The House of Al-Sabah (الصباح) are the royal family of Kuwait. They are a clan from the Anizah tribe, which migrated to Kuwait in the early eighteenth century from Najd (current day Saudi Arabia). After reaching Kuwait, they entered under the umbrella of the Bani Utbah. They have ruled Kuwait since 1752 when Sabah I became Shaikh (chief) of Kuwait. Subsequent Shaikhs are the descendants of Sabah I. The sons of Sabah I are Salman, Mohammad, Mubarak, Malich and Abdullah.

The Emir of Kuwait is the head of the executive branch. He is nominated by a family council, headed by the most senior and prominent members of the Al-Sabah. The leadership is not strictly hereditary, and although many Emirs have succeeded their fathers, the family chooses the leader from each succeeding generation. For example, the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah appointed his cousin Sheikh Saad as Heir Apparent.

The Kuwaiti parliament has a say in the appointment of the Emir. Although customs prohibit the use of such measures, the parliament (as per article 3 of the constitution) has a constitutional right to approve or disprove of an Emir's appointment. Nonetheless the parliament effectively removed then crown prince Sheikh Saad after the death of Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah in early 2006 due to the first's inability to rule because of illness.

All members of the ruling family receive a monthly stipend from the Amiri Diwan (forum). The Prime Minister is selected by the Emir. Precedents dictate that the Al-Sabahs hold key cabinet posts, such as the Ministry of Defense, the foreign ministry, the ministry of Interior and the office of prime minister.

The two main branches

Sheikh Mubarak seized the leadership of Kuwait from his brothers Sheikh Mohamed and Jarrah after a coup in 1896. The reason being that Sheikh Mohamed was letting power slip from his hands into that of his uncles of the Al-Ibrahim family, amidst tense regional power struggles between the Ottoman and British empires and rivaling rulers from within the peninsula including Iraq.

He was succeeded as ruler by his son Jaber (1915-17) and another son Salem (1917-21). Subsequent Emirs descended from these two brothers. It has become tradition to alternate the post of Emir between these two branches.

Current events

Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah was removed by parliamentary action after a prolonged stalemate following the death of the previous Emir Jaber on 15 January 2006. He was earlier offered the chance to abdicate after taking power provisionally as stipulated by the constitution, but his inability to recite the oath of office prevented his ratification by parliament.

The then prime minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was nominated for the post of Emir by invoking Article 3 of the Kuwaiti constitution. He was sworn in on 29 January 2006 and is the current ruler.

The Emir appointed his brother, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as Crown Prince. The Emir also appointed his nephew, Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah as Prime Minister.

On 13 May 2008 the former Emir, Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, passed away after battling health problems for years. He was buried the following day, in accordance with Muslim traditions. He was 78 years of age.

Other

Every member of the ruling family is often referred to as Sheikh if male or Sheikha if female.

Al-Sabah Dynasty

• Sheikh Sabah I bin Jaber (1752-1762)
• Sheikh Abdullah I Al-Sabah (1762 May-3 May 1814)
• Sheikh Jaber I Al-Sabah (1814-1859)
• Sheikh Sabah II Al-Sabah (1859-Nov 1866)
• Sheikh Abdullah II Al-Sabah (Nov 1866 - May 1892)
• Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sabah (May 1892 May-17 May 1896), assassinated by successor
• Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, "the Great" (18 May 1896 - 28 November 1915)
• Sheikh Jaber II Al-Sabah (28 November 1915 - 5 February 1917)
• Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah (5 February 1917 - 22 February 1921)
• Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (22 February 1921 - 29 January 1950)
• Sheikh Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah (29 January 1950 - 24 November 1965 became Emir on 19 June 1961)
• Emir Sabah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah (24 November 1965 - 31 December 1977)
• Emir Jaber III Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (31 December 1977 - 15 January 2006)
• Emir Saad I Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah (15 January 2006 - 24 January 2006), deposed due to illness
• Emir Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (29 January 2006 - )

*The heir-apparent is the Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Other notable members of al-Sabah

• Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait.
• Salem Al Ali Al Sabah, Chief of the National Guard.
• Muhammad Al-Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
• Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense.
• Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Director of National Security.
• Hussa Al-Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Director of Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiya (Kuwait Museum of Islamic Art).
• Saud bin Nasir Al-Sabah former Kuwait ambassador to U.S
• Salem Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah 1938 - 2007 former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Interior, Social Affairs and Foreign Minister.
• Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah Minister of the Interior.

See also

• Bani Utbah
• History of Kuwait
• Utub

References

• Al Sabah: History and Genealogy of Kuwait’s Ruling Family 1752-1987 by Alan Rush (Ithaca Press, 1987)
• Burke’s Ruling Families of the World, Volume 2 (Burke’s Peerage, 1980), includes genealogies and essays on Al-Sabah (Kuwait)
• Records of Kuwait ed., Alan Rush (8 vols. Archive Editions, 1989)
• Unavailable
• Article listing positions of a few Sabah's
• Detailed Genealogy of the Sabah family
• Former emir dies in Kuwait