theocracy · Arabia and the Gulf

Ya'aruba dynasty

1624 CE – 1744 CE · capital Rustaq

The Omani imamate that expelled the Portuguese from Oman and East Africa and turned Oman into the main naval power of the western Indian Ocean.

Origins

In 1624 Ibadi scholars at Rustaq elected Nasir ibn Murshid al-Ya'rubi as imam, ending the rule of the Nabhani dynasty. He united the interior tribes and attacked the Portuguese coastal forts. His successor Sultan ibn Saif captured Muscat in 1650, ending Portuguese Muscat.

Rule and society

The Ya'aruba built a navy and carried the war to East Africa, taking Fort Jesus at Mombasa in 1698 under Saif ibn Sultan and gaining influence over Zanzibar, Pemba and Kilwa. Trade in slaves, ivory and dates enriched the state. The imams built forts and palaces, including the round tower of Nizwa and the palace at Jabrin, and extended falaj irrigation.

Decline and legacy

From 1718 disputed successions caused a civil war between the Hinawi and Ghafiri tribal factions, and one claimant invited Persian forces under Nader Shah. Ahmad ibn Said of Sohar expelled the Persians and was elected imam around 1744, founding the Omani Empire of the Al Bu Said.

Lineage

Nabhani dynasty 1154 CE – 1624 CEYa'aruba dynastyOmani Empire 1744 CE – 1856 CE

Connections (2)

More states of Arabia and the Gulf →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Ya'aruba dynasty. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yaaruba-dynasty
MLA
“Ya'aruba dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yaaruba-dynasty. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Ya'aruba dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yaaruba-dynasty.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Ya'aruba dynasty’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yaaruba-dynasty (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻