House of Nahyan

History

The House of Nahyan is a branch of the House of Al Falahi (Āl Bū Falāḥ), a branch of the Bani Yas tribe. The Bani Yas came to Abu Dhabi in the 18th century from Liwa Oasis. 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.

21st century

The Al Nahyan family controls multiple sovereign wealth funds including the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala Investment Company that have an estimated trillion worth of assets under management. In 2024, the family was ranked second in the list of world's richest families.

Rulers

The following Al Nahyan family members have ruled Abu Dhabi: – 1793 (killed by his cousin Hazza bin Zayed bin Muhammad bin Falah)

(deposed by his son)

(deposed by his brother, Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan, with the support of their father and sent to exile)

– 1833 (killed by his two brothers)

– 1845 (killed by his maternal nephew, Isa bin Khalid al-Falahi, at the conclusion of the feast on the beach at Abu Dhabi)

– January 1855 (death by natural causes)

– 19 May 1909 (death by natural causes)

– October 1912 (death by natural causes)

– 22 August 1922 (killed by his younger brother, Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan)

– 4 August 1926 (killed by his brother, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan)

– 1 January 1928 (killed by members of the Al Bu Shaar section of the Al Manasir tribe)

– 11 February 1989 (deposed in the bloodless coup by the Trucial Oman Scouts to the benefit of his brother, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan)

– 2 November 2004 (death by natural causes)

– 13 May 2022 (death by natural causes)

– present

Genealogy

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.

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.

References

References

1. Motohiro, Ono. (March 2011). "Reconsideration of the Meanings of the Tribal Ties in the United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Emirate in Early ʼ90s". Kyoto Bulletin of Islamic Area Studies.
2. Davidson, Christopher M.. (2011). "Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond". Hurst.
3. (2006). "Shaikhly Authority in the Pre‐oil Gulf: An Historical–Anthropological Study". History and Anthropology.
4. (2 March 2021). "Wealth fund newbie comes into focus in Abu Dhabi's $1 trillion sovereign hub".
5. Pendleton, Devon. (2024-12-12). "The 25 Richest Families in the World — 2024".
6. "United Arab Emirates".
7. (27 February 2013). "Key figures in the life of Qasr Al Hosn {{!}} The National".
8. Heard-Bey, Frauke. (2005). "From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates : a society in transition". Motivate.
9. Lorimer, John. (1915). "Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf". British Government, Bombay.
10. Joffe, Lawrence. (3 November 2004). "Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan". The Guardian.
11. "ABC News Exclusive: Torture Tape Implicates UAE Royal Sheikh".
12. (23 June 2017). "UAE princesses guilty of servant abuse in Belgium". BBC.
13. (2017-06-26). "Eight princesses convicted in Belgium for 'inhumane' abuse of servants".