The final Sultan of Zanzibar & the world's oldest Monarch

 

It is easy to bring this term into global spotlight when distinguished monarchs like Queen Elizabeth II & even religious leaders like Pope Benedict XVI die. However, the same is almost impossible when the deceased holder of the distinction was a long-deposed royal, never mentioned by his former kingdom (that doesn't exist any longer) and had lived as a private citizen in another monarchy (no matter of his distant relationship with The Ruling Family). Currently, royal researchers would easily conclude that the oldest living person who once led a Sovereign Monarchy is Emperor Emeritus Akihito, the previous Emperor of Japan. But who - reigning or not - has hold the distinction before him? And who of the world's living Reigning Monarchs (who is not head of a Sovereign State) is yet older, than the new oldest Monarch? To the first answer, Jamshid bin Abdullah Al-Said, the last Sultan of Zanzibar, this contribution is particularly dedicated. Aside of that, it honors the unprecedented age record of The Japanese Emperor & his still living Father.

Elizabeth II hold the distinction of the world's oldest living Monarch (reigning or former) from December 2020 until her death in September 2022. After her Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI hold it until his own death on 31 December 2022. Then the distinction passed to Janaab Sayyid Sir. Jamshid bin Abdullah Al-Said, a member of The Royal Family of Oman, and the last Sultan of Zanzibar. He passed away on 30 December 2024, at the age of 95, having been the oldest-living former Sovereign head of state in the shadow for two years.

Jamshid bin Abdullah was born on 29 September 1929 into the Omani Al Bu Said Royal Family, which reigned over The Isles of Zanzibar (currently part of Tanzania) from 1856, developing its Eastern African shores into a significant center of Slave trade. A grandson of the reigning Sultan of Zanzibar Khalifa II, Jamshid was sent abroad for further studies in Alexandria, Egypt & Beirut, Lebanon, before he served in British Royal Navy, obtaining the rank of Lieutenant General, and then appointed to administrative roles by Sultan Khalifa bin Hairub. Zanzibar - which came under Omani Arab control in 1698 - was still under British protection during the brief reign of his father, Sultan Abdullah bin Khalifa, from October 1960 to July 1963, a period of increasing African Nationalism across the Sultanate. When he inherited the throne on 1 July 1963 the outcome of this nationalism had become definitive; just a month after the British withdrawal from the self-governed Zanzibar made him a Sovereign Sultan on December 10 (1963), a bloody revolution broke out and forced Jamshid bin Abdullah into exile on January 12, 1964, after just six months of eventful reign (& only formal State headship by a Zanzibari Sultan). The Royal Palace was seized after about 800 revolutionaries marched to Zanzibar Town, and the Monarch was soon replaced by Abeid Amani Karume, elected as President.

In the aftermath of The Zanzibari Revolutions, Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah Al-BuSaidi fled Zanzibar by the royal yacht, never to return (reports of the Sultan's preparations to visit The Isles shortly before his death remain unconfirmed). After initial refusal to settle into Oman (the land of his Royal ancestors), Jamshid, his family & entourage flew to The United Kingdom, and after a donation by The British government settled in a semi-detached house in Portsmouth (Southern England) in May 1964. The quite street in Southsea, Hampshire, would become home for the former Monarch for the most of his lifetime; where his entire Royal past - but his old red Mercedes and personal collection of stamps & items - would fade away. As thousands of Arab Zanzibaris following the revolution, Jamshid's first wife, Sheikha Anisa bint Salim Al-Said, and their children were allowed to settle in Oman in the 1980s. However, the former Sultan was always refused permission by the government of his distant cousin, the late Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al-Said, based on security concerns. As Jamshid bin Abdullah aged, and according to his family expressed the wish to spend his final days in the land of his ancestors; a royal permission was finally granted by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al-Said in September 2020, allowing the long-exiled monarch to settle in Oman on the eve of his 91st birthday, after 56 years of quite life in the UK. The condition was that Jamshid will not use any priviledges as a titular Sultan, but would just live as a private person & distant member of the Royal Family, with the honorable referrence: "Janaab Sayyid".

That's how the elderly royal, once upon a time The Sultan in a monarchy sounding like fairytaile, led his twighlight years in Oman, surrounded by his family, away from any public appearances. While Zanzibar - which celebrates the January 12 Revolution as a giant political landmark - offered Jamshid an amnesty in 2000 to return & settle back, he refused. More than 60 years after the Revolution, which switched Zanzibar from a 250-year Arab Rule to an autonomous territory within The Republic of Tanzania; reports aroused that preparations were made between The Isles (Zanzibar) & Oman for a visit of the elderly Sultan on 9 January 2025. Some even went as far to mention his possible settle there in one of the former palaces. Those news were never to come to broader light as long as Jamshid bin Abdullah was alive. He died in a Royal Hospital in Oman after a prolonged illness in an advanced age, 10 days short of what was supposed to have been a chance of bridging the pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary eras, fostering a sense of unity & healing. He was buried in The Royal Cemetery in Muscat at the end of 2024, as quite as he lived, laying any prospects of global recognition to rest.

Following Jamshid bin Abdullah's passing, no Monarch of a Sovereign State born in the 1920s remains alive. The oldest Monarch, reigning IN a Sovereign Monarchy is HH Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al-Nuaimi, The Ruler of Ajman (part of The UAE), born in 1931. He is not the oldest SOVEREIGN Monarch (since he is not Head of a Sovereign State), however, he is two year older than the new Oldest Living (former) Sovereign Monarch: HM Emperor Emeritus Akihito, 125th Emperor of Japan (1989 - 2019). Why include the non-Sovereign Monarchs in Sovereign Monarchies? And (most importantly - ) why counting them, but not other Subterritorial Monarchs, reigning in present-day Republics (eg South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, New Zealand...)? My answer here is quite specific, given the cases of TWO Sovereign Monarchies, where subterritorial Monarchs play an important role: Malaysia & The UAE. The former, the only case of rotational monarchy in the world, is headed by a Federal King (Yang di-Pertuan Agong), who is elected (according to a pre-determined order of state seniority) among the Monarchs of nine Malay Monarchies, for a fixed five-year-term. The latter, is governed by The Sovereign President & his executive Prime Minister, who are chosen (& endorsed) by The Supreme Federal Council of the Rulers of the seven emirates; always having been The Heads of the biggest & the wealthiest of The Federation's emirates: The Abu Dhabi & Dubai. Thus, in both cases, the said Monarchs should have a special recognition ASIDE The living (current & former) Sovereign Monarchs, because they either have a chance to become Head of State, or take a certain role in his appointment.

Of course, at this stage, one cannot but recognise AKIHITO as the world's oldest-living Monarch (among the current & former Heads of State). His Imperial Majesty, who occupied The Imperial Chrysanthemum throne for 30 years, fostering The Era of "HeiSei" (Achieving Peace) in Japan, has already become the longest-living Emperor, ever recorded in modern History books (in September 2021) and since November last year, has been The Oldest-living member of The Imperial Family. At the age of 91 (his Birthday was on December 23), The Emperor Emeritus is now officially on the top of the list of the world's living Monarchs by age, as is his Sovereign Son among those Monarchs whose abdicated predecessor & Parent, is still alive. His Majesty The Emperor Naruhito, 126th Emperor of Japan since 2019, turned 65 on Sunday, February 23 (2025). As a full-scale of banqueting events, celebrating The Reigning Emperor's Birthday, was implemented for the first time in five years, another personal, yet poignant record was reached by His Imperial Majesty. NARUHITO became the first present-day Sovereign Monarch, who passed the mark of "old age" (commonly referred from 65 years and above) with both of his parents (Emperor Emeritus Akihito & Empress Emerita Michiko) still alive! No other known Monarch, has achieved this milestone after his formal accession & Enthronement. This is a truly remarkable precedent in history & present-times of the world's monarchies, another part of the unimaginable records set by The world's oldest & only Imperial Monarchy, well-adaptive to the present & global traits, and yet precisely aroused to traditions & sacret rites, dating back thousands of years. The oldest & oldest non-orphaned Monarchs from the same family have been unprecedented at the ages of 91 and 65; however, following both Emperors in the list of living Monarchs by age is another record-setting pair of father & son, both just a few months younger than the previous, and the reigning monarch having the potential of also reaching his 65th birthday with both his retired parents alive - they are HM King Albert II of Belgium (aged 90) & HM Philippe, King of The Belgians since 2013 (aged 64).

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Bu_Said_dynasty

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