Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (born 28 January 1950) has been the ruler of Bahrain since 1999. He is a member of the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty and became King of Bahrain in 2002, after first ruling as emir. His leadership has been marked by limits on political and civil freedoms.

After a time of political changes called the Arab Spring, the government in Bahrain placed strong limits on freedoms and rights. Many people's citizenship was taken away over several years.

Early life and education

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was born on 28 January 1950 in Riffa, Bahrain. His parents were Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who was then Crown Prince, and Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa.

He went to school in Manama, Bahrain, and later studied in England at Applegarth College in Godalming, Surrey, and then at The Leys School in Cambridge. Hamad also had military training with the British Army at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, Hampshire, finishing in 1968. He later studied leadership at the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, graduating in 1973.

Crown prince

Hamad was chosen to be the next ruler by his father on 27 June 1964. He began his service by leading groups focused on farming and the city of Manama. He joined the Bahrain National Guard in 1968 and became its leader that same year, a role he held until 1969. He then took on the role of top leader of the Bahrain Defence Force.

In 1977, Hamad began learning to fly helicopters and finished his training in January 1978. He helped create the Bahrain Amiri Air Force, which officially started in 1987 during a difficult time known as the Tanker War.

Reign

Further information: Human rights in Bahrain

When his father passed away, Hamad became Emir of Bahrain on March 6, 1999. As Emir, Hamad made several changes to help Bahrain, such as freeing political prisoners and changing some laws. In 2002, he became the king of Bahrain. As king, he has a lot of power. He can choose important leaders, lead the army, and make many decisions for the country.

After Hamad became leader, he worked to make Bahrain more stable. He helped improve living conditions and made Bahrain an important place for money and business. However, some people felt that the government did not treat everyone fairly. During a big protest in 2011, many people in Bahrain wanted change. The king asked for help from nearby countries to keep things safe. Later, he asked a group of experts to look into what happened during the protests and make sure everyone was treated fairly.

Personal life

King Hamad has four wives and twelve children, including seven sons and five daughters. His first wife is Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, and they have three sons and one daughter. His second wife is Sheikha Sheia bint Hassan Al Khrayyesh Al Ajmi from Kuwait, and they have two sons. His third wife is Sheikha Hessa bint Faisal bin Muhammad bin Shuraim Al Marri, and they have one son and two daughters. His fourth wife is Sheikha Manal bint Jabor Al Naimi, and they also have one son and two daughters.

Unfortunately, one of their sons; Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa passed away in a car accident.

Honours and awards

King Hamad has been honored with many awards from different countries. Some of these include:

• Jordan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan (1 February 1967)
• Iraq: Member 1st class of the Order of the Two Rivers (22 February 1969)
• Morocco: Member Special Class of the Order of Muhammad (16 October 1970)
• Egypt: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (24 January 1973)
• Iran: Collar of the Order of the Crown (28 April 1973)
• Saudi Arabia: Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (4 April 1976)
• Indonesia: Star of the Republic of Indonesia, 1st class (8 October 1977)
• Mauritania: Member 1st class of the National Order of Merit (1 April 1978)
• Cyprus: Collar of the Order of Makarios III (9 March 2015)
• Oman: Member 1st class of the Order of Oman (24 October 2022)
• Libya: Member 1st class of the Order of the Grand Conqueror of Libya (1 September 1979)
• Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (4 December 1981)
• Malaysia: Honorary Recipient of the Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm (28 October 2000)
• UAE: Collar of the Order of Zayed (2 February 2005)
• Ireland: Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (2006)
• Yemen: Member 1st class of the Order of the Republic of the Yemen (25 March 2010)
• Denmark: Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (4 February 2011)
• France: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit
• Tunisia: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (27 January 2016)
• Egypt: Collar of the Order of the Nile (26 April 2016)
• Palestine: Grand Collar of the State of Palestine (10 April 2017)
• Brunei: Recipient of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (3 May 2017)
• Turkmenistan: Member of the Order of Neutrality (18 March 2019)
• [Johor]: Grand Commander of the Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Johor (26 November 2017)
• Brazil: Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross (12 November 2021)
• United Kingdom:
  • Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (15 February 1979)
  • Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (13 November 2024)
• United States: Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit (19 January 2021)
• Russia: Honorary Doctorate from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (2 July 2021)

Ancestry