Ruler of Sharjah Discusses Landmark Historical Work on Portuguese Presence in the Sea of Oman

Sharjah, April 25 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, offered deep insights into his latest scholarly project, "The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman: Events in Annals from 1497 to 1757", during a televised interview aired on Sharjah TV with Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.

The monumental 21-volume series, authored by His Highness, chronicles over two centuries of regional history, highlighting the strategic and political impact of the Portuguese presence in the Sea of Oman. The work stands as a major scholarly contribution to Gulf and Arab historiography, underlining the depth and authenticity of Oman's historical legacy, which His Highness described as "rich and honourable."

During the interview, His Highness detailed the extensive academic journey that led to the creation of the series. He recalled that in 1985, after earning his doctoral degree and publishing his thesis, he visited the India Office Library and Records in the United Kingdom, where he presented his research to the Director of the British Library. The director expressed particular interest in the sources cited in the thesis, prompting a deeper investigation into British and Portuguese archival material.

His Highness recounted a pivotal moment in his research when an elderly Indian woman, also working on her thesis in the UK, informed him that the same documents were available in Mumbai, India. This advice led him to travel to Mumbai to obtain the necessary copies, a decision that significantly advanced his archival access and research process.

He further explained how he enlisted the help of Fiona Wilkie, a British Library employee and expert in Portuguese documents. With the director’s approval, Her Highness personally financed Wilkie’s early retirement so she could work exclusively on gathering and organizing Portuguese historical records for his project.

The Ruler of Sharjah noted that many Portuguese documents had been preserved in British archives following the recapture of Mumbai from Portuguese control, offering a unique window into the colonial period. These documents, he said, were translated and compiled over five years by Denver, a Portuguese-speaking specialist, working alongside a dedicated and skilled team to transfer the material into the British Library collection.

The interview revealed His Highness’s enduring commitment to historical scholarship, cultural preservation, and the meticulous documentation of Gulf history, reinforcing Sharjah’s role as a center of academic and intellectual excellence in the Arab world.