Mohammed Bin Thani
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Mohammed bin Thani (; – 18 December 1878), also known as Mohammed bin Thani bin Mohammed Al Thamir (), was the first ruler from the
House of Thani The House of Thani () is the ruling family of Qatar, with origins tracing back to the Adnanite Banu Tamim tribe. Today Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his mother Moza bint Nassir lead the house. History and structure The Al Thani family can be ...
to rule the whole Qatari Peninsula, officially being recognized by the British in September 1868 following a meeting with British representative
Lewis Pelly Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Pelly (14 November 1825 – 22 April 1892) was a British East India Company officer, and then an imperial army and political officer. At the end of his life, he was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Hackney N ...
. He is known for being the father of Sheikh
Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani (; – 17 July 1913), also known as "The Founder", was the founder of the State of Qatar. He had a total of 56 children, 19 sons and 37 daughters. Early life Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was born around 1825. ...
, the founder of Qatar and who fended off the Ottoman army in the late 19th century.


Biography

Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani was born in Fuwayrit, Qatar, by his father and predecessor to the throne, Sheikh Thani bin Mohammad with Sheikh Mohammed being the second eldest son of his father, along with his four siblings. It was not until Mohammed bin Thani and his family moved from Fuwayrit to
Al Bidda Al Bidda () is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar. In the 19th century It was the largest town in Qatar, before Doha, an offshoot of Al Bidda, grew in prominence. Al Bidda was incorporated as a district in the Doha municipality in the late 20th centur ...
in 1848 that he began to exert influence over the peninsula. Prior to this migration, each tribe and settlement had its independent leader, and there was no documented instance of their unification in battle. The concept of a unified land or nation was not present. However, with Mohammed bin Thani's arrival, Qatar began to gain significant economic and political weight, albeit while still remaining under
Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
's suzerainty. In 1851, Mohammed bin Thani found himself in the midst of a conflict between Faisal bin Turki, Imam of the Emirate of Najd, and Muhammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, ruler of Bahrain. Faisal had long sought to gain control of Bahrain and had previously attempted, and failed, to invade the island. In May 1851, Faisal launched his third attempt to capture Bahrain, ordering his forces to proceed towards Al Bidda, Qatar, which was intended to be used as a staging area for an invasion of Bahrain. In response, Ali bin Khalifa, the Bahraini representative in Qatar, called on all men of fighting age to defend Al Bidda, as well as sending for help from
Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan was the ruler of Abu Dhabi, one of the Trucial States which today form the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 1845 to 1855. Accession Saeed acceded following the murder of his uncle, Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbu ...
of
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...
. Mohammed bin Thani served as one of the leaders of the Qatari forces, alongside his son. Qatari and allied forces were embroiled in three days of heavy fighting with Faisal's forces in the Battle of Mesaimeer from 2 June to 4 June 1851. On the second day, the Bahraini and Abu Dhabi forces retreated to their ships, refusing to render further aid to the Qataris. Shortly after the battle ended, Mohammed bin Thani negotiated a separate peace agreement with Faisal in which he agreed to be under Wahhabi governance provided that he remains chief of Al Bidda, which Faisal agreed. On 8 June, Qatari forces under the leadership of Mohammed bin Thani assumed control of Burj Al-Maah, a watchtower guarding Doha's main water source, close to Al Bidda Fort where the allied forces of Ali bin Khalifa and Saeed bin Tahnoun were stationed. Upon hearing the news, they fled to Bahrain without incident, much to the dismay of Faisal who admonished Mohammed bin Thani for not capturing them. On 25 July 1851, Saeed bin Tahnun successfully negotiated a treaty between the Bahrainis and Wahhabis, in which the Bahrainis would pay an annual
zakat Zakat (or Zakāh زكاة) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Zakat is the Arabic word for "Giving to Charity" or "Giving to the Needy". Zakat is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam a relig ...
to Faisal in exchange for his renouncement of any claims to Qatar and return of Al Bidda to the chieftainship of Ali bin Khalifa. Mohammed bin Thani, as party to this agreement, agreed to relinquish his position. The battle created political enmity between Qatar and Bahrain which contributed to the Qatari–Bahraini War in 1867 and Qatar's subsequent emergence as an independent political entity, which came to fruition on 12 September 1868 with the signing of a treaty between Mohammad bin Thani and the British representative
Lewis Pelly Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Pelly (14 November 1825 – 22 April 1892) was a British East India Company officer, and then an imperial army and political officer. At the end of his life, he was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Hackney N ...
. In 1871, Sheikh Mohammed made a plea for protection against any external attack to the
Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
at Al Hasa. However, the Ottomans were the ones who displayed hostility to the Qataris in the same decade of his plea.


Death

Sheikh Mohammed died of natural causes on 18 December 1878. His date of death is a national day in Qatar.


Children

Sheikh Mohammed had 8 children; six sons and two daughters.


References


External links


Shaikh Mohammed Bin Thani :: Amiri DiwanAl Thani Tree, offered in ArabicOfficial Page in Al Thani Tree, offered in Arabic
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohammed bin Thani Al Thani Emirs of Qatar Mohammed Thani 1788 births 1878 deaths Qatari Muslims 19th-century Arab people