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Bahrain's Rulers: King Hamad bin ‘Isa Al Khalifa Note to Readers: Because this issue contains two pages of Profiles, Listening Post does not appear in this issue. On February 14, Bahrain's Amir since 1999, Sheikh Hamad bin ‘Isa Al Khalifa, proclaimed Bahrain a Kingdom with himself as its King. (For more, see the Dossier in this issue.) The world's newest King also issued constitutional amendments for the restoration of parliamentary life under a constitutional monarchy.
When the new King's father, the late Amir ‘Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, died in 1999, some expected a continuing hard line towards the opposition, because the new Amir had long been commander of the Armed Forces, and because his powerful uncle, Sheikh Salman, brother of the late Amir, continued as Prime Minister. Nevertheless, Hamad moved quickly to promise reforms, granted amnesty to opposition figures in exile, ended a longstanding state of emergency, and generally relaxed tensions in the island nation. Sheikh Hamad — now King Hamad — was born at Al-Rifa‘ Palace in Bahrain on January 28, 1950. His primary education was a traditional one, studying the Qur'an and the Arabic language from tutors. He is said to have shown particular interest in traditional Arabic poetry. He also mastered swimming, horseback riding and target shooting. On completion of this traditional education in 1964, he was proclaimed Crown Prince on June 27 of that year. His secondary education was at the Leys school in Cambridge, England, which he completed in 1967. He then attended the Mons Officer Cadet School at Aldershot, and has also studied at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. After graduating at Aldershot in 1968, he was involved in organizing the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF), the country's armed forces, in anticipation of the British departure from the Gulf in 1971. He was named Commander-in-Chief of the BDF and held that position from the force's formation in 1968 until his accession to the Amirship in 1999. (After the appointment of his son as Crown Prince, he passed the command of the BDF to him.) Bahrain was still under British protection at the time, but he was appointed to head the Defense Directorate and also became a member of the State Council in 1970. When the new Cabinet was formed in August 1971, at the time of the British pullback from the Gulf, he was named Minister of Defense. He also continued to hold that post until becoming Amir. He continued to pursue his military education, studying at the US Army's Command and Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1972, and at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington; he took a diploma in Military Administration from the latter and graduated with honors from Fort Leavenworth as well. In 1974 he was named Deputy to the Head of the Khalifa Family Council (the ruling family). He was also responsible for establishing the country's Historical Documents Center, which was housed in his Court. Continuing with his sporting and riding interests, in 1974 he was named President of the Supreme Council of Youth and Sports, and in 1977 established the Amiri stables, which raises Arabian horses. In addition, he established the Bahrain Center for Studies and Research in 1981 and became its head. In 1977 he undertook training as a helicopter pilot and graduated in early 1978; he subsequently helped create the Bahraini Amiri Air Force. He has also continued to pursue such traditional Gulf hobbies as falconry, and Western ones such as golf and tennis. On October 9, 1968, Sheikh Hamad married one of his cousins; they have three sons and a daughter: the Crown Prince, Sheikh Salman, born October 21, 1969; Sheikh ‘Abdullah, born June 30, 1975; Sheikh Khalifa, born June 4, 1977; and Sheikha Najla, born May 20, 1981. Prime Minster Shiekh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Bahrain's Prime Minister, who has held the job since its creation in 1971 and held equivalent jobs even before that, is Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the uncle of King Hamad (see above). Sheikh Khalifa was born in 1936, the second of three sons of Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa; the eldest of course was the late Amir, Sheikh ‘Isa, who died in 1999.
Sheikh Khalifa pursued primary and secondary education in Bahrain and higher education in Britain. He returned to Bahrain in 1957 and was named President of the Education Council. In 1959 he became Acting Secretary of the Government, and in 1960 Head of Finance. In 1966 he became Chairman of the Administrative Council, a quasi-cabinet in the era of British protection. In 1970 a State Council replaced the Administrative Council, and with full independence in 1971, a Council of Ministers took over the functions. Sheikh Khalifa headed all of these, and has been Prime Minister ever since. Sheikh Khalifa holds numerous other posts as well, including Chairman of the Defense Council. He has been actively involved in the country's internal security apparatus for many years, and has been considered a hardliner on security. Sheikh Khalifa is married, with two sons and a daughter. His hobbies include horticulture and photography. Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Soon after Sheikh (now King) Hamad succeeded his father as Amir in 1999, he named his eldest son, Sheikh Salman, as Crown Prince. The new Constitution specifies that henceforth the Kingship (as it now is) will pass to the King's eldest son, unless the King names another son as Crown Prince during his lifetime. This regularizes a succession pattern which has often been unpredictable in the Gulf; a similar regularization has occurred in Qatar. Sheikh Salman was sworn in as Crown Prince on March 9, 1999, and also became Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF), his father's old job, with the rank of General. Sheikh Salman was born on October 21, 1969, the eldest son of the then-Crown Prince, now King Hamad. He took his primary and secondary education in Bahrain. He took a Bachelor's degree in political science in 1992 from the American University in Washington, DC. He then took a Master's Degree in History and Philosophy from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. In 1992 he was named Vice Chairman of the Bahrain Center for Studies and Research, which had been founded by his father. He became its Chairman in 1995. His interests include culture, the environment, sports and education. He speaks fluent English as well as Arabic. Sheikh Salman is married and the father of two sons and a daughter. |
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