Editing Emirate of Sharjah (section)

==History==
[[File:Sharjah, UAE.jpg|thumb|right|Older residential area of Sharjah, displaying the local architecture]]
Human settlement in the area covered by the emirate has existed for over 120,000 years, with significant finds made of early axes and stone tools as well as Copper and [[Iron Age in the United Arab Emirates|Iron Age]] implements in [[Dhaid|Al Dhaid]], [[Al Thuqeibah]], [[Mleiha|Mileiha]], [[Tell Abraq]], [[Muweilah|Muwailah]], [[Al Madam]] and [[Jebel Faya]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Another ancient Sharjah site found by archaeologists {{!}} The National|date = 31 March 2015|url = http://www.thenational.ae/uae/heritage/another-ancient-sharjah-site-found-by-archaeologists|access-date = 2015-04-01|archive-date = 30 November 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151130023216/http://www.thenational.ae/uae/heritage/another-ancient-sharjah-site-found-by-archaeologists|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>Madhloom T., "Excavations of the Iraqi Mission at Mleha', Shaijah, UAE.", Sumer, vol. 30, no. 1-2, pp. 149–158, 1975</ref> Archaeological finds in the Mleiha area point to human habitation consistent with the spread of humanity from Africa to the wider world, evidenced by finds displayed at the [[Mleiha Archaeological Centre]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mleiha|url=https://www.discovermleiha.ae/archaeological-sites/|access-date=2021-08-31|website=www.discovermleiha.ae}}</ref>

Historically the emirate was one of the wealthiest towns in the region.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia|last = Lorimer|first = John|publisher = Government of India|year = 1908|location = Bombay|pages = 1451}}</ref>

Around 1727, the [[Al Qasimi]] clan took control of Sharjah and declared the polity independent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ayub |first=Mohamed Shaaban |date=2022-06-10 |title=How Wahhabism Led the Fight Against the British in the Gulf |url=https://newlinesmag.com/essays/how-wahhabism-led-the-fight-against-the-british-in-the-gulf/ |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=New Lines Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

The first in a long series of maritime skirmishes between the [[Al Qasimi]] and British vessels took place in 1797, when the British-flagged [[Snow (ship)|snow]] the ''Bassein'' was seized and released two days later. The cruiser ''Viper ''was subsequently attacked off [[Bushehr|Bushire]]. The Al Qasimi leader, [[Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi]], protested innocence in both cases.

A period of great instability followed along the coast, with a number of actions between British and [[Al Qasimi]] vessels alongside various changes of leadership and allegiances between the Rulers of [[Ras al-Khaimah|Ras Al Khaimah]], [[Ajman]] and Sharjah with [[Sultan Bin Saqr Al Qasimi|Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi]] claiming sovereignty over 'all the Joasmee ports' in 1823, a claim recognised by the British at the time.

On 8 January 1820, [[Sultan Bin Saqr Al Qasimi|Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi]] signed [[the General Maritime Treaty with Britain]], accepting protectorate status in order to resist [[Ottoman Turks|Ottoman]] domination. Following the expiration of a further, ten year, treaty in 1843, on 4 May 1853 Sharjah, along with other Sheikhdoms on what was then known as the 'Arabian Coast' signed the Perpetual Treaty of Peace, which gave rise to the collective name [[Trucial States]] being given to the emirates of the coast.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Islands and Maritime Boundaries of the Gulf 1798–1960 Vol 1|last = Schofield|first = R|publisher = Archive Editions|year = 1990|isbn=978-1-85207-275-9|location = UK|pages = 139}}</ref>

Like four of its neighbours, [[Ajman]], [[Dubai]], [[Ras Al Khaimah]], and [[Umm Al Quwain]], its position along trade routes to [[India]] made it important enough to be recognised as a [[salute state]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Davidson |first=Christopher |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E88dDAAAQBAJ&dq=Sharjah+salute+state&pg=PA21 |title=After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies |date=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-024450-7 |pages=21 |language=en}}</ref>

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Sharjah was an important pearl fishing port. A British marine survey of 1830 found 'three to four hundred boats' fishing in the season, earning the ruler 100,000 [[Maria Theresa thaler|Maria Theresa Dollars]].<ref>{{Cite book|title = Islands and Maritime Boundaries of the Gulf 1798–1960|last = Schofield|first = R|publisher = Archive Editions|year = 1990|isbn=978-1-85207-275-9|location = UK|pages = 544}}</ref>

In 1932, [[Imperial Airways]] established a regular air service through Sharjah, which was an overnight stop on the Eastern British Empire route. The [[Mahatta Fort]] was built to house the airline's guests.

On 2 December 1971, [[Sheikh]] [[Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi]] joined Sharjah to the United Arab Emirates.<ref name="nyt" /> On 24 January 1972 however, the former ruler Sheikh [[Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi]] staged a leftist coup. Having previously deposed Saqr in 1965, Sheikh Khalid had ordered the demolition of [[Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn Sharjah)|Sharjah Fort]] (Al Hisn Sharjah) to expunge Saqr's memory. Saqr took over Khalid's palace, holding him inside and in the ensuing confusion Sheikh Khalid was killed. Saqr was arrested and Khalid's brother, [[Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi]], an author and historian, came to power.<ref>{{cite book|last=Jessup |first=John E. |title=An encyclopedic dictionary of conflict and conflict resolution, 1945–1996 |page=773 |publisher=Greenwood Press |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-313-28112-9 }}</ref>

In 1987, Sultan's brother Abdulaziz [[1987 Sharjawi coup d'état attempt|staged a coup]] while Sultan was abroad. Huge state debt was stated as the reason. Then-[[President of the United Arab Emirates|UAE President]] [[Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan|Zayed]] denounced the coup, and a deal was reached for Sultan to be restored, while Abdulaziz would become the deputy ruler. Sultan, however, dismissed Abdulaziz quite quickly.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ismael |first1=Tareq Y. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u_EiCikYT2sC&dq=%22Sharjah%22+Sultan+Abdulaziz+%221987%22&pg=PA429 |title=Government and Politics of the Contemporary Middle East: Continuity and Change |last2=Ismael |first2=Jacqueline S. |date=2012-10-02 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-94139-9 |pages=429 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nuttall |first=Keith |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vDdJEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Sharjah%22+Sultan+Abdulaziz+%221987%22&pg=PA91 |title=Shipping and Development in Dubai: Infrastructure, Innovation and Institutions in the Gulf |date=2021-10-21 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-0-7556-4164-2 |pages=91 |language=en}}</ref> In 1999, the Crown Prince (Sultan's eldest son) died of a drug overdose while on vacation in their palace in England.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rugh |first=A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1GaJDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Sharjah%22+Sultan+Crown+Prince+died+%221999%22&pg=PA156 |title=The Political Culture of Leadership in the United Arab Emirates |date=2007-03-05 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-230-60349-3 |pages=156 |language=en}}</ref> Sultan made the decision to testify in front of a UK court{{why|date=December 2021}}.{{Citation needed|date = November 2014}} The new Crown Prince, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, was appointed from a remote branch of the family.

===Rulers===
[[File:Empfang für Sheik Qasimi, Sharjah, im Kölner Rathaus-0198.jpg|thumb|[[Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi]], emir of Sharjah]]
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size:9pt"
|-
! Years of Reign !! Birth !! Death !! Name !! Notes
|-
| 1747–1777 || || <!--death--> ||[[Rashid bin Matar Al Qasimi|Sheikh Rashid bin Matar Al Qasimi]]|| <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1777–1803 || || || [[Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi|Sheikh Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi]] || <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1803–1866|| || 1866 || [[Sultan Bin Saqr Al Qasimi|Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi]] || First time
|-
| 1866–1868 (14 April)|| <!--birth--> || 1886 ||[[Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi (ruler)|Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi]]|| <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1868 (14 April) – 1883 (March)<br />1869–1883 jointly w/next leader || <!--birth--> || 1919 ||[[Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi|Sheikh Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi]]||
|-
| 1883 (March) – 1914 || <!--birth-->|| 1914 ||[[Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi|Sheikh Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi]]|| <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1914 (13 April) – 1924 (21 November)|| <!--birth-->|| <!--death-->||[[Khalid bin Ahmad Al Qasimi|Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Qasimi]]|| <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1924 (21 November) – 1951 || <!--birth--> || 1951 ||[[Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi II|Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi II]]|| <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1951 (May) – 1965 (24 June) || 1925 || 1993 ||[[Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi|Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi]]|| <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1965 (24 June) – 1972 (24 January) || 1931 || 1972 ||[[Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi|Sheikh Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi]]|| <!--Notes-->
|-
| 1972 (25 January) – 1972 || 1925 || 1993 ||[[Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi|Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi]]|| Acting
|-
| 1972–1987 (17 June)|| 1939 || <!--death-->||[[Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi|Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi]]|| First time
|-
| 1987 (17 June) – 1987 (23 June) || 1937 || 2004 || Sheikh Abd al-Aziz bin Muhammad Al Qasimi || <!--Notes--> removed from throne in [[1987 Sharjawi coup attempt|1987 coup attempt]], later to be crown prince of Sharjah
|-
| 1987 (23 June) – present || 1939 || || [[Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi|Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi]] || Second time<ref name="halcrow" />
|}