Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة |
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The King in 2016.
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King of Bahrain | |
Reign | 6 March 1999– present |
Coronation | 14 February 2002 |
Predecessor | Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa |
Heir apparent | Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa |
Prime Minister | Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa |
Born |
Riffa, Bahrain |
28 January 1950
Spouse |
Sabika bint Ibrahim (1968–present) Sheia bint Hassan Al-Khrayyesh Al-Ajmi 2 others |
Issue Detail |
Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa Najla bint Hamad Al Khalifa Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Faisal bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Sultan bin Hamad Al Khalifa Hessa bint Hamad Al Khalifa Nura bint Hamad Al Khalifa Munira bint Hamad Al Khalifa Reema bint Hamad Al Khalifa |
House | Khalifa |
Father | Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa |
Mother | Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa |
Religion | Sunni Islam |
Styles of The King of Bahrain |
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Reference style | His Majesty |
Spoken style | Your Majesty |
Alternative style | Sire |
Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (Arabic: حمد بن عيسى بن سلمان آل خليفة Ḥamad bin ʿĪsā bin Salmān ʾĀl Ḫalīfah; born 28 January 1950) is the 1st King of Bahrain (since 14 February 2002), having previously been its 2nd Emir (from 6 March 1999). He is the son of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the previous and 1st Emir. The country has been ruled by the Al Khalifa dynasty since 1783.
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was born on 28 January 1950 in Riffa, Bahrain. His parents were Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, then Crown Prince, and Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa.
After attending Manama secondary school in Bahrain, Hamad was sent to England to attend Applegarth College in Godalming, Surrey before taking a place at The Leys School in Cambridge. Hamad then underwent military training, first with the British Army at Mons Officer Cadet School at Aldershot in Hampshire, graduating in September 1968. Four years later, in June 1972, Hamad attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, graduating the following June with a degree in leadership.
Hamad was designated as heir apparent by his father on 27 June 1964. In 1968, he was appointed as the chairman of the irrigation council and Manama municipal council. He was commissioned into the Bahrain National Guard on 16 February 1968 and appointed as its commander the same year, remaining in that post until 1969 when he was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force. In 1970, Hamad became the head of the Bahraini department of defence and the vice-chairman of the administrative council, remaining in both offices until 1971. From 1971 to 1988 he was the minister of state for defence.