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The Arab world is known for its long and illustrious history of civilizations, revolutions and leaders. Here is a list of 23 longest reigning rulers in the Arab region:
1. Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Bahrain- 63 years (1869-1932)
Known by the title 'Hakim of Bahrain', Shaikh Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa holds the record for the longest reigning ruler in the Arab world. He was forced to abdicate by the British in 1932 .
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2. Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE- 62 years (1948-2010)
Shaikh Sakr overthrew his uncle in 1948 and ruled till the age of 90, becoming the oldest reigning monarch at the time of his death.
His efforts resulted in Ras Al Khaimah joining the United Arab Emirates, in addition to various other political reforms.
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3. Ismail ibn Sharif, Morocco- 55 years (1672-1727)
Ismail ibn Sharif who is one of Morocco’s most legendary figures, is credited for winning several battles that lead to Morocco’s independence.
However, he was also infamous for his cruelty which earned him the epithet 'The bloodthirsty'.
The ruler is also alleged to have fathered more than 800 children!
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Sultan Said fought and won numerous battles to become the ruler of Oman. He also conquered Mombasa, Kenya, and moved his capital from Muscat to Zanzibar in 1840.
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5. Hussein bin Talal, Jordan- 47 years (1952-1999)
King Hussein of Jordan was the father of the current King Abdullah and led Jordan through many difficult Arab-Israeli conflicts.
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6. Qaboos bin Said al Said, Oman- 46 years (1970-now)
Educated in India and Britain’s Sandhurst military academy, Sultan Qaboos overthrew his father and united Oman to begin economic and social reform.
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7. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Sharjah, UAE- 44 years (1972-present)
Besides being the ruler of Sharjah, Al Qasimi also holds two doctorates- in political geography and history, has published several literary works, and holds numerous awards, medals, and honorary positions from the world’s top institutions.
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8. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Fujairah, UAE- 42 years (1974-present)
Enjoying century-old strong family alliances with Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Shaikh Hamad is an eloquent speaker, fluent in both English and Arabic, and has represented the president of the UAE president the most in several forums around the world.
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Upon his father’s death in 1961, Hassan II became king of Morocco and ruled conservatively. The Alaouite dynasty was strengthened through his power.
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10. Abd ar-Rahman ibn Hisham, Morocco- 37 years (1822-1859)
Abd ar-Rahman took over leadership when the country was going through during a difficult time. He sought foreign aid and attempted to restore life to the institution of Barbary piracy, in hopes of replenishing his treasury..
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11. Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ajman, UAE- 35 years (1981-present)
Shaikh Humaid was educated in Dubai and Cairo before entering the political scene. Under his reign, the state saw rapid changes from a small fishing town at the time of independence to a modern emirate.
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12. Ali Abdallah Saleh, Yemen- 33 years (1978-2012)
Saleh had only recieved an elementary education before getting a rigorous military education.
After the country heavily protested against him in 2012, he passed over the rule to his deputy, whereafter he fled to the United States for medical treatment. He is alleged to be the force behind the current rebel Houthi group in Yemen.
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13. Mohammad V, Morocco- 32 years (1927-1953, 1955-1961)
Mohammad V successfully negotiated with France to gain Morocco’s independence, but not before he was exiled to Corsica and Madgascar from 1953-1955.
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14. Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia- 31 years (1956-1987)
Bourguiba led Tunisia’s road to independence, backed the law experience he had acquired in France. He initiated positive changes in the country, until he was replaced by his prime minister in 1987.
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15. Hosni Mubarak, Egypt- 30 years (1981-2011)
The president of Egypt was long credited with leading Cairo to become Africa’s gateway city, but was later accused of corruption, which eventually led to widespread nationwide protests that ended his rule.
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16. Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Kuwait- 29 years (1921-1950)
Al Sabah was one of Kuwait’s most prominent emirs, founding the military and public security force divisions. He is the father of the current Crown Prince of Kuwait.
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17. Omar Al Bashir, Sudan- 27 years (1989-present)
Indicted by the International Criminal Court for mass killings in Darfur, Omar Al Bashir played a controversial but pivotal role in the conflict between North and South Sudan, as well as its resolution.
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18. Saddam Hussein, Iraq- 24 years (1979-2003)
As the leader of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, Saddam rose to power in 1979, and controversially but strictly ruled Iraq till the United States invaded in 2003, when he was killed.
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19. Fahd bin Abdelaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia- 23 years (1982-2005)
Fahd is one of the sons of the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdelaziz, and is known for establishing the Basic Law of Saudi Arabia in 1992.
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20. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia- 22 years (1989-2011)
Ben Ali rose to presidency in 1989 through a coup against Habib Bourguiba, after which his era enjoyed great economic reform.
Nevertheless, his unfavorable position in his later years, coupled with allegations of corruption against his family, led to his ousting in 2011.
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21. Abdulaziz ibn Saud, Saudi Arabia- 21 years (1932-1953)
He was the first monarch and founder of Saudi Arabia and the royal house of Saud.
Abdulaziz recaptured the city of Riyadh to establish the border of what is today the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Petroleum was discovered in the kingdom under his reign.
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23. Faysal II, Iraq- 19 years (1939-1958)
The king’s grandfather was Ali ibn Hussein, the Grand Sharif of Mecca and founder of the Hashemite dynasty, making Hussein of Jordan his first cousin.
Faysal II ruled till he was murdered during the 14 July Revolution, marking the end of monarchy in Iraq.
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24. Hassan I, Morocco- 19 years (1873-1894)
Hassan I is famous for bringing great military and social reforms to Morocco.
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