Oman Till 20th Century
By the end of the 18th century, Omanis were in control of an extensive empire. In 1749 the first ruler of the present dynasty (Al-Busaid) gained power and in 1786 the capital was formally moved from the interior to Muscat. About this same time, the Al-Busaid adopted the title of Sultan which continues to this day. The heyday of the Omani Empire occurred in the mid-19th century under Sultan Said bin Sultan (ruled from 1804-1856). He was responsible for bringing Dhofar under the Omani flag and he also extended Omani influence and control quite a way down the East African coast. He had an army of 6500 men and a navy consisting of 15 ships. When he died, the empire split in two: one son became the Sultan of Zanzibar and the other the Sultan of Muscat and Oman. The prosperity of Oman collapsed without its African possessions; fairly soon the prosperity of Zanzibar collapsed too without Omani support, and Britain took control of the island in 1890. Oman now entered a long period of decline and debt which successive Sultans failed to check. In 1932 Sultan Said bin Taimur came to power as a young man of 22, on his father’s abdication, and determined seriously to tackle the problem of Oman’s growing debts. By measures of strict economy he controlled the deficit and his proudest claim was that “from 1933 until this present day there has been no financial deficit in the government’s budget”. Under these circumstances, of course, there was no development either. The people struggled on with a subsistence economy, many of them living in extreme poverty. James Morris, who made an epic tour in the interior with the Sultan in 1955, described the people who came to greet them as poor, thin and crippled, bent and pock marked. And the children, he said, had “such pitiably thin bodies, and such big protruding goggle eyes”. All this is such a far cry from the healthy population of today, and especially from the crowds of energetic children who throng every town and village in 0man, that it would be hard to credit so great a change, had it not been seen within the lifetime of the people. Deprivation led to disturbances in inner Oman in the 1950s so that Sultan Said, weary of the troubles, retreated in 1958 to Salalah. But it was only a matter of a few years before trouble was brewing near Salalah as well, for in 1965 the jebel war broke out in Dhofar. Sultan Said was well aware of all that needed to be done for his people, but development had been severely handicapped by lack of funds. When oil revenues started to flow in 1967, he was confronted with a daunting task and had no governmental infrastructure with which to carry it out. Nevertheless some development projects such as new hospitals and a port were started. Over the years, too, his fear that western ways would corrupt his people had led to numerous petty restrictions. The people were not allowed to smoke in the street, nor to wear glasses or western clothes, nor play football. Singing and dancing were banned, men could not move away from their own district without permission, and women had to stay in their village. There was little traffic on the road; to import a car or truck or tractor the Sultan’s personal permission had to be sought (about 1000 vehicles had been imported by 1970, most of them for the army and oil companies). By 1970 Oman boasted 10 kilometres of asphalted road, from the airport at Bait al Falaj to Muscat, electricity only in Muscat and Muttrah, one hospital established and run by the American mission and five clinics. The atmosphere in Muscat was electric in the summer of 1970. Despite the great heat, people were out in the streets in excited groups, quite evidently rejoicing. Bright redbanners the emblem of the sultan, hung from the roofs and windows of every palm frond hut, mud-brick cottage, and tall merchant house. Streamers fluttered across the narrow alleys of the souq and red banners were strung across the roadways. Even the town gates and walls were decorated with bright red drapes. The people were out in the streets to greet the arrival of their Sultan. There was little traffic on any of the roads in those days and the crowds thronged there at ease. This was a very special occasion for the Sultan of Muscat and Oman had not set foot in his capital for the past 12 years. It was even more special for the people were out to meet their new, young Sultan. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said had just taken power from his father, the elderly Sultan Said bin Taimur, who had spent the latter years of his rule cloistered in Salalah in the far south of the country. ln July 1970, Qaboos, anxious for his homeland, took over from his father, who abdicated and retired to England. The Muscat to which Sultan Qaboos came, after six years spent in Salaliah at his father’s bidding, was like a town from the past, a picture book place which would hardly have looked out of place in the Middle Ages. The town was completely surrounded by an ancient wall, pierced by three gateways which were closed at night. Most of the houses within the wall had been built in the prosperous times of the last century, substantial two-storey houses with high ceilings and light rooms. The souq was a huddle of narrow lanes and tinyshops. lt was a town with which all visitors fell in love on sight, but as a modern capital it had its drawbacks. Access into Muscat was severely limited, being by one small, steep road over the hills from Muttrah. While this had been an advantage when the town was first built, for it could be easily defended, it was hardly helpful in the days of motor transport. The scope of the town was equally restricted; so small is the bay into which muscat town is packed that very little extra building could ever be undertaken there. Above all, there was no telephone and no radio by which His Majesty could talk to his new subjects. The speed with which their new Sultan intended to work was demonstrated to his people within that first week when a radio station was installed and Sultan Qaboos addressed his people. His words were ones of hope: “Oman in the past has been in darkness but, with the help of God, a new dawn will rise for Oman and her people.”
More:
- Forts in OmanOver the centuries forts were built all over Oman because of its strategic location on the south-east corner of Arabia on the Straits of Hormuz and the Indian Ocean. Forts were built by the Omanis themselves, as well as a...
- Activities to do in OmanOmanis are a courteus, friendly and spontaneous people. They are renowned for their unmatched tradition of hospitality. A manifestation of their heritage can be seen in their craftsmanship, superior nautical and agricultural skills and finely boned commercial acumen. Experience the...
- Oman Frankincense InformationAnother famous Omani product is incense, especially frankincense for which Oman is famous as the world’s biggest producer. The frankincense resin producing trees only grow in two other places, the Hadhramaut region in Yemen and in northern Somalia. In ancient...
- Culture and Traditions of OmanIf you are someone who has an understanding and appreciation of history , the arts, architecture and the intricacies of a civil society , Oman is the place for you. From the ancient city of Nizwa to the town along...
- Oman Early HistoryOman’s 12,000 year old civilization is still evident all over the country. Over 500 forts, Castles and towers in diverse architectural styles, are proud witnesses to a glorious past. Awide collection of historical books and manuscripts are on display for...
- Major Cities OmanMuscat is the capital of Oman , the hub of its political, economic and commercial affairs. Muscat is also the Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and his magnificient palace, flanked by the majestic forts of Jalali and Mirani are outstanding landmarks...
- Coming of Islam OmanThe tribes in the northern part of Oman were converted to Islam during the first generation of the Islamic era , they follow a different form of Islam as compered to main Sunni and Shia Islam the middle of the...
- Oman CountrysideThe countryside around Jabal Akhdar is a mixture of barren desert and lush oases with date palms and gently rushing water. I spent a nice morning at the A’Thowarah oasis near the village of Nakhal. It was refreshing to relax...