Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former ruler behind Qatar Sheikh Hamad’s rise in influence, has died at 74. State media reported his death, and the source did not specify a cause. His death closes the life of the emir who handed power to his son in 2013 after 18 years in charge.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was 33 when he received power from his father in June 2013. That handover followed an announcement in which Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani told the country: “The future lies ahead of you, the children of this homeland, as you usher into a new era where young leadership hoists the banner.”
Qatar and the 1995 coup
The contrast with his own rise is stark. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani took control in 1995 after deposing Sheikh Khalifa in a bloodless palace coup, then spent 18 years recasting Qatar for a larger regional role. During that period, Qatar established Al Jazeera, acquired Harrods, and later hosted the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
His government also fostered close ties with Iran, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood, a line that sometimes strained relations with regional and Western allies. He studied at Britain’s Sandhurst military academy, became commander of Qatar’s armed forces and defence minister, and was named crown prince in the late 1970s.
Qatar state media
The report leaves readers with one basic open question: what caused Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s death. The source gives no cause, so the immediate fact is the end of a rule that began with a coup and ended with an unusually peaceful transfer of power inside Qatar’s ruling family.
