The love story of a simple girl and a prince is a classic plot for fairy tales and has been popular since time immemorial, so not only little girls, but also well-established adult women dream of marrying a handsome, rich and intelligent “prince on a white horse.” And miracles happen, the main thing is to know where to look for him, this prince. We present to your attention the five most beautiful and richest heirs of the Muslim world.

1. Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Son of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and his wife sheikhs Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma al-Maktoum. Sheikh Hamdan- a very popular person in United Arab Emirates. He received an excellent education in Great Britain, graduating from a military school ground forces Sandhurst, as well as the London College of Economics and the Dubai College of Administration. The sheikh gained popularity due to his charitable activities: the prince directly supervises a number of foundations that organize fundraising for the treatment of seriously ill children.

Sheikh Hamdan belongs to the al-Maktoum dynasty and officially holds the position of head of the Dubai Executive Council, that is, he heads the government of the emirate of Dubai, but he has time for numerous hobbies. Born on Valentine's Day, the prince is fond of romantic poetry, has the creative pseudonym Fazza, and even publishes collections of poetry. Sheikh Hamdan also loves horse riding, has a large collection of Arabian horses and regularly takes part in numerous equestrian competitions.

The Crown Prince is not married, but, alas, even before his birth he was engaged to a relative by birth. maternal line. However, don’t be upset - no one can forbid a sheikh to have as many wives as he wants!

2. Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah

Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah The King's eldest child Abdullah II and queens Rania, 20-year-old crown prince Hussein bin Abdullah since 2009 he has been heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Jordan. Belongs to the Hashemite dynasty.

In 2007, the prince entered the Royal Academy in Madaba, then, as usual, went to study in the West, and he is currently studying political science in Washington, at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. In addition to his native Arabic, the Prince of Jordan is fluent in three foreign languages: English, French and Hebrew.

Hussein bin Abdullah is involved in charity work, runs a foundation to support the development of science among youth, and also has a number of hobbies, including football and collecting motorcycles.

Although Jordan is a country with more high level openness and more “Western” values ​​than neighboring UAE and Saudi Arabia, no information about the personal life of the heir to the throne is publicly available, it is only known that he is not yet married.

3. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnun al-Nahyan

Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan Son of the President of the United Arab Emirates Caliphs bin Zayed al-Nahyan, sheikh Sultan bin Tahnun al-Nahyan is a member of the oldest ruling dynasty of Abu Dhabi - al-Nahyan. He received a bachelor's degree from the UAE University in Engineering and Architecture, then studied international relationships at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA.

Sheikh Sultan oversees many issues of national importance. He is involved in investments in the development of sports, architecture, and also serves as the head of the Committee for the Development of the Eastern Region. In addition, the work of government agencies is under his control. charitable foundations, and large quantity organizations dealing with cultural heritage issues.

Among the sheikh's many hobbies are many sports, collecting art and traveling.

There is no information about the personal life of Sheikh Sultan either on the Internet or in the media.

4. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Sixth son of the former ruling Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa and the fifth son of his second wife - sheikhs Mozy bint Nasser al-Misned, sheikh Mohammed is a representative of another major dynasty of the Arab world, the ruling family of Qatar - al-Thani.

He studied at the Qatar Academy, received a bachelor's degree from the Diplomatic School of Georgetown University in Qatar, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University. Sheikh Mohammed is fluent in Arabic, English and French.

According to the laws of Arab monarchies, the eldest son of the ruler of the state is considered the crown prince, so Mohammed, being the sixth son of the emir, will most likely never become the head of Qatar. But this does not mean that the younger children of rulers do not take part in managing the affairs of the state. Typically, the children of emirs occupy positions in the cabinet or head numerous committees overseeing issues of national importance. This happened with Sheikh Mohammed. A former captain of the Qatar equestrian team, he is very passionate about sports, and is therefore directly involved in the leadership of the Committee for the preparation of the FIFA World Cup, which is to be held in Qatar in 2022.

According to unconfirmed reports, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is not married.

5. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Brother of the Sheikh Mohammed al-Thani(not only by father, but also by mother), sheikh Jasim is definitely on the list of the most handsome Arab men. By the way, the appearance of two brothers in our rating today al-Thani not surprising. The fact is that their mother is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful women Muslim world. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Misned- the second wife of the former emir of Qatar is known not only as a beauty and a style icon, but also as a very gifted politician, who takes a hidden, but quite significant part in many state issues. And therefore, it is not at all surprising that such a woman gave birth to such attractive and gifted children.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was Crown Prince of Qatar from 1996 to 2003, but subsequently, realizing that he was unfit to fulfill this role, renounced the status of heir apparent in favor of his younger brother, the current Emir of Qatar Tamima al-Thani.

He was educated at the British Royal Academy at Sandhurst, then returned to his homeland and became involved in charity work. He is now the honorary president of the Qatari national society Cancer Control Center (QNCS) and also works on environmental issues.

Unfortunately, Sheikh Jasim has already chosen his first wife. She became a representative of the same dynasty, Sheikh Buthaina bint Ahmad al-Thani, daughter of the sheikh Hamada bin Ali al-Thani. The couple already have three children. But, as we know,

A famous Arab poet and athlete, he is also the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, he is also the Minister of Defense and the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.

Start

Residents of the Emirate of Dubai are very proud of their leader and love him - as part of the celebration of the next anniversary of his reign, there was even an event called “Thank you, Sheikh Mohammed, for your kindness.” As a sign of gratitude, everyone brought bouquets of flowers to the Dubai Mall in the center of the capital. (Presumably, everything was littered with flowers). And to prepare treats for the sheikh’s guests on January 4, 2013. The largest team of chefs in the world was assembled, thanks to which the Emirate was once again included in the Guinness Book of Records. 2,847 chefs from hotels and restaurants in the emirate worked hard for their beloved sheikh, showing their skills and wanting to feed everyone deliciously and beautifully, so that both the sheikh and his guests were certainly satisfied. Yes and become famous once again does not interfere, especially since the emirate of Dubai with its sights and amazing events is constantly included in the Book of Records.

The sheikh's ancestors are also well-known - the ruling dynasty of Al Maktoum was founded by Sheikh Maktoum bin Butty, who in 1833. decided to create his own emirate, for which he moved from the emirate of Abu Dhabi to the area of ​​​​Dubai Bay. You can’t say anything - he founded it, he founded it... And so it turned out that the UAE is a republic for seven monarchs, each of whom rules in his own emirate... not exactly as he wants, but not without it.

Power, as is known, in this country is inherited, and in 2006. Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum has become the tenth ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. Mohammed's father, the late Rashid bin Said Al Maktoum, helped the first president of the UAE, the legendary Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in every possible way in the creation and development of the UAE, and in general, all the other sheikhs also tried.

The golden childhood of Sheikh Mohammed took place in the family home in Shindag (Bar Dubai), and judging by the poems the adult son devotes to his mother - Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who belongs to the family of the rulers of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is cousin the legendary Sheikh Zayed, he was dearly loved by his mother.

Little Mohammed was passionate about falconry, horse riding, swimming, shooting, and also listened and mentally analyzed those wise sayings, practical advice and other wisdom at the meetings of his grandfather Sheikh Zayed with his fellow tribesmen. Could the famous grandfather, looking at the dark-eyed, inquisitive boy, his beloved grandson, hovering nearby, foresee what role he would play in the future for the whole country, and how he would be loved by his people?..

At school, Muhammad was a successful student, rather than lagging behind among the laggards, and today a small private school where he received elementary education- Al Ahmadiyya in Deira has become a museum.

In 1958 His father, Sheikh Rashid bin Said, became the ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Rashid understood that one of his sons would also take his place in the future, so he immediately began to seriously prepare his sons to understand politics, economics, psychology - in a word, they could solve any issues relating to the present and future of the Emirate of Dubai. And here Muhammad was also present at meetings of prominent figures - bankers, builders, traders, intellectuals...

Then the grown-up future ruler of Dubai studied at an elite language school in the UK, at Mons Military College. In Cambridge, Sheikh Mohammed spoke with young people from different countries, learning about the traditions and culture of many other nationalities. A great lover of horses (Arab men have it in their blood), he attended horse races in London, missing and nostalgic for his homeland. Abroad, as they say, it’s good, but at home it’s still better...

The future ruler of Dubai was not even twenty years old at that time, but, despite his green age, he already understood the importance of his future adult life His hobbies will be politics, military knowledge, sports and literature.

Women, horses, yachts

Sheikh Mohammed, as curious media representatives have calculated, has 14 daughters and 9 sons, a rather large family - 23 children, many of the children are already quite old. However, there is no “yellow press” in the Emirates, so not much is known about the personal life of the sheikh. In particular, everyone knows the names of only two of his wives - this is the eldest wife Hind bint Maktoum bin Jumaa Al Maktoum, the mother of the sheikh’s 12 children (one of the sons is the young handsome Sheikh Hamdan - crown prince Emirate) and the former Jordanian princess Haya bint Al Hussein, in whose veins flows the blood of the Prophet Muhammad (the herald of Islam). In December 2007 Haya gave birth to a daughter, Al-Jalil, and a son, Zayed, in January 2012.

Princess Haya is a beauty, younger than her husband, and is a public person. The sheikh apparently loves and pampers her so much that he allows her a lot - she founded the Arab charity Tikyet Um Ali, fighting to overcome poverty and hunger in her native Jordan. She is a member of the boards of many non-profit public organizations, heads the World Equestrian Federation, is a member of the International Olympic Committee, takes part in international equestrian competitions, which is surprising and uncharacteristic for women in this country. The princess, like her husband, loves horses very much, and is excellent in the saddle (at the age of 13 she successfully represented her country at international level).

She is also the Chairman of Dubai's International Humanitarian City, the world's largest humanitarian aid center. emergency situations.

In the UAE, at official events, Haya wears discreet outfits, and a light, beautiful, airy scarf covers her luxurious and well-groomed hair, and when traveling to other countries, her suits and dresses often surpass the insanely expensive dresses of other socialite ladies. Her husband allows her to give interviews and be photographed, which she willingly does. Judging by the photographs, Haya is happy with her husband (who takes her with him on “business trips” abroad), and does not regret at all that she married the sheikh, although she is not his only wife.

An excellent rider who can cope with any, even the most restive horse, the sheikh keeps several hundred thoroughbred horses in his stables in the UAE and abroad, many of which win prestigious international races. The Sheikh himself competes in horse racing as an athlete and is the captain of a team of horse endurance races in the desert - Arab riders led by Sheikh Mohammed always win these competitions. The sheikh's sons and even daughters also perform at equestrian competitions.

In 2001, the sheikh received a special Ex Libris award as a world-recognized owner of purebred Arabian horses.

In addition to the happy possession of a palace, Arabian and English purebred very expensive horses, cars, gold utensils in the palace, etc. etc., Sheikh of Dubai in 2012 became the owner of one of the largest and most luxurious yachts in the world, which aroused the envy of equally rich shipowners who were proud of the symbols of their prestige. The press announced the news that now his yacht “Dubai” began to be considered the largest in the world, and the sheikh in this status indicator of wealth, dashingly jumped ahead of Roman Abramovich, since his yacht turned out to be 15 cm longer. They say that Roman Arkadyevich, having learned this unpleasant and shocking news for himself, he was furious. If there were other times, maybe he would have cut off the head of the messenger with bad news, as they did in the old days, but... now he can only think about how to make his yacht the largest in the world again. It’s not in vain that 500 million dollars (the cost of “Eclipse”) were spent; now it is necessary to puzzle the engineers - what to hang so as to lengthen it by at least half a meter...

The yacht of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is also valued at several hundred million dollars and is famous for its own submarine, helipad, huge glass staircase and many dining salons and swimming pools.

Authoritative person

Sheikh Mohammed enjoys well-deserved authority in his country and in the world. From the beginning of his reign (in 1995 he was solemnly proclaimed the Crown Prince of the Emirate), Dubai began to take off economically and its appearance changed radically. In Dubai, with the assistance of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a luxurious ski resort was built
Ski Dubai Snow Park - having the opportunity to visit other countries, Sheikh Mohammed saw real snow and, most likely, skied. Now Arab children can play snowballs and ride down the slides at any time during the year-round summer, and finally learn what skiing and skating are.

Also among the implemented grandiose projects of Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum:

Artificial palm islands - Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira.

An aquarium, considered the largest in the world (in the Dubai Mall), filled with water, algae and various live fish.

Also considered the most expensive and luxurious in the world, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel, with a helipad at the top for hotel guests arriving by private helicopter, is trimmed in gold inside.

An international golf club, famous far beyond Dubai, was built, as well as horse racing tracks, and in 2004 the Dubai International Finance center(DIFC).

And much, much more...

A courageous and independent politician, Sheikh Mohammed is an example for leaders of other states in the region. He is involved not only in politics, but also in charity work, investing in the development of culture, art, and science.

In addition, the sheikh has been interested in literature almost from infancy, which, of course, characterizes him as a versatile and educated person. The work of Sheikh Mohammed as a poet is known throughout the Arab region, and beyond its borders too. Collections of poems and poems by the Sheikh have been translated into many languages; Sheikh Mohammed dedicates the most tender poems to his mother. Based on the poetry of Sheikh Mohammed in Morocco in 2008. The television series “Battle on the Sand” was filmed.

Here is an approximate translation of one of the sheikh’s poems:

No matter how many nights it falls,

The memory still lives in my chest.

There will be no better moon to rise.

Your heart sings a song.

You are no dearer, mother,

Closer, dearer, dearer,

I don’t know better in my heart

Name than yours.

You are the cradle of warmth,

Caresses, peace, dreams.

No matter how cold time gets,

The feeling for you will not go away.

You brighten my day

You are my best shadow

I immediately hasten to your canopy,

As soon as the day comes.

You are alone in my heart

When waking up from sleep

And when you go to bed,

Forever, all my life in advance.

(translation by Victor Lebedev)

However, despite his kindness and subtle soul strings, as a boss, for example, Sheikh Mohammed is very tough and organized: “…. There were cases when at 8 o’clock in the morning I personally toured my departments. If one of the heads of departments of his government was not on site, he was fired within 15 minutes” (Vladimir Bekesh, expert on the Middle East).

In 2009, the sheikh arrived in Moscow and met with Dmitry Medvedev, who then served as President, as well as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, after which the sheikh invited Vladimir Putin to visit the United Arab Emirates. Very far-sighted and smart eastern sheikh….

The beautiful actions and deeds of the Sheikh of Dubai - Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the beautiful way of thinking suggest that such people are born to be the rulers of a happy and rich country. The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed, is a man who, while prospering, does everything for his people and for his land on which he lives.

A visionary and reform-oriented political leader, Sheikh Mohammed has personally led the transformation of Dubai into a world-class capital since coming to power in 2006, and has pioneered the creation of a number of international enterprises, including Emirates Airlines, the Jumeirah Group and the DP World conglomerate. .

Sheikh Mohammed personally oversaw the creation of a large number of transnational business projects critical to the transformation of Dubai's economy, including the construction of tall building in the world - Burj Khalifa.

Sheikh Mohammed was born on July 15, 1949, the third of four sons of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

Sheikh Mohammed's education began at the age of four with learning the basics of Arabic and Islam. In 1955, Sheikh Mohammed began studying at the Al Ahmadiyya school, where he studied Arabic grammar, English language, mathematics, geography and history. The school has now become a museum dedicated to education.

On September 9, 1958, Sheikh Said, Sheikh Mohammed's grandfather, died, and in October 1958, Sheikh Rashid bin Said, Sheikh Mohammed's father, became Ruler General of Dubai. Sheikh Rashid began serious preparation of his sons to rule the emirate. In this regard, in August 1966, Sheikh Mohammed went to London to attend the Bell Language School in Cambridge.

Returning to Dubai after training, Sheikh Mohammed was appointed head of the Dubai Police, as well as the head of the Dubai Defense Forces, which later became part of the UAE Armed Forces. Since December 1971, Sheikh Mohammed has served as Minister of Defense of the United Arab Emirates.

Sheikh Mohammed was personally responsible for the creation and intensive development of a number of companies and key assets in the Emirate of Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed owns two diversified conglomerates - Dubai World and Dubai Holding.

Sheikh Mohammed was appointed Crown Prince of Dubai on January 3, 1995 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. On January 4, 2006, Sheikh Mohammed, who had practically ruled the city for almost 10 years, became the official Emir of Dubai - his elder brother, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, died. A day later, Sheikh Mohammed, by the will of the UAE President, was nominated to the positions of Vice President and Prime Minister of the country; The president's proposal was almost immediately approved by members of the country's Federal National Council.

Sheikh Mohammed married his older sister, Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Youma Al Maktoum in 1979. Among his younger wives, the most famous is Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, daughter of King Hussein and half-sister of King Abdullah II - the previous and current kings of Jordan, respectively, whom he married on April 10, 2004. In 2007, Princess Haya bint al-Hussein gave birth to a girl, Al Jalil, to Sheikh Mohammed, and in January 2012, a son, Zayed.

Officially, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces.

In fact, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, the President of the UAE.

Third son of Sheikh Zayed. Interesting point that he and Khalifa are half-brothers. Khalifa was born to his first wife, Hassa bint Mohammed ibn Khalifa. Sheikh Mohammed ibn Zayed was born to his third wife, Fatima bint Mubarak Al-Ketbi.

Sheikhin Fatima bint-Mubarak Al-Ketbi had only 6 sons: Muhammad, Hamdan, Hazza, Tanun, Mansur and Abdula. They are called “Bani Fatima” or “sons of Fatima”, they form the most influential bloc in the Al-Nahyan family.

Fatima's sons have always been influential; some political scientists even assign them a leading role in the changes in Abu Dhabi that have occurred since 2004. They received full power only in 2014, when Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke. Now it’s difficult to say whether the vector of their internal and foreign policy. Wait and see.

Mohammed ibn Zayed studied at school in Al Ain, then in Abu Dhabi. Entered Sandhurst Academy (UK) in 1979. Trained in military skills of helicopter piloting, driving armored vehicles, and parachute jumping. After returning from England, he underwent military training in Sharjah and became an officer in the UAE Armed Forces.

Was an officer in the Amiri Guards ( elite unit), a UAE Air Force pilot, and eventually became the Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces.

In 2003, he was proclaimed the second Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. After the death of his father on November 2, 2004, he became crown prince. Since December 2004, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, member of the Supreme Petroleum Council.

For now, world leaders and political scientists are keeping an eye on Sheikh Mohammed. He is known to believe that the UAE should play a much larger role in world politics. He loves falconry, like his father. He is interested in poetry and writes poetry himself in the Nabati style.

Sheikhin Fatima bint Mubarak Al-Ketbi

Third wife of Sheikh Zayed, mother of six of his sons, including Crown Prince Mohammed (de facto ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE).

This woman played a large role in UAE politics during the reign of her husband Sheikh Zayed, and remains very influential to this day. She is called “Mother of the Nation”.

The exact date of her birth is unknown. She was probably born in the mid-40s in . In the 60s she married Zaid Al-Nahyan, becoming his third wife.

In 1973, she founded the Abu Dhabi Women's Awakening Society, the first women's public organization in the UAE. In 1975 she created and headed Main Union UAE women. The main area of ​​interest of these organizations was education, because at that time girls in the UAE did not study at all. In 2004, Fatima facilitated the appointment of the first female minister.

Now she still heads the Main Women's Union, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the Family Development Foundation and several other organizations. And this despite his advanced age! Naturally, Fatima has a gigantic influence on the policies of Sheikh Mohammed and the affairs of Bani Fatima.

Dubai

The Emirate of Dubai is ruled by the Al Muktoum family.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Muktum

Ruling Emir (officially since January 4, 2006, actually since January 3, 1995), Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE since February 11, 2006.

Sheikh Mohammed is called “The Architect of Modern Dubai”. He is a very well-rounded man and is now the most famous leader in the UAE.

Mohammed became the third son of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Saeed Al-Muktum. His mother Lafita was the daughter of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hamadan ibn Zayed Al Nahyan. As a child, Muhammad received both secular and traditional Islamic education. In 1966 (at the age of 18) he studied in the UK at the Mons Cadet Corps and in Italy to become a pilot.

In 1968, Mohammed attended his father's meeting with Sheikh Zayed at Argub al-Sedira, where the rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi agreed on the imminent creation of the UAE. After the formation of the UAE, he was Minister of Defense and head of the Dubai Police.

On October 7, 1990, Muhammad's father and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Said, died. Power passed to the eldest son, Sheikh Muktum ibn Rashid, who was very fond of equestrian sports and was an excellent athlete, but was not drawn to politics and management.

On January 4, 1995, Muktum ibn Rashid appoints Mohammed as crown prince and, in fact, transfers power to him in the emirate of Dubai. On January 4, 2006, Muktum ibn Rashid died of a heart attack, Mohammed ibn Rashid became the official ruler of Dubai.

The list of achievements of Muhammad ibn Rashid is enormous. He diversified the economy of Dubai, now oil revenues account for only 4% of the emirate’s GDP, Dubai has become a shopping “mecca”, second only to London, the largest trading and financial center.

With his support or on his initiative, the following were created: Emirates airline, artificial islands Palm and World, the world's largest artificial harbor Jebel Ali, Dubai Internet City zone and hundreds of other projects.

He became famous for his raids on enterprises, where he personally checked whether employees were in their places and fired those who were absent. Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid is famous for his intolerance of corruption; during his rule, hundreds of officials caught in bribes and using their positions for personal gain were sent to prison.

Now (note: the article was updated in the fall of 2019) he is already 70 years old, but he is full of energy and is successfully implementing his Dubai development plan until 2021. He recently took part in the Arab Strategic Forum, and you can't tell he's 70.

Many people remembered the handsome, young and very rich crown prince from the Emirates. His photos were posted on LJ and Facebook by hundreds of thousands of users.
http://miss-tramell.livejournal.com/704090.html

And suddenly I came across this article... How sad. The elder brother of the much-hyped prince from the Emirates died.. Also handsome and an athlete..

Dubai, one of the key emirates in the UAE, is in mourning. Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum, the eldest son of Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, and concurrently the second most influential person in the United Arab Emirates, prime minister, vice president and minister of defense of the country, has died. Sheikh Rashid died of a heart attack, less than a month and a half shy of his 34th birthday. His younger brother and Crown Prince Hamdan wrote: “Today I lost my best friend and a childhood friend, dear brother Rashida. We will miss you"

However, there is an alternative version, according to which the sheikh did not die of a heart attack, but died during military operations in Yemen. This statement was made by the Iranian Fars agency, citing statements from informed sources and eyewitness accounts. “Sheikh Rashid and several other UAE soldiers were killed as a result of artillery shelling by (supporters of the Shiite movement) Ansar Allah in the Yemeni province of Marib,” the agency notes. The same news is confirmed by eyewitnesses who participated in the fighting in this area of ​​Yemen.

In Dubai, one of the

British standard

Little is known about Rashid’s childhood and youth: at that time there was no Instagram yet, and the Arab emirs and their heirs had not yet acquired the habit of posting scenes for everyone to see rich life with geotags.

Rashid is the eldest son of the emir from his eldest and main wife Hind bint Maktoum and, accordingly, the stepson of the emir’s second wife, the Jordanian princess Haya bint al-Hussein. The children of Mohammed and Hind, according to the memoirs of brother Rashid Hamdan, were brought up in the spirit of traditional values.

In Dubai, the heir graduated from a school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid - education there was conducted according to the English model. After which his father sent Rashid to the UK - to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where they traditionally send their children Arab sheikhs(the current emir of Qatar, the king of Bahrain, and the sultans of Brunei and Oman graduated from it).

Disinherited

Rashid ibn Mohammed was preparing to become his father's successor: the emir introduced him to state affairs and entrusted him with control over various economic projects. But on February 1, 2008, everything suddenly changed: Rashid’s younger brother, the second son of Sheikh Mohammed, Hamdan, was appointed Crown Prince of Dubai. His younger brother Maktoum received the post of Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The emir's eldest son officially abdicated the throne, and moreover, there was no place for him among the leadership of the emirate.

This step, however, can only be called unexpected: diplomats and Arabic experts, long before the emir’s decree, noticed that Hamdan was increasingly appearing in front of cameras next to his father and that the emirate’s press was writing about him more and more often. What happened, why was Rashid out of work?

The publication of WikiLeaks documents brought some clarity to this issue. Among the released cables is a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he reports on the change in the order of succession and the reasons for it. Without disclosing his sources, Williams reported that Rashid killed one of the workers in the emir's palace, this angered the sheikh, and he revised the line of succession.

Solace in sports

The PR campaign in the emirate and around the world bore fruit: the new Crown Prince Hamdan quickly became a darling of the press. A diver and paratrooper, a falconer who keeps a menagerie of lions and white tigers, a snowboarder and a poet who writes under the pseudonym Fazza. An excellent rider, multiple winner of equestrian competitions, owner of expensive cars and yachts - Hamdan ibn Mohammed willingly demonstrates all this luxury on his Instagram account. Hamdan is known as a philanthropist and philanthropist, generously distributing donations to the disabled and sick children, and also as one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Admiring fans gave him the nickname “Aladdin.”

Against this background, his older brother Rashid looked rather pale (especially considering the difference in their capital - less than two billion dollars for Rashid versus 18 billion for Hamdan), and he does not have an Instagram account. Although it cannot be said that the press did not spoil him with their attention. Since 2005, he has consistently been included in the list of “20 Sexiest Arab Men” for five years in a row; in 2010, Esquire magazine recognized him as “one of the 20 most enviable persons royal blood“, and a year later Forbes included him in the top twenty of “the most desirable royals.”

Having lost his right to the throne, Rashid ibn Mohammed focused on sports. The entire Al Maktoum family is famous for its love of horses, and Rashid is no exception. He owned the Zabeel Racing International racing corporation and won numerous competitions both in the UAE and abroad. In total he won 428 medals. Vertex sporting achievements Rashid ibn Mohammed - two gold medals at the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. From 2008 to 2010, Rashid was even president Olympic Committee UAE, but left this post, as he explained, due to lack of time.

Scandal in a noble family

Arab sheikhs try not to make their internal affairs public, but sometimes, when the traditional values ​​of oil emirs collide with European realities, leaks occur. This is what happened with Rashid.

In 2011, a black employee from the staff of the British palace of Emir Olantunji Faleye appealed to the British court. He claimed that he was discriminated against on racial and religious grounds: members of the sheikh's family addressed him as "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", and repeatedly insulted Christianity (Faleye is an Anglican), calling him "bad, low and disgusting faith,” convincing his “black slave” to convert to Islam.