# Emir of Qatar

The Emir of the State of Qatar (Arabic: أمیر دولة قطر) is the monarch and head of state of the country. The emir is also the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and guarantor of the Constitution. The emir holds the most powerful position in the country, and has a prominent role in foreign relations.
The emirs are members of the House of Al Thani, whose origins are in the Banu Tamim, one of the largest tribes in the Arabian Peninsula. The current ruler is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who succeeded on 25 June 2013.

## Historical background

All the emirs of Qatar have been members of the Al Thani family. Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani is recognised as the first ruler from 1851 when he united the country's tribes under his leadership.
Qatar became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1871, although Sheikh Mohammed retained control of its internal affairs. Following his army's victory at the Battle of Al Wajbah in March 1893, the second ruler Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani has been recognised as Founder of the State of Qatar, although it remained part of the Ottoman Empire until July 1913.
The Ottomans maintained a military presence in Qatar until August 1915 and Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani signed the Anglo-Qatari Treaty on 3 November 1916. Sheikh Abdullah was the Qatari ruler from 1913 to 1949 and is one of the few, including Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, whose tenure extended through both world wars (1914–1945). Qatar's first oil well was drilled in October 1938 and oil was found at Dukhan in January 1940.
Qatar became an independent state on 3 September 1971 and, since then, the ruler has been styled emir (amir).

## Succession

The permanent constitution of the state of Qatar, published in 2005, dictates that the rule is hereditary and limited to descendants of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The order of succession in Qatar is determined by appointments within the House of Al Thani.
The former emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (Arabic: الشيخ حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني), appointed his fourth son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (Arabic: الشيخ تميم بن حمد آل ثاني), as heir apparent on 5 August 2003, after his older son Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (who held the position between 1996 and 2003) renounced his rights to the throne in favour of Sheikh Tamim.

## List of rulers

| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family |
| Sheikh Mohammed bin Thaniمحمد بن ثاني | 1788 – December 1878 (aged 90) | 1851 | 18 December 1878 | Son of Thani bin Mohammed. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al ThaniThe Founderجاسم بن محمد آل ثاني | 1825 – 17 July 1913 (aged 87–88) | 18 December 1878 | 17 July 1913 | Son of Mohammed bin Thani. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Thaniأحمد بن محمد بن ثاني | 1853 – December 1905 (aged 52) | 1898 | 1905 (assassinated) (after his brother abdicated in favor of him until he was killed) | Son of Mohammed bin Thani. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thaniمحمد بن جاسم آل ثاني | 17 January 1881 – 8 April 1971 (aged 90) | 1913 | 1914 (abdicated) (reigned for 10 months) | Son of Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thaniعبد الله بن جاسم آل ثاني | 11 February 1880 – 25 April 1957 (aged 76–77) | 17 July 1914 | 20 August 1949 (abdicated) | Son of Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thaniعلي بن عبد الله آل ثاني | (1895-06-05)5 June 1895 – 31 August 1974(1974-08-31) (aged 79) | 20 August 1949 | 24 October 1960 (abdicated) | Son of Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani and Mariam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Al Thaniأحمد بن علي آل ثاني | 1922 – 25 November 1977 (aged 54–55) | 24 October 1960 | 22 February 1972 (deposed) | Son of Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani. From independence on 3 September 1971, the first ruler to be styled Emir (Amir). | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thaniخليفة بن حمد آل ثاني | (1932-09-17)17 September 1932 – 23 October 2016(2016-10-23) (aged 84) | 22 February 1972 | 27 June 1995 (deposed) | Nephew of Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al ThaniThe Father Emirحمد بن خليفة آل ثاني | (1952-01-01) 1 January 1952 (age 73) | 27 June 1995 | 25 June 2013 (abdicated) | Son of Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani and Aisha bint Hamad Al Attiyah. | Al Thani |
| Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thaniتميم بن حمد آل ثاني | (1980-06-03) 3 June 1980 (age 44) | 25 June 2013 | Incumbent | Son of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Moza bint Nasser. | Al Thani |