Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Sheikh Mohammed started writing poetry in Arabic as a young man and initially used pseudonyms to conceal his identity. He later founded the ‘Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Cultural Understanding’ (SMCCU) to promote local culture. He also introduced the ‘Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts Awards’ and the ‘Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award.’

He is known to have nine sons and 14 daughters from at least six wives. He got married to his first cousin, Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, in 1979. She is the mother of his heir-presumptive, Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, and is considered to be the “First Lady of Dubai.”

Among his other wives is Haya bint Al Hussein, who is the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan. She has served two tenures as the president of the ‘International Federation for Equestrian Sports’ (FEI) and has represented Jordan in show jumping in the 2000 ‘Summer Olympics.’

He was born on July 15, 1949, in Al Shindagha, Dubai, Trucial States (Now the UAE) to Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Latifa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan. He is the third son of Dubai’s ruling Maktoum family, who are descendents of the ‘House of Al-Falasi.’ His mother was the daughter of the ruler of Abu Dhabi.

He was privately tutored in Arabic and Islamic Studies since he was 4 years old. He started his formal education in 1955, at the ‘Al Ahmedia School,’ and then moved to the ‘Al Shaab School.’ He joined the ‘Dubai Secondary School’ two years later. He was fond of horses as a child and often stopped by at the stables on his way to school.

In 1966, he joined the ‘Bell Educational Trust’s English Language School’ in the UK and then joined ‘Mons Officer Cadet School’ in Aldershot (subsequently, part of Sandhurst). He graduated as the best Commonwealth student, with the sword of honor. After his cadet training, he went to Italy to train as a pilot.

He was made the head of the ‘Dubai Police Force’ and the ‘Dubai Defence Force’ by his father when he returned to Dubai on completion of his military training. Soon, the British forces withdrew from the Trucial States. He became the first minister of defense of the newly formed UAE, in December 1971.

During this period, there were several skirmishes between rival tribes in a struggle for power. He was instrumental in defeating the coup against the ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah in January 1972. He was involved in negotiations when the flight ‘JAL 404,’ hijacked by the ‘Japanese Red Army,’ landed in Dubai in 1973. He was also involved in negotiations with the hijackers of ‘KLM 861.’

He was also responsible for the ‘Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.’ He was instrumental in the launch of the Dubai-based airlines, ‘Emirates,’ in October 1985. ‘Emirates’ later became one of the world’s leading airlines. His involvement with flying led him to inaugurate the first ‘Dubai Airshow’ in 1985. The show remains witness to some of the biggest aircraft deals of the region every year.

His elder brother, Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, appointed him as the “Crown Prince of Dubai” by signing two decrees in January 1995. Mohammed became the ruler of Dubai in January 2006, after the death of his brother.

Subsequently, he was appointed as the vice president of the UAE by the ‘Federal National Council,’ and in February 2006, he was nominated as the prime minister of the UAE by President Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

He has authored the publications ‘My Vision: Challenges in the Race for Excellence’ (2004), ‘Poems from the Desert’ (2009), ‘Spirit of the Union: Lecture on the Occasion of the United Arab Emirates 40th National Day’ (2012) and ‘Flashes of Thought: Lessons in Life and Leadership from the Man behind Dubai’ (2015).