MUSCAT/OMAN: Zanzibar’s former sultan arrives in Oman for retirement!

• Jamshid bin Abdullah was deposed in 1964 and has lived in exile in the UK for more than 50 years

An Omani family stands by the waterfront in the Mutrah area of the capital Muscat on November 16, 2018. 

Jamshid bin Abdullah, the former sultan of the East African island of Zanzibar, was expected to arrive in Muscat from the United Kingdom on Monday after his request to retire in Oman was granted by the government.

The 91-year-old former sultan, who was deposed from his throne in 1964 by a popular African revolt, had been living in exile in the southern city of Portsmouth in the UK for more than 50 years. He inherited the throne from his father Abdullah bin Khalifa on July 1963.

“We are expecting him to arrive in Muscat in the evening flight. His request to retire in Oman has been granted by the government due to his old age. He always wanted to spend his last days in the country of his ancestors and now he is happy he can do that,” a family member in Muscat, who did not want to be identified, said.

The government of Oman did not make public the former Zanzibar ruler's retirement in the country. "It is a private matter and we do not wish to announce it,” a government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The former sultan has been denied permission to retire in Oman many times in the past for security reasons. Tens of thousands of his former subjects live in the country after being granted citizenship in the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Abdullah is distantly related to the present sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarek, with whom he shares the same lineage of royalty.

People from Zanzibar consider Oman to be their ancestral home as island was ruled by Oman from 1698 to 1890, when their ancestors emigrated there. In 1890, the UK forced Zanzibar to become a British protectorate and the island separated from Oman to become an independent state ruled by a local sultan.

The former sultan joins his sister, brother and seven children, who have been living in Oman since the 1980s. He is not allowed to return to Zanzibar.

“We are delighted that Sultan Jamshid will be with us in the country in his last days. We are also grateful for the government of Oman to grant him his wish to retire here, which I think is based on humanitarian reasons,” said Yusuf Al-Shibly, 74, an Omani who was born in Zanzibar and now lives in Muscat.

In a radio broadcast a few days after he ascended to the throne in 1970, the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman called all “Zanzibaris with Omani ancestry to come back home to help build the nation”.

It was the start of an exodus of thousands leaving the East African island that lasted until the early 1990s.

Sultans of Zanzibar

1.Majid bin Said Sayyid Majid bin Said Al-Busaid 19 October 1856 to 7 October 1870 Bargash bin Said attempted to usurp the throne from his brother in 1859, but failed. He was exiled to Bombay for two years.

2. Barghash bin Said Sayyid Sir Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid  

7 October 1870 to 26 March 1888 

Responsible for developing much of the infrastructure in Zanzibar (especially Stone Town), like piped water, telegraph cables, buildings, roads, etc. Helped abolish the slave trade in Zanzibar by signing an agreement with Britain in 1870, prohibiting slave trade in the sultanate, and closing the slave market in Mkunazini.

3. Khalifa bin Said Sayyid Sir Khalifa I bin Said Al-Busaid 

26 March 1888 to 13 February 1890 Supported abolitionism, like his predecessor.

 

4. Ali bin Said Sayyid Sir Ali bin Said Al-Busaid 

13 February 1890 5 March 1893 The British and German Empires signed the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty in July 1890. This treaty turned Zanzibar into a British protectorate.

5. Hamid bin Thuwayni Sayyid Sir Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-

Busaid

  5 March 1893 to 25 August 1896 

6. Khalid bin Barghash Sayyid Khalid bin Barghash Al-Busaid

25 August 1896 to 27 August 1896.

Was a belligerent in the Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in recorded history.

7. Hamoud bin Mohammed Sayyid Sir Hamoud bin Mohammed Al-Said

  27 August 1896 to 18 July 1902 

Issued the final decree abolishing slavery from Zanzibar on 6 April 1897. For this, he was knighted by Queen Victoria.

8. Ali bin Hamud Sayyid Ali bin Hamud Al-Busaid  

20 July 1902 to 9 December 1911

The British First Minister, Mr A. Rogers, served as regent until Ali reached the age of 21 on 7 June 1905.

9. Khalifa bin Harub Sayyid Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Said  

9. December 1911 to 9 October 1960 

Brother-in-law of Ali bin Hamud. Oversaw the construction of harbor in Stone Town and tar roads in Pemba.

10. 

9 October 1960 to 1 July 1963
Abdullah bin Khalifa Sayyid Sir Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Said 

11. Jamshid bin Abdullah Sayyid Sir Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said

 

1 July 1963 12 January 1964 On 10 December 1963, Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy under Jamshid.

Sultan wa mwisho wa Zanzibar, Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdallah bin Khalifa, akisalimiana na Mkuu wa Upinzani katika Baraza la Taifa (Bunge) la Zanzibar ambaye pia ni Rais wa Afro Shirazi Party (ASP), Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume ambaye alikuwa ni mmoja wa viongozi waliokwenda bandarini Unguja kumlaki Sultan huyo akitokea kisiwani Pemba alikofanya ziara mwezi Desemba 1963 ikiwa ni mwendelezo wa Sherehe za Uhuru wa Zanzibar.

Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said

جمشيد بن عبد الله

Sultan Jamshid in 1963
Sultan of Zanzibar
Reign 1 July 1963 – 12 January 1964
Predecessor: Abdullah bin Khalifa
Successor: Abeid Karume (as President of Zanzibar)
Born: 16 September 1929 (age 90)
Unguja, Zanzibar
Spouse: Sayyida Anisa bint Salim Al Said
Zuleika bint Abdullah Al Aufy
Father: Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Said
Mother: Sayyida Tohfa bint Ali Al Said

Religion:Islam

Sir Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said, GCMG (Arabic: جمشيد بن عبد الله‎; born 16 September 1929), is a Zanzibari royal who was the last reigning Sultan of Zanzibar before being deposed in the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution.

Jamshid ruled Zanzibar from 1 July 1963 to 12 January 1964. On 10 December 1963, Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy under Jamshid. This state of affairs was short lived and he was overthrown by the Zanzibar Revolution.

He fled into exile firstly to Oman but was not allowed to settle permanently.^[3] He later moved to the United Kingdom, where, as of 2012, he continues to live in Portsmouth with his wife and six children as the Head of the Zanzibari Royal Family and as the Sovereign of the Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar and the Most Illustrious Order of Independence of Zanzibar.

Secondly, he is married to Zuleika bint Abdullah Al Aufy.

Jamshid has seven children:

• Sayyid Ali bin Jamshid Al Said (1956—).
• Sayyida Matuka bint Jamshid Al Said (1957—).
• Sayyid Khalifa bin Jamshid Said (1960—).
• Sayyid Abdullah bin Jamshid Al Said (1962—).
• Sayyid Wasfi bin Jamshid Al Said (1972—).
• Sayyida Adla bint Jamshid Al Said (1973—).
• Sayyid Gharib bin Jamshid Al Said (1975—).

Titles:

• 16 September 1929 – 1 July 1963: Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said.
• 1 July — 9 December 1963: His Highness Sultan Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah, Sultan of Zanzibar.
• 9 December 1963 – 12 January 1964: His Majesty Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said, GCMG, Sultan of Zanzibar.
• 12 January 1964 – September 2020: His Majesty Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said, GCMG, Titular Sultan of Zanzibar.
• September 2020– present: Janaab Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said, GCMG.

Honours:

National Honours

• Sovereign of the Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar (Wisam al-Kawkab al-Durri al-Zanzibari) since 1 July 1963 (1st class on 30 March 1960).
• Founder and Sovereign of the Most Illustrious Order of Independence of Zanzibar (Wissam al-Istiqlal) in five classes on 9 November 1963.

Foreign Honours

• Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) on 29 December 1963.
• Knight Grand Collar of the Royal Order of the Drum (Rwanda).