Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

{{Short description|Ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait from 1921 to 1950}}

{{Infobox royalty

| name = Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
أحمد الجابر الصباح

| image = أحمد الجابر الصباح.jpg

| succession = 10th Ruler of Kuwait

| birth_date = 1885

| birth_place = Sheikhdom of Kuwait

| death_date = {{death date and age|1950|1|29|1885|||df=y}}

| death_place = Kuwait City, Sheikhdom of Kuwait

| father = Jaber II

| spouse = Bazba bint Salim al-Sabah (Bibi Mariam)
Hussa bint Ibrahim al-Ghanim
Şükriye Sultan
Nura al-Tahus
Munira al-Ayyar
Delal al-Mutalaqqim
Mariam bint Murait al-Huwailah

| issue = Abdullah
Muhammad
Jaber III
Sabah IV
Khalid
Nawaf I
Mishal I
Mansur{{cite web | url=https://www.gsn-online.com/news-centre/article/kuwait-death-emirs-brother-mansour-al-ahmed | title=Kuwait: Death of emir's brother Mansour Al-Ahmed | Gulf States Newsletter }}
Faisal
Fahad
Munira
Hussa
Asena
Asma
Nuria
Muniyat
Badria
Nashmia
Al-Jazi
Al-Anud
Moza
Samiha
Fariha
Mishail
Sahira
Naima
Amthal
Nazila

| reign = 29 March 1921 – 29 January 1950

| predecessor = Salim I

| successor = Abdullah III

| house = Sabah

}}

Damat Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCSI|KCIE}} (1885 – 29 January 1950) ({{langx|ar|الشيخ أحمد الجابر الصباح}}) was the tenth ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait from 29 March 1921 until his death on 29 January 1950.

Biography

Ahmad was the son of Jaber II Al-Sabah, who was the eighth ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait between 1915 and 1917. He succeeded his uncle Salem Al-Sabah, the ninth ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait, in February 1921.{{cite journal|author=Anthony B. Toth|title=Tribes and Tribulations: Bedouin Losses in the Saudi and Iraqi Struggles Over Kuwait's Frontiers, 1921–1943 |journal=British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies|date=2005|volume=32|issue=2|pages=145–167 |doi=10.1080/13530190500281424 |s2cid=154636834 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13530190500281424}}

Ahmad was the lead cavalry commander, founder of the military of Kuwait and the Directorate of Public Security Force.Kuwait National Guard Archives, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131507/http://www.kng.gov.kw/picture.aspx?k=Qemq4qcCgAqgTZtW%2F%2FJM02EwHqhBbei4NwbbIwP7+Zst9QJgdjwUgjJv+00jD2q5FkYtB%2Fmx00ThXrUF7vk4KqC0krXdlRhljXaZEzzUzsP8vhEtEphU5ehjre24h9Zt8REZQBDU1EIxwfSEbVTFtXQ26ztgtgKbAaAHdQAxDo1JI%2Fc77DGFiVTgilVdwxlK5GDfebCLUQ6iqEYs7LPBbzcGgmv63WRGrGphMV1pd9I%3D Early Defense Cavalry & Infantry]; Retrieved 3 March 2015 (Arabic)Kuwait National Guard Archives, [http://www.kng.gov.kw/picture.aspx?k=Qemq4qcCgAqgTZtW//JM02EwHqhBbei4NwbbIwP7+Zst9QJgdjwUgjJv+00jD2q5FkYtB/mx00ThXrUF7vk4KqC0krXdlRhljXaZEzzUzsP8vhEtEphU5ehjre24h9Zt8REZQBDU1EIxwfSEbVTFtXQ26ztgtgKbAaAHdQAxDo1JI/c77DGFiVTgilVdwxlK5GDfebCLUQ6iqEYs7LPBbzvGCS/+7GxD43nCGwEWiDU= Early Defense Cavalry & Infantry led by His Highness Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305085753/http://www.kng.gov.kw/picture.aspx?k=Qemq4qcCgAqgTZtW%2F%2FJM02EwHqhBbei4NwbbIwP7+Zst9QJgdjwUgjJv+00jD2q5FkYtB%2Fmx00ThXrUF7vk4KqC0krXdlRhljXaZEzzUzsP8vhEtEphU5ehjre24h9Zt8REZQBDU1EIxwfSEbVTFtXQ26ztgtgKbAaAHdQAxDo1JI%2Fc77DGFiVTgilVdwxlK5GDfebCLUQ6iqEYs7LPBbzvGCS%2F+7GxD43nCGwEWiDU%3D#|date=5 March 2016}}; Retrieved 4 March 2015 (Arabic Read) Ahmad tasked his defense cavalry and infantry to Sheikh Ali Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah in the early 1920s and transferred the command of defense cavalry and infantry to Sheikh Abdullah Jaber Al-Abdullah II Al-SabahKuwait National Guard Archives, Sheikh [https://web.archive.org/web/20130323065030/http://kng.gov.kw/picture.aspx?k=Qemq4qcCgAqgTZtW%2F%2FJM02EwHqhBbei4NwbbIwP7+Zst9QJgdjwUgjJv+00jD2q5FkYtB%2Fmx00ThXrUF7vk4Kj+WEe4TFGszDMyAvzWkQOKpcntzE0NmpKVTE8Z5zBOXIO6ukDn98SJT+sLsijKxpJ79EAdjXu1P8dqVvW%2FkPnCDFVr3Rz8H2DuhUhFtPRAdwkWO4k3%2F4cHDs+MRUWhq8HJRCWiDfeO85x88jh8B2Ily9oAojojf7Aej08Nl0VyYLooY6mbwR%2FDFOO4g9YyB5cAG0A6eAC9ehh4a7koKyRJheIDMNae%2FazQ+3t43MwFWLJVgTUUQJWWChzHVg43FUA%3D%3D Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah and Sheikh Abdullah Jaber Al-Abdullah II Al-Sabah with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia]; Retrieved 4 March 2015 (Arabic Read)[http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2406082&language=en His Highness the Emir sponsors Sheikh Abdullah Jaber Al-Abdullah II Al-Sabah "U.N.E.S.C.O (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization) Award Ceremony"] following the 1928 Battle of Al-Regeai.

In 1936, the Palestinian authorities asked for financial aid from Ahmad Al Jaber, but he refused the demand due to treaty relations that did not permit any dealings with countries apart from Britain. Due to this prevailing condition, Kuwaiti royals and other leading figures were barred from financially assisting the Palestinians.{{cite book|author=Rosamarie Said Zahlan|title=Palestine and the Gulf States. The Presence at the Table|date=2009|publisher=Routledge|location=New York and London|isbn=978-0-415-80496-7|page=16|url=http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/56524/1/193.pdf.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730073018/http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/56524/1/193.pdf.pdf |archive-date=30 July 2021}} Regardless of these orders, many defied them and in July 1936 200 Iraqi dinars were collected to be sent to Palestine. Later that year in October 1936, leading merchant families in Kuwait formed a seven-man committee to aide the Palestinians and called for a public meeting. The intent was to raise awareness for the ongoing strike in Palestine and to gather funds for support. Al-Sabah was unable to stop this and discreetly left town on a hunting trip. {{cite book|author=Rosamarie Said Zahlan|title=Palestine and the Gulf States. The Presence at the Table|date=2009|publisher=Routledge|location=New York and London|isbn=978-0-415-80496-7|page=17|url=http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/56524/1/193.pdf.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730073018/http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/56524/1/193.pdf.pdf |archive-date=30 July 2021}}

During his last period of his reign he was the minister of finance from 1940 to 1950.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mof.gov.kw/MOFInfo/MOFInfo.aspx#mofInfo10|title=وزارة المالية - دولة الكويت|website=www.mof.gov.kw}}

Personal life

Ahmad was married several times.A.de L. Rush (ed.), Ruling Families of Arabia. Kuwait: The Ruling Family of Al-Sabah. Archive Editions, Archive International Group, Melksham, Oxon. 1991. Notable children include:

Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1905–1957); head of the Public Security Department.
Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1909–1975); 1st Defense Minister (1962–1964) to take charge of the Defense portfolio.[http://www.kuwait-history.net/vb/showthread.php?t=1214 List of Kuwait Defense Ministers] (in Arabic)
Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1926–2006); 13th Ruler and 3rd Emir of Kuwait (1977–2006).
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1929–2020); 15th Ruler and 5th Emir of Kuwait (2006–2020).{{cite news|title=Profile: Sheikh Sabah Al Sabah|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4645048.stm|accessdate=10 February 2014|newspaper=BBC|date=31 January 2006}}
Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1937–2023); 16th Ruler and 6th Emir of Kuwait (2020–2023)
Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (born 1940), current Emir of Kuwait (2023–present);{{cite web |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/kuwait/kuwait-emir-sheikh-nawaf-nominates-sheikh-mishal-as-crown-prince-1.74399383 |title=Kuwait Emir Sheikh Nawaf nominates Sheikh Mishal as crown prince |website=Gulf News |date=7 October 2020 }} formerly acting Minister (by protocol designation) and Deputy Commander of Kuwait National Guard.{{cite web|url=http://www.kng.gov.kw/|title= Kuwait National Guard الحرس الوطني الكويتي–-|accessdate=23 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060716003350/http://www.kng.gov.kw/|archive-date=16 July 2006|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}[http://www.kng.gov.kw/index.aspx?k=8wI5ezhF7CU0mAucpOIHd/DgTbd674MehrIXavEMcqSl3RcldYfZZ8IuuVsctm3l Profile & Accomplishments of Kuwait National Guard Deputy Commander and acting Minister by Government Protocol] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019135027/http://www.kng.gov.kw/index.aspx?k=8wI5ezhF7CU0mAucpOIHd%2FDgTbd674MehrIXavEMcqSl3RcldYfZZ8IuuVsctm3l|date=19 October 2017}}; His Excellency Sheikh Meshal Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah; Retrieved 3 March 2015 (Arabic Read)
Fariha Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1944–2018); philanthropist.
Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1945–1990); commando officer in the Kuwait Armed Forces, killed battling in defense of Dasman Palace.{{cite news |url=http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/157601/reftab/73/Default.aspx |title=When our flag lost its sky … and only hearts remembered|work=Arab Times|date=1 July 2013}}

Death

Ahmad died in 1950 at Dasman Palace in Kuwait.{{Cite book |last=Ismael |first=Jacqueline S. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/26800682 |title=Kuwait : dependency and class in a rentier state |date=1993 |publisher=University Press of Florida |isbn=0-8130-1186-8 |edition=[2nd ed.] |location=Gainesville |oclc=26800682}}