Political Leader. He was the 13th Sultan of Muscat and Oman from February 10, 1932 to July 23, 1970, ruling as an absolute Monarch. First educated at home, he was mainly educated in India, being kept from learning English, about Christianity, and Western European lifestyles. He became the newly-crowned Sultan at the age of 21. He inherited a country in debt, but due to his oil-rich country, he was able to modernize the country and helped gain independence in 1951. He was indebted to Great Britain for their support of his government, thus was an ally during World War II. Following an attempt on his life he became erratic and began carelessly ruling his country. He had two wives and with his second wife, he had one son and two daughters. He also became very paranoid and placed his only son, Oaboos, under house arrest for six years. In 1970 his son staged a coup and sent his father into exile in the United Kingdom for the two remaining years of his life. Upon leaving his oil-rich country, the mortality rate for children under five years old was 25%, public health was battling epidemics of STDs, disease causing blindness, and malnutrition; only 5% of the citizens could read and write; and less than 10% of the country's roads were paved. His remains were originally buried in Brookwood Cemetery in England, but later were returned to his homeland for burial in Royal Cemetery.

Political Leader. He was the 13th Sultan of Muscat and Oman from February 10, 1932 to July 23, 1970, ruling as an absolute Monarch. First educated at home, he was mainly educated in India, being kept from learning English, about Christianity, and Western European lifestyles. He became the newly-crowned Sultan at the age of 21. He inherited a country in debt, but due to his oil-rich country, he was able to modernize the country and helped gain independence in 1951. He was indebted to Great Britain for their support of his government, thus was an ally during World War II. Following an attempt on his life he became erratic and began carelessly ruling his country. He had two wives and with his second wife, he had one son and two daughters. He also became very paranoid and placed his only son, Oaboos, under house arrest for six years. In 1970 his son staged a coup and sent his father into exile in the United Kingdom for the two remaining years of his life. Upon leaving his oil-rich country, the mortality rate for children under five years old was 25%, public health was battling epidemics of STDs, disease causing blindness, and malnutrition; only 5% of the citizens could read and write; and less than 10% of the country's roads were paved. His remains were originally buried in Brookwood Cemetery in England, but later were returned to his homeland for burial in Royal Cemetery.

Bio by: Linda Davis