting all of the power onto himself.[8]
On 18 July 1989, the cabinet was reshuffled for the first time, replacing most of the previous ministers and making it consist of 15 ministers. The Cabinet was again reshuffled under his premiership on 1 September 1992, expanding it to 17 members.[9]
The state revenue from oil sector had increased as the result of the rising of a number of production sharing agreements with foreign oil companies. Two production-sharing agreements were signed with the Standard Oil Company of Ohio in January 1985 and Amoco in February 1986. In January 1989, another production sharing agreement was signed between Qatar and the France State owned oil company Elf Aquitaine. In the middle of 1991, production of gas in the Qatar North Field, the world's largest single field of non-associated gas commenced, which has proven gas reserves of around 250 trillion cubic feet and probable reserves of 500 trillion cubic feet. While the search for finding more oil deposits in Qatar continued, Qatar built an industrial base in order to reduce dependence on the oil sector.
Coup
While Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani was staying in Geneva, Switzerland, in July 1995, his son Hamad bin Khalifa took the throne.[10] Khalifa lived in France until he returned to Qatar in 2004.
Marriages and children
Sheikh Khalifa has five sons and ten daughters from four wives.
- Sheikha Amna bint Hassan bin Abdulla Al Thani
- Sheikh Abdelaziz bin Khalifa, Petroleum and finance minister (1973–1991)
- Sheikha Noora bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Aisha bint Hamad Al Attiyah
- Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013.
- Sheikha Hissa bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Amina bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Jafla bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Amal bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Rudha bint Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani
- Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa, Prime Minister (1996–2007)
- Sheikh Muhammed bin Khalifa
- Sheikha Aisha bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Mouza bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Maryam bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Mouza bint Ali bin Saud Al Thani
- Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa
- Sheikha Al Anud bint Khalifa
- Sheikha Nouf bint Khalifa
References
- ^ "Qatar: The Al-Thani Dynasty". The Royal Ark. p. 7.
- ^ "Thani, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad al-". Hutchinson Encyclopedia. Farlex.
- ^ "Qatar rulers". Rulers. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Line of succession: The Al Thani rule in Qatar". Gulf News. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ a b c Kamrava, Mehran (Summer 2009). "Royal Factionalism and Political Liberalization in Qatar". The Middle East Journal. 63 (3): 401–420. doi:10.3751/63.3.13. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ a b c Helem Chapin Metz, ed. (1993). "The Al Thani". Persian Gulf States: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress.
- ^ "Qatar PM seizes power from cousin". Ottawa Citizen. Beirut. AP. 23 February 1972. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ Al-Kubaisi, Mohammed Ali M. (1984). Industrial development in Qatar: a geographical assessment (PDF). Durham E-Theses, Durham University. p. 77.
- ^ "Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani (1972–1995)". Qatar News Agency.
- ^ "Prince deposes father in Qatar". Deseret News. 27 June 1995. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
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