Mohammed bin Thani

Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani (محمد بن ثاني; c. 1788 – 18 December 1878), also known as Mohammed bin Thani bin Mohammed Al Thamir (محمد بن ثاني بن محمد آل ثامر), was the first Hakim (ruler) of the whole Qatari Peninsula, officially being recognized by the British in September 1868 following a meeting with British representative Lewis Pelly. He is known for being the father of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of Qatar and who fended off the Ottoman army in the late 19th century.

Early life and governance
Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani was born in Fuwayrit, Qatar, by his father and predecessor to the throne, Sheikh Thani bin Mohammed Al Thamir (born in Zubarah), with Sheikh Mohammed being the second eldest son of his father, along with his four siblings:


 * 1) Sheikh Thamir bin Thani bin Mohammed Al Thamir
 * 2) Sheikh Eid bin Thani bin Mohammed Al Thamir
 * 3) Sheikh Ali bin Thani bin Mohammed Al Thamir
 * 4) Sheikh Ahmad bin Thani bin Mohammed Al Thamir

After living a lengthy life in Fuwayrit, the Al Thani family finally moved in 1848 from Fuwayrit to Doha, the capital city and state of Qatar, under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed, who was 59 at the time.

His father later died in 1860, when he succeeded to the throne. By the early 1860s, Sheikh Mohammed emerged as the most important figure in Qatar and an important government official in the Persian Gulf. He abdicated, due to old age, as emir of Qatar in 1876, turning the throne over to his eldest son Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani.

Events during his reign
It was not until Mohammed bin Thani moved from Fuwayrit to Al Bidda in 1848 that he began to exert influence over the peninsula. Prior to this migration, each tribe and settlement had its independent leader, and there was no documented instance of their unification in battle. The concept of a unified land or nation was not present. However, with Mohammed bin Thani's arrival, Qatar began to gain significant economic and political weight, albeit while still remaining under Bahrain's suzerainty.

In 1851, Mohammed bin Thani found himself in the midst of a conflict between Faisal bin Turki, Imam of the Emirate of Najd, and Muhammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, ruler of Bahrain. Faisal had long sought to gain control of Bahrain and had previously attempted, and failed, to invade the island. In May 1851, Faisal launched his third attempt to capture Bahrain, ordering his forces to proceed towards Al Bidda, Qatar, which was intended to be used as a staging area for an invasion of Bahrain. In response, Ali bin Khalifa, the Bahraini representative in Qatar, called on all men of fighting age to defend Al Bidda, as well as sending for help from Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi. Mohammed bin Thani served as one of the leaders of the Qatari forces.

Qatari and allied forces were embroiled in three heavy days of fighting with Faisal's forces in the Battle of Mesaimeer from 2 June to 4 June, 1851. On the second day, Bahraini and Abu Dhabi forces to retreated to their ships, refusing to render further aid to the Qataris. Shortly after the battle ended, Mohammed bin Thani negotiated a separate peace agreement with Faisal in which he agreed to be under Wahhabi governance provided that he remains chief of Al Bidda, which Faisal agreed. On 8 June, Qatari forces under the leadership of Mohammed bin Thani assumed control of Burj Al-Maah, a watchtower guarding Doha's main water source, close to Al Bidda Fort where the allied forces of Ali bin Khalifa and Saeed bin Tahnoun were stationed. Upon hearing the news, they fled to Bahrain without incident, much to the dismay of Faisal who admonished Mohammed bin Thani for not capturing them.

On 25 July, 1851, Saeed bin Tahnun successfully negotiated a treaty between the Bahrainis and Wahhabis, in which the Bahrainis would pay an annual zakat to Faisal in exchange for his renouncement of any claims to Qatar and return of Al Bidda to the chieftainship of Ali bin Khalifa. Mohammed bin Thani, as party to this agreement, agreed to relinquish his position.

The battle created political enmity between Qatar and Bahrain which contributed to the Qatari–Bahraini War in 1867 and Qatar's subsequent emergence as an independent political entity, which came to fruition on 12 September, 1868 with the signing of a treaty between Mohammad bin Thani and the British representative Lewis Pelly.

In 1871, Sheikh Mohammed made a plea for protection against any external attack to the Ottomans at Al Hasa. However, the Ottomans were the ones who displayed hostility to the Qataris in the same decade of his plea.

Children
Sheikh Mohammed had 8 children: six sons (listed below) and two daughters, both with unknown names.

Death
Sheikh Mohammed died two years after abdicating from his throne in 1876. He died a natural death on 18 December 1878. As remembrance, it is a national day in Qatar.