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Al-Sabah

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The Al-Sabah (Arabic: الصباح) are the royal family of Kuwait. They are one of the clans of the Bani Utub tribe, which migrated to Kuwait in the late seventeenth century. They have been ruling Kuwait ever since 1752, when Sheikh Sabah I became Emir of Kuwait.

The Emir of Kuwait is the head of the executive branch of the Kuwaiti government. He is nominated by a family council head by the most senior and prominent members of the Al-Sabah. The Al-Sabah dynasty is not strictly hereditary, and although many Emirs have succeeded their fathers, the family choose their leader from each succeeding generation, rather than selecting from the children of the current ruler. For example, the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah appointed his cousin Sheikh Saad as Crown Prince. They are said to be worth around $40-$45 Billion.

All members of the ruling family receive a monthly stipend from the Amiri Diwan. The Al-Sabahs hold most of the key cabinet posts, such as the Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Minister of Interior, and Minister of Energy (oil).

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[edit] The two main branches

Sheikh Mubarak was succeeded as ruler by his son Jaber(1915-17) and another son Salem (1917-21). Subsequent Emirs descended from these two brothers and there has often been tension between the two branches( the Al-Jaber branch and the Al-Salem branch respectively). For this reason, it has become tradition to alternate the position of emir between the two. For this reason, the recent appointment of Sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah as crown prince by the current Emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah has created some disputes as both are of the Al-Jaber branch of the family[1]. To further the conflict, Sheikh Saad Al-Sabah of the Al-Salem branch ruled only briefly, being preceded and succeeded by members of the Al-Jaber branches[2].

[edit] Current events

Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah abdicated his position as the Emir of Kuwait on Jan 24 2006.

The then prime minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was nominated for the position of Emir of Kuwait by invoking the Kuwaiti constitutional Article 3. He was sworn in on January 29 2006 and he is the current ruler.

The Emir, Sheikh Sabah appointed his brother, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as Crown Prince. The Emir also appointed his nephew, Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah as Prime Minister.

[edit] Other

Every member of the ruling family is often locally referred to as Sheikh if male or Sheikha if female, and this title is put in front of members' first names as honorifics.

[edit] Al-Sabah Dynasty

[edit] Other notable members of al-Sabah

Shiekh Ahmed Abdulla Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah - Minister of Health

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources and references

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