emirate · Arabia and the Gulf

Sheikhdom of Bahrain

1783 CE – 1971 CE · capital Manama

Bahrain under the Al Khalifa and British protection, where the first oil on the Arab side of the Gulf was struck in 1932.

Origins

The Al Khalifa, a clan of the Bani Utbah settled at Zubarah in Qatar, crossed to Bahrain in 1783 and drove out the Al Madhkur governor, who ruled for Persian-backed Bushehr. Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al Khalifa, known as al-Fateh, the Conqueror, became the first ruler of the islands.

Rule and society

Bahrain lived on pearling, date farming and trade, with Manama as its port. Its Sunni ruling family governed a population that was largely Shi'a. Treaties with Britain from 1820, culminating in the exclusive agreements of 1880 and 1892, made it a protected state. After Britain forced Isa bin Ali to hand power to his son Hamad in 1923, Hamad and the British adviser Charles Belgrave, from 1926, created courts, schools and a modern administration. Oil was struck in 1932.

Decline and legacy

Iran long claimed Bahrain, but a United Nations survey in 1970 found the people wanted independence. Britain ended its protection and the State of Bahrain became independent in August 1971 under Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

Lineage

Sheikhdom of BahrainState of Bahrain 1971 CE – present

Connections (4)

Sheikhdom of Bahrain was conquered by Omani Empire1800 CE – 1801 CE
Sheikhdom of Bahrain paid tribute to Emirate of Diriyah1810 CE – 1811 CE
Sheikhdom of Bahrain was a protectorate of British Empire1861 CE – 1971 CE
Sheikhdom of Qatar split from Sheikhdom of Bahrain1868 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Sheikhdom of Bahrain. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-bahrain
MLA: “Sheikhdom of Bahrain.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-bahrain. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Sheikhdom of Bahrain.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-bahrain.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Sheikhdom of Bahrain’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-bahrain (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻