# House of Nahyan

The House of Nahyan (Arabic: آل نهيان, romanized: Āl Nuhayān) is the ruling royal family of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and one of the six ruling families of the United Arab Emirates. The family is a branch of the House of Al Falahi (Āl Bū Falāḥ), a branch of the Bani Yas tribe, and are related to the House of Al Falasi from which the ruling family of Dubai, the Al Maktoum, descends.
The Bani Yas came to Abu Dhabi in the 18th century from Liwa Oasis. They have ruled Abu Dhabi since 1793, and previously ruled Liwa. Five of the rulers were overthrown and eight were killed in coups between 1793 and 1966; many were brothers. The Al Nahyan family control multiple sovereign wealth funds including the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala Investment Company that have an estimated US$1 trillion worth of assets under management. The family is ranked second in the list of world's richest families 2024.

## Rulers

The following Al Nahyan family members have ruled Abu Dhabi:
| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family |
| Dhiyab bin Isa Al Nahyanذياب بن عيسى آل نهيان | 1700 – 1793 | 1761 | 1793 (killed by his cousin Hazza bin Zayed bin Muhammad bin Falah) | Leader of the Bani Yas tribal confederation and founder of the Al Falahi dynasty, which still rules Abu Dhabi | House of Nahyan |
| Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyanشخبوط بن ذياب آل نهيان | Unknown | 1793 | 1816 (deposed by his son) | Son of Dhiyab bin Isa Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Muhammad bin Shakhbut Al Nahyanمحمد بن شخبوط آل نهيان | Unknown | 1816 | 1818 (deposed by his brother, Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan, with the support of their father and sent to exile) | Son of Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyanطحنون بن شخبوط آل نهيان | Unknown – 1833 | 1818 | April 1833 (killed by his two brothers) | Son of Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Khalifa bin Shakhbut Al Nahyanخليفة بن شخبوط آل نهيان | Unknown – 1845 | April 1833 | 1845 (killed by his maternal nephew, Isa bin Khalid al-Falahi, at the conclusion of the feast on the beach at Abu Dhabi) | Son of Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyanسعيد بن طحنون آل نهيان | Unknown – January 1855 | December 1845 | 1855 (death by natural causes) | Son of Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyanزايد بن خليفة آل نهيان | 1835 – 19 May 1909 | 1855 | May 1909 (death by natural causes) | Son of Khalifa bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan and grandfather of the founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyanطحنون بن زايد آل نهيان | 1857 – October 1912 | May 1909 | October 1912 (death by natural causes) | Son of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyanحمدان بن زايد آل نهيان | Unknown – 22 August 1922 | October 1912 | 22 August 1922 (killed by his younger brother, Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan) | Son of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyanسلطان بن زايد آل نهيان | Unknown – 4 August 1926 | 22 August 1922 | 4 August 1926 (killed by his brother, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan) | Son of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and father of the founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyanصقر بن زايد آل نهيان | Unknown – 1 January 1928 | 4 August 1926 | 1 January 1928 (killed by members of the Al Bu Shaar section of the Al Manasir tribe) | Son of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyanشخبوط بن سلطان آل نهيان | 1 June 1905 – 11 February 1989 | 1 January 1928 | 6 August 1966 (deposed in the bloodless coup by the Trucial Oman Scouts to the benefit of his brother, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan) | Son of Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan | House of Nahyan |
| Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyanزايد بن سلطان آل نهيان | 6 May 1918 – 2 November 2004 | 6 August 1966 | 2 November 2004 (death by natural causes) | Son of Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and first president of the United Arab Emirates | House of Nahyan |
| Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyanخليفة بن زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان | 7 September 1948 – 13 May 2022 | 2 November 2004 | 13 May 2022 (death by natural causes) | Son of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and second president of the United Arab Emirates | House of Nahyan |
| Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyanمحمد بن زايد آل نهيان | 11 March 1961 – present | 13 May 2022 | present | Son of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and current president of the United Arab Emirates | House of Nahyan |

## Genealogy

* Current ruler of Abu Dhabi
* Previous ruler of Abu Dhabi
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dhiyab bin Isa $^{(1)}$ r. 1761–1793 | Dhiyab bin Isa $^{(1)}$ r. 1761–1793 | Dhiyab bin Isa $^{(1)}$ r. 1761–1793 | Dhiyab bin Isa $^{(1)}$ r. 1761–1793 | Dhiyab bin Isa $^{(1)}$ r. 1761–1793 | Dhiyab bin Isa $^{(1)}$ r. 1761–1793 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Shakhbut bin Dhiyab $^{(2)}$ r. 1793–1816 | Shakhbut bin Dhiyab $^{(2)}$ r. 1793–1816 | Shakhbut bin Dhiyab $^{(2)}$ r. 1793–1816 | Shakhbut bin Dhiyab $^{(2)}$ r. 1793–1816 | Shakhbut bin Dhiyab $^{(2)}$ r. 1793–1816 | Shakhbut bin Dhiyab $^{(2)}$ r. 1793–1816 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Muhammad bin Shakhbut $^{(3)}$ r. 1816–1818 | Muhammad bin Shakhbut $^{(3)}$ r. 1816–1818 | Muhammad bin Shakhbut $^{(3)}$ r. 1816–1818 | Muhammad bin Shakhbut $^{(3)}$ r. 1816–1818 | Muhammad bin Shakhbut $^{(3)}$ r. 1816–1818 | Muhammad bin Shakhbut $^{(3)}$ r. 1816–1818 | Tahnun bin Shakhbut $^{(4)}$ r. 1818–1833 | Tahnun bin Shakhbut $^{(4)}$ r. 1818–1833 | Tahnun bin Shakhbut $^{(4)}$ r. 1818–1833 | Tahnun bin Shakhbut $^{(4)}$ r. 1818–1833 | Tahnun bin Shakhbut $^{(4)}$ r. 1818–1833 | Tahnun bin Shakhbut $^{(4)}$ r. 1818–1833 | Khalifa bin Shakhbut $^{(5)}$ r. 1833–1845 | Khalifa bin Shakhbut $^{(5)}$ r. 1833–1845 | Khalifa bin Shakhbut $^{(5)}$ r. 1833–1845 | Khalifa bin Shakhbut $^{(5)}$ r. 1833–1845 | Khalifa bin Shakhbut $^{(5)}$ r. 1833–1845 | Khalifa bin Shakhbut $^{(5)}$ r. 1833–1845 |
| | | | | | | Saeed bin Tahnun $^{(7)}$ r. 1845–1855 | Saeed bin Tahnun $^{(7)}$ r. 1845–1855 | Saeed bin Tahnun $^{(7)}$ r. 1845–1855 | Saeed bin Tahnun $^{(7)}$ r. 1845–1855 | Saeed bin Tahnun $^{(7)}$ r. 1845–1855 | Saeed bin Tahnun $^{(7)}$ r. 1845–1855 | Zayed bin Khalifa $^{(8)}$ r. 1855–1909 | Zayed bin Khalifa $^{(8)}$ r. 1855–1909 | Zayed bin Khalifa $^{(8)}$ r. 1855–1909 | Zayed bin Khalifa $^{(8)}$ r. 1855–1909 | Zayed bin Khalifa $^{(8)}$ r. 1855–1909 | Zayed bin Khalifa $^{(8)}$ r. 1855–1909 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tahnoun bin Zayed $^{(9)}$ r. 1909–1912 | Tahnoun bin Zayed $^{(9)}$ r. 1909–1912 | Tahnoun bin Zayed $^{(9)}$ r. 1909–1912 | Tahnoun bin Zayed $^{(9)}$ r. 1909–1912 | Tahnoun bin Zayed $^{(9)}$ r. 1909–1912 | Tahnoun bin Zayed $^{(9)}$ r. 1909–1912 | Hamdan bin Zayed $^{(10)}$ r. 1912–1922 | Hamdan bin Zayed $^{(10)}$ r. 1912–1922 | Hamdan bin Zayed $^{(10)}$ r. 1912–1922 | Hamdan bin Zayed $^{(10)}$ r. 1912–1922 | Hamdan bin Zayed $^{(10)}$ r. 1912–1922 | Hamdan bin Zayed $^{(10)}$ r. 1912–1922 | Sultan bin Zayed $^{(11)}$ r. 1922-1926 | Sultan bin Zayed $^{(11)}$ r. 1922-1926 | Sultan bin Zayed $^{(11)}$ r. 1922-1926 | Sultan bin Zayed $^{(11)}$ r. 1922-1926 | Sultan bin Zayed $^{(11)}$ r. 1922-1926 | Sultan bin Zayed $^{(11)}$ r. 1922-1926 | | | Saqr bin Zayed $^{(12)}$ r. 1926–1928 | Saqr bin Zayed $^{(12)}$ r. 1926–1928 | Saqr bin Zayed $^{(12)}$ r. 1926–1928 | Saqr bin Zayed $^{(12)}$ r. 1926–1928 | Saqr bin Zayed $^{(12)}$ r. 1926–1928 | Saqr bin Zayed $^{(12)}$ r. 1926–1928 | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Shakhbut bin Sultan $^{(13)}$ r. 1928–1966 | Shakhbut bin Sultan $^{(13)}$ r. 1928–1966 | Shakhbut bin Sultan $^{(13)}$ r. 1928–1966 | Shakhbut bin Sultan $^{(13)}$ r. 1928–1966 | Shakhbut bin Sultan $^{(13)}$ r. 1928–1966 | Shakhbut bin Sultan $^{(13)}$ r. 1928–1966 | Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi | Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi | Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi | Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi | Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi | Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi | | | Zayed bin Sultan $^{(14)}$ r. 1966–2004 President $^{(1)}$ t. 1971–2004 | Zayed bin Sultan $^{(14)}$ r. 1966–2004 President $^{(1)}$ t. 1971–2004 | Zayed bin Sultan $^{(14)}$ r. 1966–2004 President $^{(1)}$ t. 1971–2004 | Zayed bin Sultan $^{(14)}$ r. 1966–2004 President $^{(1)}$ t. 1971–2004 | Zayed bin Sultan $^{(14)}$ r. 1966–2004 President $^{(1)}$ t. 1971–2004 | Zayed bin Sultan $^{(14)}$ r. 1966–2004 President $^{(1)}$ t. 1971–2004 | Hassa bint Mohammed Al Nahyan | Hassa bint Mohammed Al Nahyan | Hassa bint Mohammed Al Nahyan | Hassa bint Mohammed Al Nahyan | Hassa bint Mohammed Al Nahyan | Hassa bint Mohammed Al Nahyan |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mohamed bin Zayed $^{(16)}$ r. 2022–present President $^{(3)}$ t. 2022–present | Mohamed bin Zayed $^{(16)}$ r. 2022–present President $^{(3)}$ t. 2022–present | Mohamed bin Zayed $^{(16)}$ r. 2022–present President $^{(3)}$ t. 2022–present | Mohamed bin Zayed $^{(16)}$ r. 2022–present President $^{(3)}$ t. 2022–present | Mohamed bin Zayed $^{(16)}$ r. 2022–present President $^{(3)}$ t. 2022–present | Mohamed bin Zayed $^{(16)}$ r. 2022–present President $^{(3)}$ t. 2022–present | Khalifa bin Zayed $^{(15)}$ r. 2004–2022 President $^{(2)}$ t. 2004–2022 | Khalifa bin Zayed $^{(15)}$ r. 2004–2022 President $^{(2)}$ t. 2004–2022 | Khalifa bin Zayed $^{(15)}$ r. 2004–2022 President $^{(2)}$ t. 2004–2022 | Khalifa bin Zayed $^{(15)}$ r. 2004–2022 President $^{(2)}$ t. 2004–2022 | Khalifa bin Zayed $^{(15)}$ r. 2004–2022 President $^{(2)}$ t. 2004–2022 | Khalifa bin Zayed $^{(15)}$ r. 2004–2022 President $^{(2)}$ t. 2004–2022 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan | Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan | Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan | Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan | Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan | Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan |

## Controversy

In April 2009, Sheikh Issa bin Zayed, a member of the Al Nahyan royal family, was subject to a controversy where he was allegedly shown to be torturing a man.
In 2017, several Emirati princesses from the Al Nahyan family were found guilty in a Belgium court over the inhumane treatment of servants, an incident that occurred between 2007 and 2008.