List of rulers of individual Emirates of the United Arab Emirates


This article lists the rulers of separate states on the territory of the United Arab Emirates, which were historically known as the Trucial States, and most of which became its emirates.

List of rulers

Emirate of Abu Dhabi

;Al Nahyan of Al Abu Falah dynasty
RuledNameNotes
1761–1793Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa Al Nahyand. 1793
1793–1816Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyand. 1816
1816–1818Sheikh Muhammad bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan
1818Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al NahyanSince 1818 joint with his son Tahnun
1818 – Apr 1833Sheikh Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al NahyanSince 1818 joint with his father Shakhbut. d. 1833
Apr 1833 – 1845Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut Al NahyanSince 1833 joint with his brother Sultan. d. 1845
Apr 1833 – Jul 1845Sheikh Sultan bin Shakhbut Al NahyanSince 1833 joint with his brother Khalifa. d. 1845
Jul 1845 – Sep 1845Sheikh Isa bin Khalid al-FalahiUsurper
Sep 1845 – Dec 1845Sheikh Dhiyab II bin Isa al-FalahiUsurper
Dec 1845 – 1855Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan
1855–1909Sheikh Zayed I bin Khalifa Al Nahyanb. 1840 – d. 1909
May 1909 – October 1912Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyanb. 1857 – d. 1912
October 1912 – 22 August 1922Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyanb. 1881 – d. 1922
22 August 1922 – 4 August 1926Sheikh Sultan II bin Zayed Al Nahyanb. 1881 – d. 1926
4 August 1926 – 1 January 1928Sheikh Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyanb. 1887 – d. 1928
1 January 1928 – 6 August 1966Sheikh Shakhbut II bin Sultan Al Nahyanb. 1905 – d. 1989
6 August 1966 – 2 November 2004Sheikh Zayed II bin Sultan Al Nahyanb. 1918 – d. 2004. Founded the UAE in 1971 and became its first president.
2 November 2004 – 13 May 2022Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyanb. 1948 – d. 2022
13 May 2022 – presentSheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyanb. 1961

Emirate of Dubai

;Al Maktoum dynasty
RuledNameNotes
9 July 1833 – 1836Obeid bin Said bin Rashidd. 1836
9 July 1833 – 1852Maktoum bin Butti bin Suhaild. 1852
1852–1859Saeed bin Buttid. 1859
1859 – 22 November 1886Hasher bin Maktoumd. 1886
22 November 1886 – 7 April 1894Rashid bin Maktoumd. 1894
7 April 1894 – 16 February 1906Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoumd. 1906
16 February 1906 – November 1912Butti bin Suhail Al Maktoumb. 1851 – d. 1912
November 1912 – 15 April 1929 Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoumb. 1878 – d. 1958
15 April 1929 – 18 April 1929Mani bin Rashid Al Maktoum
18 April 1929 – September 1958 Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoumb. 1878 – d. 1958
10 September 1958 – 7 October 1990Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoumb. 1912 – d. 1990
7 October 1990 – 4 January 2006Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoumb. 1943 – d. 2006
4 January 2006 – presentMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoumb. 1949

Emirate of Sharjah

;Al Qasimi dynasty
RuledNameNotes
1727–1777Sheikh Rashid bin Matar Al Qasimi
1777–1803Sheikh Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi
1803–1840Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al QasimiFirst rule
1840Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al-Qasimi
1840–1866Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al QasimiSecond rule
1866 – 14 April 1868Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi
14 April 1868 – March 1883Sheikh Salim bin Sultan Al QasimiSince 1869 joint with his brother Ibrahim
1869–1871Sheikh Ibrahim bin Sultan Al QasimiSince 1869 joint with his brother Salim
March 1883 – 1914Sheikh Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi
3 April 1914 – 21 November 1924Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Qasimi
21 November 1924 – 1951Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi II
1951 – May 1951Sheikh Muhammad bin Saqr Al Qasimi
May 1951 – 24 June 1965Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al QasimiOusted bloodlessly by the British
24 June 1965 – 24 January 1972Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al QasimiAssassinated in course of Saqr III's counter-coup
25 January 1972 – 1972Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad Al QasimiActing due to Khalid III's assassination by Saqr III
1972 – 17 June 1987Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-QasimiFirst rule
17 – 24 June 1987Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al QasimiFailed coup d'état attempt against his younger brother Sultan after 7 days. Became Crown Prince but later died in 2002.
25 June 1987 – presentSheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-QasimiSecond rule

Emirate of Fujairah

;Al Sharqi dynasty
RuledNameNotes
1879–1936Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi
1936–1938Sheikh Saif bin Hamad Al Sharqi
1938–1974Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi
1974–presentSheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi

Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah

;Al Qasimi dynasty
RuledNameNotes
17xx–17xxSheikh Rahma al-Qasimi
17xx–174xSheikh Matar bin Rahma al-Qasimi
174x–1777Sheikh Rashid bin Matar al-Qasimi
1777–1803Sheikh Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi
1803–1808Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-QasimiFirst Rule
1808–1814Sheikh al-Husayn bin Ali al-QasimiActing Ruler
1814–1820Sheikh Hassan bin Rahma Al QasimiActing Ruler
1820–1866Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-QasimiSecond Rule
1866 – May 1867Sheikh Ibrahim bin Sultan al-Qasimi
May 1867 – 14 April 1868Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi
14 April 1868 – 1869Sheikh Salim bin Sultan al-Qasimi
1869 – August 1900Sheikh Humaid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi
10 July 1921 – February 1948Sheikh Sultan bin Salim Al Qasimi
February 1948 – 27 October 2010Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad Al Qassimi-
27 October 2010 – presentSheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi

Throne vacant from August 1900 until 10 July 1921

Emirate of Umm Al Quwain

;Al Mualla dynasty
RuledNameNotes
1768–1820Sheikh Rashid bin Majid Al Mualla
1820–1853Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla
1853–1873Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Mualla
1873–1904Sheikh Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mualla
1904–1922Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla
1922–1923Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla II
1923–1929Sheikh Hamad bin Ibrahim Al Mualla
1929–1981Sheikh Ahmad bin Rashid Al Mualla
1981–2009Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla II
2009–presentSheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla

Emirate of Ajman

;Al Nuaimi dynasty
RuledNameNotes
1816–1838Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi
1838–1841Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi1st time
1841–1848Sheikh Abdelaziz bin Rashid Al Nuaimi
1848–1864Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi2nd time
1864–1891Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi II
1891–1900Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi II
1900–1910Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi
1910–1928Sheikh Humaid Humaid bin Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi
1928–1981Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi III
1981–presentSheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi IIIb. 1931

List of rulers of pre-union regions

These are regions that were once independent but now are affiliated with other emirates.

Dibba

  • Under a Hakim
RuledNameNotes
1871–1883Sheikh Ahmad bin Sultan al-Qasimi
1883–1937Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad al-QasimiSince 1903 joint with his brother Khalid II
1903–1924Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad al-QasimiSince 1903 joint with his brother Rashid
1937–1951Sheikh Ahmad bin Rashid al-Qasimi

  • Reincorporated into Sharjah 1951