Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (Manama, January 28, 1950) is the current King of Bahrain. He reigned with the title of emir from the death of his father, the first incumbent, Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, in 1999 until 2002, when the country's name was officially changed to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Early years and education

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was born in Riffa on 28 January 1950, the son of then Crown Prince Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and his wife, Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa.

After completing his secondary studies in Manama, Hamad was sent to England to attend Applegarth College in Godalming, Surrey, before enrolling at The Leys School at Cambridge University. He subsequently underwent military training, first with the British Army at the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, Hampshire, graduating in September 1968. Four years later, in June 1972, he attended the Command School and United States Army General Staff, from which he graduated the following June with a leadership degree.

Crown Prince

Hamad was designated heir apparent by his father on June 27, 1964. In 1968, he was appointed chairman of the Manama irrigation council and municipal council. That same year he joined the Bahrain National Guard, being named its commander, a position he held until 1969, when he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Defense Forces. In 1970, he became head of the defense department and vice president of the administrative council, remaining in both offices until 1971. From that year until 1988 he was Minister of State for Defense.

Reign

On March 6, 1999, with the death of his father, Hamad became Emir of Bahrain. After taking office, he brought several political reforms to the country, such as the release of all political prisoners, the dissolution of the Tribunal of State Security and the abolition of the 1974 Decree on State Security Measures –which allowed the government to arrest and imprison people without trial–, in addition to allowing exiled citizens to enter. In 2002 he declared himself King of Bahrain, while the country was established a constitutional monarchy and changed its name to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Although the reign of King Hamad has seen the admission of Shiites to government posts, there is still a call for a more equal distribution of them, as the vast majority, including in the Defense Forces, are held by Sunnis. In turn, the royal family, Al Khalifa, heads a large number of ministerial and government posts.

On February 14, 2011, the tenth anniversary of a referendum in favor of the National Action Charter and the ninth anniversary of the drafting of the 2002 Constitution, the country was rocked by protests inspired by the Arab Spring and coordinated by a Facebook page called "Day of Rage in Bahrain", a page that garnered tens of thousands of "likes" just a week after being created. The Bahrain government responded with what has been described as a "brutal" against protests, including human rights violations that caused anger. Later, protesters demanded that Hamad renounce the throne.

In June 2011, Hamad commissioned the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), headed by human rights lawyer M. Cherif Bassiouni, to investigate events surrounding the riots. The establishment of such a commission was praised by Barack Obama and the international community as a step towards establishing responsibility and accountability for the events of the 2011-2012 uprising. The BICI reported its findings in November 2011, and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "praised King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's initiative in commissioning it." In August 2012, Amnesty International stated that "the government's response has only scratched the surface of these problems. The reforms have been partial, perhaps aimed at appeasing Bahrain's international partners, and have failed to provide real accountability and justice for victims".

Hamad was invited by the British court to Prince William's April 2011 wedding, but declined amid protests from human rights activists, who had vowed to cut short his stay in Britain over his violent response. to the protesters.

In August 2020, King Hamad explained to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Bahrain was committed to creating a Palestinian state, implicitly rejecting normalization of ties with Israel. On September 11, 2020, it was announced that both countries had agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, which became official on the 15th of that month with the signing of an agreement at the White House, Washington D.C.

Personal life

He married his first wife (and first cousin), Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, on October 9, 1968, having four children:

• Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Jalifa, Crown Prince of Baréin, born on 21 October 1969.
• Sheikh Abdalá bin Hamad Al Jalifa, born on 30 June 1975.
• Sheikh Jalifa bin Hamad Al Jalifa, born on 4 June 1977.
• Sheikha Najla bint Hamad Al Jalifa, born on 20 May 1981.

Later, he married three more times, having eight more children.

He has a special interest in Arabian horses and established the Amiri stables in June 1977, which have been registered with the World Arabian Horse Organization in September 1978. He also has a great interest in preserving their culture and in the continuity of various sports and leisure activities such as falconry, golf, fishing, tennis and football.

Honorary Distinctions

Bahraini Honorary Awards

• Grand Master of the Order of Al Jalifa.
• Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Jalifa.
• Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of Ahmad the Conqueror.
• Grand Master of the Order of Baréin.
• Sovereign Grand Master of King Hamad's Renaissance Order.
• Grand Master of the Order of Military Value.
• Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of Competition.

Foreign Honorary Distinctions

• First-class member of the Order of King Abdelaziz (Saudi Kingdom, 04/04/1967).
• Great Knight of the Order of the Star of Jordan (Reino Hachemite of Jordan, 01/02/1967).
• First class member of the Order of the Two Rios (Republic of Iraq, 22/02/1969).
• Grand Knight of the Order of Muhammad (Reino de Morocco, 16/10/1970).
• Great Knight of the Supreme Renaissance Order (Reino Hachemite of Jordan, 01/09/1972).
• Knight of the Order of the Republic (Arab Republic of Egypt, 24/01/1973).
• Big Knight of the Order of the Crown (Iran Empire, 28/04/1973).
• First class member of the Star Order (Republic of Indonesia, 08/10/1977).
• Big Cross Knight of the National Order of Merit (Islamic Republic of Mauritania, 01/04/1978).
• Knight of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (United Kingdom, 15/02/1979).
• First class member of the Order of the Great Conqueror (Libya, 01/09/1979).
• Knight great cross of the Royal Order of Isabel la Católica (Reino de España, 04/12/1981).
• Grand Knight of the Order of Hussein ibn Ali (Reino Hachemite of Jordan, 04/11/1999).
• Member of the Order of the Crown of the Kingdom (Malaysia Federation, 2000).
• Big Knight of the Order of Zayed (United Arab Emirates, 02/02/2005).
• First class member of the Order of Unity (Republic of Yemen, 25/03/2010).
• Big Knight of the Order of King Abdelaziz (Saudi Kingdom, 16/04/2010).
• Grand Cross Knight of the Order of Dannebrog (Reino de Denmark, 04/02/2011).
• Necklace of the Order of the Star of Palestine (Palestine National Authority, 10/04/2017).
• Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunéi (DKMB, 03/05/2017).
• Member of the Order of Neutrality (Republic of Turkmenistan, 18/03/2019).
• Big Knight of the National Order of the South Cross (Federal Republic of Brazil, 12/11/2021).
• Knight of the First Class of the Civil Order of Oman (Sultanato de Oman, 24/10/2022).
• Major Knight of the Most Dear Royal Family Order of Johor [DK I] (Sultanato de Johor).
• Big Cross Knight of the National Order of Merit (French Republic).

Ancestors