List of rulers of individual Emirates of the United Arab Emirates

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This article lists the rulers of separate states on the territory of the United Arab Emirates, most of which became its Emirates.

List of rulers of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Al Nahyan of Al Abu Falah dynasty

Ruled Name Notes
1761–1793 Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa Al Nahyan d. 1793
1793–1816 Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan d. 1816[contradictory]
1816–1818 Sheikh Muhammad bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan
1818 Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan Since 1818 joint with his son Tahnun
1818 – Apr 1833 Sheikh Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan Since 1818 joint with his father Shakhbut. d. 1833
Apr 1833 – 1845 Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan Since 1833 joint with his brother Sultan. d. 1845
Apr 1833 – Jul 1845 Sheikh Sultan bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan Since 1833 joint with his brother Khalifa. d. 1845
Jul 1845 – Sep 1845 Sheikh Isa bin Khalid al-Falahi Usurper
Sep 1845 – Dec 1845 Sheikh Dhiyab II bin Isa al-Falahi Usurper
Dec 1845 – 1855 Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan
1855–1909 Sheikh Zayed I bin Khalifa Al Nahyan b. 1840 – d. 1909
May 1909 – October 1912 Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan b. 1857 – d. 1912
October 1912 – 22 August 1922 Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan b. 1881 – d. 1922
22 August 1922 – 4 August 1926 Sheikh Sultan II bin Zayed Al Nahyan b. 1881 – d. 1926
4 August 1926 – 1 January 1928 Sheikh Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan b. 1887 – d. 1928
1 January 1928 – 6 August 1966 Sheikh Shakhbut II bin Sultan Al Nahyan b. 1905 – d. 1989
6 August 1966 – 2 November 2004 Sheikh Zayed II bin Sultan Al Nahyan b. 1918 – d. 2004. Founded the UAE in 1971 and became its first president.
2 November 2004 – 13 May 2022 Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan b. 1948 – d. 2022
13 May 2022 – present Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan b. 1961

List of rulers of the Emirate of Dubai

Al Maktoum dynasty

Ruled Name Notes
9 July 1833 – 1836 Obeid bin Said bin Rashid al-Falasi d. 1836
9 July 1833 – 1852 Maktoum bin Butti bin Suhail d. 1852
1852–1859 Saeed bin Butti d. 1859
1859 – 22 November 1886 Hasher bin Maktoum d. 1886
22 November 1886 – 7 April 1894 Rashid bin Maktoum d. 1894
7 April 1894 – 16 February 1906 Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum d. 1906
16 February 1906 – November 1912 Butti bin Sohail b. 1851 – d. 1912
November 1912 – 15 April 1929 (1st time) Saeed bin Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum b. 1878 – d. 1958
15 April 1929 – 18 April 1929 Mani bin Rashid
18 April 1929 – September 1958 (2nd time) Saeed bin Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum b. 1878 – d. 1958
10 September 1958 – 7 October 1990 Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum b. 1912 – d. 1990
7 October 1990 – 4 January 2006 Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum b. 1943 – d. 2006
4 January 2006 – present Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum b. 1949

List of rulers of the Emirate of Sharjah

Al Qasimi dynasty

Ruled Name Notes
1727–1777 Sheikh Rashid bin Matar Al Qasimi
1777–1803 Sheikh Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi
1803–1840 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi First rule
1840 Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al-Qasimi
1840–1866 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi Second rule
1866 – 14 April 1868 Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi
14 April 1868 – March 1883 Sheikh Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi Since 1869 joint with his brother Ibrahim
1869–1871 Sheikh Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi Since 1869 joint with his brother Salim
March 1883 – 1914 Sheikh Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi
3 April 1914 – 21 November 1924 Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Qasimi
21 November 1924 – 1951 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi II
1951 – May 1951 Sheikh Muhammad bin Saqr Al Qasimi
May 1951 – 24 June 1965 Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi Ousted bloodlessly by the British
24 June 1965 – 24 January 1972 Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Assassinated in course of Saqr III's counter-coup
25 January 1972 – 1972 Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Acting due to Khalid III's assassination by Saqr III
1972 – 17 June 1987 Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi First rule
17 – 23 June 1987 Sheikh 'Abd al- 'Aziz bin Muhammad Al Qasimi older brother, failed coup d'état, promised to become crown prince, later title was stripped of him
23 June 1987 – present Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi Second rule

List of rulers of the Emirate of Fujairah

Al Sharqi dynasty

Ruled Name Notes
1879–1936 Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi
1936–1938 Sheikh Saif bin Hamad Al Sharqi
1938–1974 Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi
1974–present Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi

List of rulers of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah

Al Qasimi dynasty

Ruled Name Notes
17xx–17xx Sheikh Rahma al-Qasimi
17xx–174x Sheikh Matar bin Rahma al-Qasimi
174x–1777 Sheikh Rashid bin Matar al-Qasimi
1777–1803 Sheikh Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi
1803–1808 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi First Rule
1808–1814 Sheikh al-Husayn bin Ali al-Qasimi Acting Ruler
1814–1820 Sheikh Hassan bin Rahma Al Qasimi Acting Ruler
1820–1866 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi Second Rule
1866 – May 1867 Sheikh Ibrahim bin Sultan al-Qasimi
May 1867 – 14 April 1868 Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi
14 April 1868 – 1869 Sheikh Salim bin Sultan al-Qasimi
1869 – August 1900 Sheikh Humaid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi
10 July 1921 – February 1948 Sheikh Sultan bin Salim Al Qasimi
February 1948 – 27 October 2010 Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad Al Qassimi
27 October 2010 – present Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi

Throne vacant from August 1900 until 10 July 1921

List of rulers of the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain

Al Mualla dynasty

Ruled Name Notes
1768–1820 Sheikh Rashid bin Majid Al Mualla
1820–1853 Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla
1853–1873 Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Mualla
1873–1904 Sheikh Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mualla
1904–1922 Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla
1922–1923 Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla II
1923–1929 Sheikh Hamad bin Ibrahim Al Mualla
1929–1981 Sheikh Ahmad bin Rashid Al Mualla
1981–2009 Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla II
2009–present Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla

List of rulers of the Emirate of Ajman

Al Nuaimi dynasty

Ruled Name Notes
1816–1838 Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi
1838–1841 Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi 1st time
1841–1848 Sheikh Abdelaziz bin Rashid Al Nuaimi
1848–1864 Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi 2nd time
1864–1891 Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi II
1891–1900 Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi II
1900–1910 Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi
1910–1928 Sheikh Humaid Humaid bin Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi
1928–1981 Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi III
1981–present Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi III b. 1931

List of rulers of pre-union regions

These are regions that were once independent but now are affiliated with other emirates.

List of rulers of Dibba

  • Under a Hakim
Ruled Name Notes
1871–1883 Sheikh Ahmad bin Sultan al-Qasimi
1883–1937 Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad al-Qasimi Since 1903 joint with his brother Khalid II
1903–1924 Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad al-Qasimi Since 1903 joint with his brother Rashid
1937–1951 Sheikh Ahmad bin Rashid al-Qasimi
  • Reincorporated into Sharjah 1951

List of rulers of Al Hamriyah

  • Under a Hakim
Ruled Name Notes
1875–1904 Sheikh Sayf bin `Abd al-Rahman Al-Shamsi
1904–1921 Sheikh `Abd al-Rahman bin Sayf Al-Shamsi First Rule
1921–1922 Sheikh Humayd bin `Abd al-Rahman Al-Shamsi First Rule
1922 Sheikh `Abd al-Rahman bin Sayf Al-Shamsi Second Rule
1922 Sheikh Humayd bin `Abd al-Rahman Al-Shamsi Second Rule
  • Reincorporated into Sharjah 1922 but retained semi-autonomy until the late 1960s.

List of rulers of Al Heera

  • Under a Hakim
Ruled Name Notes
1915–1942 Sheikh `Abd al-Rahman bin Muhammad
1942 Sheikh Sayf bin `Abd al-Rahman
  • Reincorporated into Sharjah 1942

List of rulers of Kalba

  • Under a Hakim
Ruled Name Notes
1871–1900 Sheik Majid bin Sultan al-Qasimi
1900–1903 Sheik Hamad bin Majid al-Qasimi
1903–1937 Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad al-Qasimi
1937–1951 Sheikh Hamad bin Saeed al-Qasimi
1951–1952 Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan al-Qasimi
  • Reincorporated into Sharjah 1952

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