House of Nahyan

House of Nahyan
آل نهيان
House of Nahyan; آل نهيان
Royal house
Parent house	Al Falahi
Country	United Arab Emirates
Founded	1761; 263 years ago
Founder	Dhiyab bin Isa Al Nahyan (died 1793)
Current head	Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Titles	Ruler of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh
Style(s)	His/Her Highness

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.^[1] 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.^[2]^[3] 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.^[4] The family is ranked second in the list of world's richest families 2024.^[5]

Rulers

The following Al Nahyan family members have ruled Abu Dhabi:

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family
Dhiyab bin Isa Al Nahyan	Unknown – 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 Bu Falah dynasty, which still rules Abu Dhabi^[6]^[7]	House of Nahyan
Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan شخبوط 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 Nahyan محمد 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 Nahyan طحنون بن شخبوط آل نهيان	Unknown – 1833	1818	1833 (killed by his two brothers)^[8]	Son of Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan	House of Nahyan
Khalifa bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan خليفة بن شخبوط آل نهيان	Unknown – 1845	1833	1845 (killed by his maternal nephew, Isa bin Khalid al-Falahi, at the conclusion of the feast on the beach at Abu Dhabi)^[9]	Son of Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan	House of Nahyan
Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan سعيد بن طحنون آل نهيان	Unknown – January 1855	1833	January 1855 (death by natural causes)	Son of Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan	House of Nahyan
Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan زايد بن خليفة آل نهيان	1835 – 19 May 1909	1855	19 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^[10]	House of Nahyan
Tahnoun bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan طحنون بن زايد بن خليفة 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 bin Khalifa Al Nahyan حمدان بن زايد بن خليفة آل نهيان	Unknown – 1922	1912	1922 (killed by his younger brother, Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan)	Son of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan	House of Nahyan
Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan سلطان بن زايد بن خليفة آل نهيان	Unknown – 1926	1922	1926 (killed by his brother, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan)	Son of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan	House of Nahyan
Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan صقر بن زايد آل نهيان	Unknown – 1928	1926	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 Nahyan شخبوط بن سلطان آل نهيان	1 June 1905 – 11 February 1989	1928	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 bin Khalifa Al Nahyan	House of Nahyan
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان	6 May 1918 – 2 November 2004	1966	2004 (death by natural causes)	Son of Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. Founder and first President of the United Arab Emirates	House of Nahyan
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان	7 September 1948 – 13 May 2022	2004	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 Nahyan محمد بن زايد آل نهيان	11 March 1961 – current	2022	Incumbent	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

Shakhbut
bin Dhiyab
⁽²⁾
r. 1793-1816

Muhammad
bin Shakhbut
⁽³⁾
r. 1816-1818

Tahnun bin
Shakhbut
⁽⁴⁾
r. 1818-1833

Khalifa bin
Shakhbut
⁽⁵⁾
r. 1833-1845

Saeed bin
Tahnun
⁽⁷⁾
r. 1845-1855

Zayed bin
Khalifa
⁽⁸⁾
r. 1855-1909

Tahnun
bin Zayed
⁽⁹⁾
r. 1909-1912

Hamdan
bin Zayed
⁽¹⁰⁾
r. 1912-1922

Sultan
bin Zayed
⁽¹¹⁾
r. 1922-1926

Saqr bin
Zayed
⁽¹²⁾
r. 1926-1928

Khalifa bin
Zayed
Al Nahyan

Muhammad
bin Khalifa
Al Nahyan

Shakhbut
bin Sultan
⁽¹³⁾
r. 1928–1966

Fatima bint
Mubarak
Al Ketbi

Zayed
bin Sultan
⁽¹⁴⁾
r. 1966-2004
President
⁽¹⁾
r. 1971-2004

Hassa bint
Muhammad
Al Nahyan

Muhammad
bin Zayed
⁽¹⁶⁾
r. 2022-present
President
⁽³⁾
r. 2022-present

Khalifa
bin Zayed
⁽¹⁵⁾
r. 2004-2022
President
⁽²⁾
r. 2004-2022

Khaled bin
Muhammad
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.^[11]

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.^[12]^[13]

References

^ Motohiro, Ono (March 2011). "Reconsideration of the Meanings of the Tribal Ties in the United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Emirate in Early ʼ90s" (PDF). Kyoto Bulletin of Islamic Area Studies. 4–1 (2): 25–34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 August 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
^ Davidson, Christopher M. (2011). Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond. Hurst. ISBN 9781849041539.
^ James Onley; Sulayman Khalaf (2006). "Shaikhly Authority in the Pre‐oil Gulf: An Historical–Anthropological Study". History and Anthropology. 17 (3): 189–208. doi:10.1080/02757200600813965. S2CID 53984524. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
^ "Wealth fund newbie comes into focus in Abu Dhabi's $1 trillion sovereign hub". Gulf Business. 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
^ "Bloomberg - Are you a robot?". www.bloomberg.com. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
^ "United Arab Emirates". worldstatesmen.org. Archived from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
^ Gannon, Mo (27 February 2013). "Key figures in the life of Qasr Al Hosn | The National". Archived from the original on 15 January 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
^ Heard-Bey, Frauke (2005). From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates : a society in transition. London: Motivate. p. 49. ISBN 1860631673. OCLC 64689681.
^ Lorimer, John (1915). Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. British Government, Bombay. p. 766.
^ Joffe, Lawrence (3 November 2004). "Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 August 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
^ "ABC News Exclusive: Torture Tape Implicates UAE Royal Sheikh". ABC News. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ "UAE princesses guilty of servant abuse in Belgium". BBC. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
^ "Eight princesses convicted in Belgium for 'inhumane' abuse of servants". The Independent. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

[ono2011mar-1] Motohiro, Ono (March 2011). "Reconsideration of the Meanings of the Tribal Ties in the United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Emirate in Early ʼ90s" (PDF). Kyoto Bulletin of Islamic Area Studies. 4–1 (2): 25–34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 August 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2013.

[2] Davidson, Christopher M. (2011). Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond. Hurst. ISBN 9781849041539.

[3] James Onley; Sulayman Khalaf (2006). "Shaikhly Authority in the Pre‐oil Gulf: An Historical–Anthropological Study". History and Anthropology. 17 (3): 189–208. doi:10.1080/02757200600813965. S2CID 53984524. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2021.

[4] "Wealth fund newbie comes into focus in Abu Dhabi's $1 trillion sovereign hub". Gulf Business. 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

[5] "Bloomberg - Are you a robot?". www.bloomberg.com. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)

[World_Statesman-6] "United Arab Emirates". worldstatesmen.org. Archived from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2016.

[7] Gannon, Mo (27 February 2013). "Key figures in the life of Qasr Al Hosn | The National". Archived from the original on 15 January 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2016.

[8] Heard-Bey, Frauke (2005). From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates : a society in transition. London: Motivate. p. 49. ISBN 1860631673. OCLC 64689681.

[9] Lorimer, John (1915). Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. British Government, Bombay. p. 766.

[jof3nov-10] Joffe, Lawrence (3 November 2004). "Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 August 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2018.

[11] "ABC News Exclusive: Torture Tape Implicates UAE Royal Sheikh". ABC News. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

[12] "UAE princesses guilty of servant abuse in Belgium". BBC. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2021.

[13] "Eight princesses convicted in Belgium for 'inhumane' abuse of servants". The Independent. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

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v t e Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Cities and areas	Abu al Abyad Abu Dhabi Al Ain Al-Aryam Island Al Faqa (shared with Dubai) Al Yahar Al Maryah Island Al Mushrif Al Nahyan Al-Wathbah Dalma Das Island Habshan Halat al Bahrani Khalifa City Liwa Oasis Madinat Zayed Marawah Mussafah Remah Ruwais Sila Sir Bani Yas Abu Dhabi Global Market Swaihan Yas Island Al Fahid Island
Municipal regions	Abu Dhabi Region Adh-Dhafrah (Gharbiyyah, Western) Region Al-Ain (Sharqiyyah, Eastern) Region
Government	Al Nahyan family (Royal House) Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Ruler)
Culture	Cultural property of national significance in Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation Al Ain National Museum Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Louvre Abu Dhabi Qasr al-Hosn Qasr Al Watan Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum Zayed National Museum
Transport	Abu Dhabi International Airport Al Ain International Airport Mussafah Bridge Port Zayed Salam Street Sheikh Zayed Bridge
Infrastructure	Al Lulu Island Al Nahyan Stadium Al Raha Al Reem Island Central Market Project Khalifa Port Kizad Masdar City Saadiyat Island Al Fahid Island Tallest buildings
History	Timeline of Abu Dhabi (city)
Sister Cities	Houston Madrid Rahim Yar Khan

v t e Arab tribes in the United Arab Emirates
These prefixes ignored in the alphabetical ordering: Al, Al-Bu, Albu, Banu, Bani
Tribal coalition	Al Ali Awamir Al-Balushi Dahaminah Dhawahir Daramikah Duru Ghafalah Habus Bani Kaab Kunud Manasir Al Bu Muhair Al Marar Maraziq Na'im Al Bu Kharaiban Khawatir Al Bu Shamis Naqbiyin Al Qawasim Bani Qitab Rashid Sharqiyin Shihuh Bani Hadiyah Bani Shatair Sudan Tunaij Bani Yas Al Bu Hamir Al Bu Falasah Marar Mazari Zaab
Part of Arab tribes

Rulers

Genealogy

Controversy

See also

References