This Arabian gulf emirate called Dubai city treasures a rich combination
of Arab-Islamic culture and modern charming-adventurous features that
offer something to everyone be it a tourist in search of comfort and
luxury or a business traveler to get highest standards of economic
growth and prosperity. Since Dubai is so close to India, it became a
pivotal hub for trade, with many choosing to relocate there. This
section of History of Dubai introduces you with the history of Dubai
city, a city that has turned itself from a center of the fishing,
pearling and sea trade to the most fast growing, futuristic,
cosmopolitan city of the 21st century.
Ancient Dubai
As per the historical records and archaeological
surveys the early history of Dubai date back to some 4000 years old. In its
yester years, Dubai, which we know today, was inhabited by small fishing
communities and the then Dubai creek was on the major sea route for the
trading of pearls, spices and silk. In 1830s, a branch of Bani Yas tribe
settled in this small fishing town ruled by Maktoum family who are still in
reign in the emirate of Dubai.
Medieval Dubai
The history of Dubai tells about its rapid
transformation from a small trading settlement of early period to the
present most attractive and rapidly growing commercial hub of the world of
21st century. The key positioning of Dubai, right at the heart of Middle
East, later made it a centre of major business activities of United Arab
Emirate (UAE) with rest of the world.
Modern Dubai
The well built infrastructure facilities of
transportation, tele-communication, booming real estate market, liberal
government policies and the well built air-line network for its connectivity
to the rest of the world transformed this emirate into a strategic position
on the world commercial map. Presently more than 135 airlines operate
through the Dubai International Airport that link the emirate direct to the
main cities worldwide. The long coastal line of sandy beaches, variety of
sporty & leisure activities, an array of hotels right from the luxurious
to the budgetary and above all the great choices among the amazing shopping
malls turns Dubai into a magnet for the holiday makers worldwide. All these
ingredients combine together and make Dubai city world's one of the most
fastest developing tour and travel destination.
Rulers of Dubai
Here is the complete
list of Dubai Rulers who ruled the city since 1833 :-
| S.no |
Name |
Ruling Period |
| 1 |
Sheikh 'Ubayd ibn Said |
09.06.1833 |
| 2 |
Sheikh Maktoum I ibn Bati ibn Suhayl (died in 1852) |
09.06.1833-1852 |
| 3 |
Sheikh Said I ibn Bati (died in 1859) |
1852-1859 |
| 4 |
Sheikh Hushur ibn Maktoum (died in 1886) |
1859-1886 |
| 5 |
Sheikh Rashid I ibn Maktoum (died in 1894) |
1886-1894 |
| 6 |
Sheikh Maktoum II ibn Hushur (died in 1906) |
1894-1906 |
| 7 |
Sheikh Bati ibn Suhayl (born in 1851, died in 1912) |
1906-1912 |
| 8 |
Sheikh Saeed II bin Maktum (born in 1878, died in 1958) |
1912-1929 |
| 9 |
Sheikh Mani ibn Rashid |
15.04.1929-18.04.1929 |
| 10 |
Sheikh Saeed II bin Maktum |
1929-1958 |
| 11 |
Sheikh Rashid II ibn Said Al Maktoum (born in 1912, died in 1990) |
1958-1990 |
| 12 |
Sheikh Maktoum III bin Rashid Al Maktoum (born in 1943, died in
2006) |
1990-2006 |
| 13 |
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (born in 1949) |
2006-till date |
Chronicles of Dubai
Presenting here a brief of all major events in
the date line of Dubai History. This Dubai Chronicles has been arranged in
an easy to understand table given below:
1400-1500: As per historical records, Dubai was right at the
middle of international trading routes of silk, pearl, spices and gold.
1799: Bani Yas clan (a tribe in the United Arab Emirates)
established itself in Dubai.
1820: As per a treaty called treaty of peace between Britain
and Dubai, the sheikh of Dubai became a signatory.
1833: Al Maktoum dynasty shifted themselves from the
settlement of UAE and took over the town of Dubai.
1892: Trucial states (area under local rulers established to
fight against piracy along with Gulf Coast) signed a deal with Britain that
gave Britain a control on foreign matters of each Emirate.
1930: Till this period Dubai developed to become a most
crucial port for the key trading activities of the city.
1950: Establishment of new amenities of Electricity and
Telephone by Britain.
1959: Dubai gets its own Airport for international flights
and the idea was the brain child of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
1966: Dubai merged with a new state of Qatar for formation
of new monetary unit Qatar and Dubai riyal. Discovery of Oil in Dubai that
transformed the face of Dubai development process.
1971: United Arab Emirates (UAE) was formed after
independence from Britain. UAE comprise of seven emirates namely: Abu Dhabi,
Ajman, Dubai, Fujayrah, Ras-al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Qaywayn.
1973: The uniform currency of UAE dirham was adopted by
Dubai as an emirate.
1979: Jebel Ali Port which is world's largest man made port)
formed.
1980-1990: The determination to get away from the reliance
on Oil wells, Dubai adopted the free trade policy and opened its doors to
foreign trading investments. This lead to the formation of free trade zones
including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Maritime City.
1990: Outbreak of Persian Gulf war that had adverse effects
on Dubai economy.
1994: Construction of Burj Al Arab, which is the world's
tallest hotel, started and ended in year 1999.
2000: Creation of Dubai Internet City as an Information
Technology (IT) Park by the Government of Dubai.
2004: The booming real estate sector Dubai witnessed rising
of sky kissing constructions like Burj Dubai which is the world's tallest
man-made structure. The construction of Burj Dubai started on 21 September
2004 and the projected date of completion is September 2009.
2007: Dubai and Qatar jointly become the two biggest
shareholders of the London Stock Exchange.
