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In the 7th century AD during the lifetime of Prophet himself, the people of Oman were the first to embrace Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. What followed this was centuries of golden age with the sailors of Oman trading along the sea routes with countries ranging from India to Africa. In 1507, the Portuguese seized the Muscat harbour to host its troops that were to protect their sea route to India, before being finally expelled in 1650. Following this, the Oman succeeded in building its own empire on the Arabian Peninsula along the coasts of Persia, Africa and India, emerging as a powerful maritime power in the region.
Until 1970, the rulers of the state were called ‘Sultan of Muscat and Oman’. The implication suggested the co-existence of two historically irreconcilable cultures. Muscat represented a cosmopolitan and secular tradition of the coast ruled by the sultan in contrast to the insulated tradition of tribal origin ruled by an imam. Since the founding of the Al Said dynasty in 1744, the Muscat tradition became the ascending political culture of this region. In 1741, Imam Ahmad bin Said, the founder of Al-Said dynasty took power and moved the capital from the interior region to the former Portuguese stronghold of Muscat. Thereon, the country came to be called as Muscat and Oman.
The rule of Al Said dynasty was characterized by a history of family struggle, fratricide, and usurpation. Alongside, there was also the challenge from the independent tribes of the interior region who rejected the authority of the sultan supporting imam as the legitimate leader. After a series of disturbances, Imam Azzam attempted to unify the country by exercising control over the interior tribes of Oman. This led to internal revolts. During his attempt to unify the country, the British offered political and financial support to his rival Turki ibn Said Al Said who defeated the forces of Imam Azzam, killing him in the battle near Matrah in 1871.
The British government intervened in a quarrel over succession in 1856 and divided the nation into two principalities namely Zanzibar and Muscat and Oman. Zanzibar had to pay an annual subsidy to Muscat and Oman until its independence in 1964. The rebellions organized by the Imam of Oman against the Sultan of Muscat were suppressed during 1960s and the Imam was exiled to South Africa.
From 1970s to 1983, there were a series of internal disturbances in the state due to certain disputes and differences between Oman and the neighbouring People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. The mediation by the other states of Gulf lead by Saudi Arabia led to a normalization agreement in 1982, subsequently establishing diplomatic relations between Oman and the PDRY in 1988. During the later developments, Oman and PDRY signed an agreement in 1988 to increase co-operation between the two nations in terms of trade and communication. Following this, in 1990, the two countries agreed to delineate their common border.
Qaboos bin Said Al Said ousted his father, Sa'id bin Taymur in 1970. He established a modern government structure improving the status of the country in several regards. Since his ascension, Sultan Qaboos has balanced the tribal, ethnic and regional interests through his efficient administration. In 1996, the Sultan presented the first written constitution of Oman and conducted public polls in 2000 when about 100,000Omani men elected 83 candidates including two women for the consultative council.
The location of Oman is strategically important especially with respect to the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran. It is only through this waterway about two thirds of the world’s sea-borne trade in crude petroleum takes place. Oman maintains diplomatic relations with Gulf countries, closely supporting the anti-terrorist moves of the U.S., also contributing a great deal towards peace in the Middle East.
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