Sheikh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani

Sheikh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani (born 1952, Doha, Qatar—died July 12, 2026) was the former emir of Qatar (1995–2013). Sheikh Hamad took power from his father, Sheikh Khalifa ibn Hamad Al Thani, who had become Qatar’s leader just months after the country won independence from Great Britain in 1972. In 2013 Hamad abdicated in favor of his son Sheikh Tamim.

Early life and rise to power

Hamad was born into the Thani dynasty, which at the time had ruled the emirate for a century. He was educated in Qatar and in England at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and became a lieutenant colonel in Qatar’s military after graduating in 1971. He was promoted in 1975 to major general and commander in chief of the armed forces, and in 1977 he became minister of defense as well as heir apparent to the throne. Following the Persian Gulf War (1990–91), Hamad was, for most purposes, leading the country, and in 1995 he staged a coup and ousted his father while the latter was traveling outside Qatar. Hamad himself survived a number of subsequent coup attempts and succeeded in returning to the government a portion of the estimated $3 billion–$7 billion in gas and oil profits his father had held in personal bank accounts.

Legacy as emir

Hamad’s reign had a transformative impact on Qatar. He moved to allow Qataris to participate more actively in the government, and in 1999 the country held municipal elections for the first time. He largely abolished censorship of the press and founded Al Jazeera, a cable television news network that attained global prominence. A new constitution promulgated in 2003 sought to establish a parliament, two-thirds of which would be popularly elected. He advanced equality for women, including full participation in elections. Moreover, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, his wife, took on a particularly visible role in boosting education and development in the country. But perhaps the greatest footprint he left was his heavy investment in the country’s production of liquefied natural gas: by the end of his rule, Qatar led the world in the export of natural gas and enjoyed higher gross domestic product (GDP) per capita than any oil-producing Gulf state.

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Abdication

In June 2013 Hamad announced his abdication in favor of his 33-year-old son Tamim, the crown prince, citing the need to make way for a new generation of Qatari leaders. The transfer of power was seen as unusual for the Gulf Arab region, where rulers typically occupied their positions for life.