King of Bahrain#Emirs of Bahrain (1971–2002)

{{Infobox monarchy

| royal_title = King

| realm = the Kingdom of Bahrain

| native_name = {{lang|ar| ملك مملكة البحرين}}
{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|Malik Mamlakat al-Bahrayn}}

| coatofarms = Royal Standard of Bahrain.svg{{!}}border

| coatofarms_article = Royal Standard of Bahrain

| type = Sheikh

| his/her = His

| image = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa April 2016.jpg

| incumbent = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

| incumbentsince = 6 March 1999 as Emir
since 14 February 2002 as King

| heir_apparent = Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

| first_monarch = Ahmed bin Muhammad bin Khalifa (Hakim)
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah (King)

| date = 1783 (Hakimmiyah)
16 August 1971 (Emirate)
14 February 2002 (Kingdom)

| residence = Riffa Palace

| website =

}}

The king of the Kingdom of Bahrain ({{langx|ar|ملك مملكة البحرين}} {{Transliteration|ar|DIN|Malik Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn}}) is the monarch and head of state of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The House of Khalifa has been the ruling family of the country since the 1783 invasion. Between 1783 and 1971, the Bahraini monarch held the title of hakim, and, from 1971 until 2002, the title of emir. On 14 February 2002, the emir of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, declared Bahrain a kingdom and proclaimed himself the first king.{{cite news|last=|first=|title=Bahrain becomes kingdom with voter democracy|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/bahrain-becomes-kingdom-with-voter-democracy/article4131465/|access-date=17 March 2021|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=15 February 2002}} The king enjoys wide ranging powers, which include appointing the prime minister and the cabinet, holding supreme command over the Defence Force, chairing the Higher Judicial Council, appointing the parliament's upper house and dissolving its elected lower house.{{cite news|url=http://files.bici.org.bh/BICIreportEN.pdf|title=(Report). Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. 23 November 2011|publisher=BICI|date=23 November 2011|access-date=13 November 2018}}

List of rulers

=Hakims of Bahrain (1783–1971)=

The Arabic title of the Hakim, as transliterated, was Hakim al-Bahrayn ({{langx|en|Caretaker/Ruler of Bahrain}}). The Hakim also held the honorific title of sheikh.

class="wikitable"

! Portrait

! Name
{{small|(Birth–Death)}}

! Reign

! Notes

| Sheikh
Ahmed bin Muhammad bin Khalifa

| 1783 – 18 July 1795

| Leader of the Bani Utbah invasion of Bahrain

| Sheikh
Salman bin Ahmad Al Khalifa

| 1795–1825

| As co-regent

| Sheikh
Abdullah bin Ahmad Al Khalifa

| 1795–1843

| As co-regent

| Sheikh
Khalifa bin Sulman Al Khalifa

| 1825–1834

| As co-regent with Abdullah bin Ahmad Al Khalifa

| Sheikh
Muhammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa

| 1834–1842

| First reign as co-regent with Abdullah bin Ahmad Al Khalifa

| Sheikh
Muhammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa

| 1843–1868

| Second reign

| Sheikh
Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa

| 1868–1869

| Sheikh
Muhammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa

| 1869

| Third reign

| Sheikh
Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Khalifa

| September – 1 December 1869

| Deposed and exiled to India. Confined at Asirgarh Fort, but later removed to Chunar Fort, near Benares, where he died in 1877.

80px

| Sheikh
Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa
{{small|(1848–1932)}}

| 1 December 1869 – 26 May 1923

| Abdicated

80px

| Sheikh
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
{{small|(1872–1942)}}

| 27 May 1923 – 20 February 1942

80px

| Sheikh
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
{{small|(1894–1961)}}

| 20 February 1942 – 2 November 1961

80px

| Sheikh
Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa
{{small|(1931–1999)}}

| 2 November 1961 – 16 August 1971

=Emirs of Bahrain (1971–2002)=

The Arabic title of the Emir, as transliterated, was Amir dawlat al-Bahrayn ({{langx|en|Chief of the State of Bahrain}}). The Emir also held the honorific title of sheikh.

{{Succession table monarch

| name1 = Sheikh
Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa

| nickname1 =

| native1 = {{lang|ar|عيسى بن سلمان آل خليفة}}

| life1 = {{Birth date|1931|6|3|df=y}} – {{Death date and age|1999|3|6|1931|6|3|df=y}}

| reignstart1 = 16 August 1971

| reignend1 = 6 March 1999{{cite news|last=Jehl|first=Douglas|title=Sheik Isa, 65, Emir of Bahrain Who Built Non-Oil Economy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/07/world/sheik-isa-65-emir-of-bahrain-who-built-non-oil-economy.html|access-date=13 November 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|date=7 March 1999}}

| notes1 = Son of Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Mouza bint Hamad Al Khalifa

| family1 = Khalifa

| image1 = Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa 1998.jpg

| alt1 = Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa of Bahrain

| name2 = Sheikh
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

| nickname2 =

| native2 = {{lang|ar|حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة}}

| life2 = {{Birth date and age|1950|1|28|df=y}}

| reignstart2 = 6 March 1999

| reignend2 = 14 February 2002
{{small|(title changed)}}

| notes2 = Son of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa

| family2 = Khalifa

| image2 = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa April 2016.jpg

| alt2 = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain

}}

=King of Bahrain (2002–present)=

The Arabic title of the King, as transliterated, is Malik al-Bahrayn ({{langx|en|King of Bahrain}}). The King also holds the honorific title of sheikh.

{{Succession table monarch

| name1 = King
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

| nickname1 =

| native1 = {{lang|ar|حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة}}

| life1 = {{Birth date and age|1950|1|28|df=y}}

| reignstart1 = 14 February 2002

| reignend1 = Incumbent

| notes1 = Son of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa

| family1 = Khalifa

| image1 = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa April 2016.jpg

| alt1 = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain

}}