Saif bin Sultan

Lore & Background

Saif bin Sultan was the son of the second Yaruba Imam, Sultan bin Saif. Saif later fell out with his brother, built up his forces, and besieged Bil'arab in Jabrin. After Bil'arab died there in 1692/93, Saif bin Sultan became Imam. As Imam, Saif invested in improving agriculture, building aflaj in many parts of the interior to provide water, and planting date palms in the Al Batinah Region to encourage settlement along the coast.

He built new schools and made the castle of Rustaq his residence, adding the Burj al Riah wind tower. He continued the struggle against the Portuguese on the East African coast. In 1696, his forces attacked Mombasa, besieging 2,500 people who had taken refuge in Fort Jesus. The Siege of Fort Jesus ended after 33 months when the thirteen survivors of famine and smallpox surrendered.

Soon after, the Omanis took Pemba Island, Kilwa, and Zanzibar, leading to the first large-scale settlement of Zanzibar by Omani migrants. Saif bin Sultan appointed Arab governors to the city states of the coast before returning to Oman, though many later came under the control of Muhammed bin Uthman al-Mazrui and his descendants. He also encouraged piracy against the merchant trade of India, Persia, and even Europe.

Saif bin Sultan died on 4 October 1711 and was buried in the castle of Rustaq in a handsome tomb, later destroyed by a Wahhabi general. At his death he had great wealth, said to include 28 ships, 700 male slaves, and one third of Oman's date trees. He was succeeded by his son Sultan bin Saif II. He earned the title 'the Earth's bond' or 'the chain of the Earth' for the benefits he had brought to the people of Oman.

Reader's Guide

Saif bin Sultan's reign marked a peak in Omani power and prosperity, as noted by Samuel Barrett Miles, who called him the greatest of the Yaareba Princes. His investments in agriculture—building aflaj and planting date palms—helped develop the interior and coast, while new schools promoted learning. His military campaigns on the East African coast, including the capture of Fort Jesus after a 33-month siege, established Omani dominance in the region and led to the first large-scale settlement of Zanzibar. However, his appointment of Arab governors later resulted in the Mazrui family asserting near-independence.

Saif also encouraged piracy against Indian, Persian, and European trade, which extended Omani commercial reach but also invited conflict. His legacy is complex: he brought internal stability and economic growth, but his methods included piracy and reliance on slave labor. The title 'the Earth's bond' reflects his perceived benefits to Oman, though his tomb was later destroyed by a Wahhabi general, symbolizing the fragility of his achievements.