Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( born 1918 in Al Ain, † November 2, 2004 in Abu Dhabi, . Arabic الشيخ زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان, DMG aš - Shaykh Sultan Al Nahyan Zāyid b ) was the Emir of Abu Dhabi and until his death was the first president of the United Arab Emirates since independence in 1971.
The first years
Zayed was born in 1918 into the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, an oasis village about 160 kilometers east of the capital. He was the youngest of four sons of Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed, who led the very poor tribe from 1922 to 1926. His education was limited - as in this time and region usual - on the Islamic religious principles and the traditional life of the Bedouins. In the 1930s, he led the first representatives of oil companies across the country. 1946 made him his brother Schachbut ( Shakhbut ), who ruled since 1928 in Abu Dhabi, as governor of the region of Al Ain in. Al Ain and the eight surrounding villages joined together under Zayids guide to an urban municipality.
The oil boom
1952 began a war with Saudi Arabia ( supported by the Arabian - American Oil Company), and Oman to the region al - Ain and its oil reserves, which was only in 1974 finally settled by negotiation, in which a part of the community as a town Buraimi in Oman fell.
With the first oil exports in 1962 from Abu Dhabi, the steep economic boom, where the population initially had no great share as Zayids brother Schachbut invested the proceeds only in small part in the formation and development began.
1966: By coup to power
Zayid crashed with family support his brother in a bloodless palace coup and replaced him on August 6, 1966 in his position as Emir of Abu Dhabi from.
Founding of the United Emirates and subsequently
When Britain withdrew in 1971 as protection power of the Emirates, Zayed initiated together with the Emir of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the formation of the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971, was elected the first president. Every five years elections took place, in which the sheikhs of the seven emirates participate. Under Sheikh Zayids guide the petrodollars have been invested in the development of the country, whose population now lives in great wealth. The structural development of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, he placed great emphasis on greening all traffic routes. It flowed also funds projects in other Arab states. So Sheikh Zayed helped passed out of Lake Nasser in the Western Valley, where new farmland created in the realization of the Toshka project in southern Egypt, in the Nile water. Therefore, the channel " Sheikh Zayed Grand Canal " was baptized.
As a result of the immense oil export revenues was Sheikh Zayed as one of the richest men in the world. 1991 his involvement in the scandal of the London Bank of Credit and Commerce International ( BCCI) was known. He also financed gardens at the London Chelsea Flower Show.
The Last Days
Zayed died on 2 November 2004 after a long illness. In March 2000 he was a kidney transplant in the United States. The cause of his death was not disclosed. According to Islamic tradition, he was buried on the afternoon of November 3, next to the under construction Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. His eldest son, Crown Prince Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the provisionally led the government during the long illness Sheikh Zayids, took up office for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and was on 3 November 2004 of the " Supreme Court of Rulers " (meeting of the seven rulers the individual emirates ) as the new President of the UAE selected.
After Zayids death a national mourning of three days was arranged for the private sector and government agencies for eight days, while the these facilities were closed (except for an emergency operation ). Furthermore, all the flags hung at half-mast for 40 days. The radio station presented their program for 20 days in order to Quranic verses and light classical music. In many other Arab states period of national mourning were declared.
Dhiyab I. | Schachbut I. | Muhammad | Schachbut II | Tahnun I. | Khalifa I. | Sultan I. | Isa | Dhiyab II | Sa'id | Zayed Bin Khalifa | Tahnun II | Hamdan | Sultan II | Saqr | Schachbut III. | Zayed II | Khalifa II
- Emir (Abu Dhabi )
- President ( United Arab Emirates)
- Support of the Finnish Order of the White Rose ( Grand Cross with chain of orders )
- Carrier of the Star of Romania ( Collane )
- Citizen of the United Arab Emirates
- Born in 1918
- Died in 2004
- Man