Ahmed Al Fateh

Ahmed bin Muhammad Al Khalifa (ArB|أحمد بن محمد بن خليفة), also known as Ahmed Al Fateh (ArB|احمد الفاتح), "Ahmed the Conqueror", was a leader of the Al Khalifa tribe. He ruled Bahrain in 1783 with great support from his uncles Al Bin Ali also known as the Bani Utbah tribe who defeated Nasr al-Madhkur in the battle of Zubarah and captured his sword which fell into the hands of Shaikh Salama Bin Saif Al Bin Ali [ Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa ,First Light: Modern Bahrain and it’s Heritage, 1994 p41 ] . After the defeat of Nasr al-Madhkur, Al Bin Ali placed their nephew Ahmed to rule Bahrain without having any sort of authority of collecting taxes from his uncles who placed him. This tradition in fact continued until the era of Shaikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa who was the seventh ruler of Bahrain as the Al Bin Ali tribe who live in the Gulf States today contain letters from the day's of Shaikh Isa Bin Ali which states that the Al Bin Ali are excluded from paying taxes, which keeps them at the same position of Al Khalifa Ruling Family of Bahrain. Ahmed's rule was the beginning of the Al Khalifa rule of the country continuing until today.

He died in 1795 in Manama.

The Al Fateh Mosque, Bahrain's largest mosque, is named after him.

References

References

* [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Bahrain/bahrain3.htm Al Khalifa Dynasty]