Khalifa bin Harub of Zanzibar


Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Busaidi was the 9th Sultan of Zanzibar from 9 December 1911 until his death in 9 October 1960. His reign was around 48 years and 10 months long, making him the longest-reign monarch in Zanzibar history.

Biography

Early life

Khalifa bin Harub was born in August 26, 1879 at Muscat, Oman. His father was Harub bin Thuwaini, a son of Thuwaini bin Said, Sultan of Muscat and Oman, and his mother was Turkiya bint Turki Al Busaidi.
In 1900, he married Sayyida Matuka bint Hamud Al-Busaid, daughter of the seventh Sultan of Zanzibar and sister of the eighth Sultan. He also married his second wife, Sultana Nunu. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Sayyid Sir Abdullah bin Khalifa.

Reign

Khalifa ruled during a period in which Zanzibar had limited sovereignty. While he retained ceremonial authority and influence over religious and cultural affairs, foreign policy, defense, and major administrative decisions were controlled by Britain. Despite this, Khalifa maintained a pragmatic and cooperative relationship with the British, which ensured political stability and preserved the monarchy during turbulent decades, including World War I and World War II.

Social and Religious Affairs

Khalifa was a devout Muslim and a strong supporter of Islamic institutions. He patronized mosques, madrasahs, and Islamic courts. He promoted religious tolerance, as Zanzibar was home to Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and others.

Education

He also supported the expansion of formal education, including schools for Arabs and Africans. He encouraged both Islamic education and modern secular learning, helping Zanzibar transition into the modern era.
Under his reign, Zanzibar saw expansion of roads and ports, improvement of public health services, modernization of administrative institutions, and growth of clove plantations, which remained the backbone of Zanzibar’s economy.
Part of the museum of the Sultan's Palace in Zanzibar is dedicated to Sir Khalifa. He visited Makere University on a trip to Uganda on 30 April, 1954.

Death

file: Stamp of Zanzibar - 1946 - Colnect 367270 - 1 - Sultan Khalifa bin Harub overprinted.jpeg|left|thumb|Portrait on a Zanzibar 1946 issue stamp
Sultan Khalifa bin Harub died on 9 October 1960, at the age of 81, after nearly half a century on the throne. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Abdullah bin Khalifa, who reign from 1960 until his death in 1963.

Honours