'Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government' [‎237] (279/733)

237
M U S K A T.
I.—T he present Ruler, or Sultan of the Kingdom of Oman, in Arabia,
and its dependencies on the Coast of Africa,
Imaum 6 ^ Tltle 0ftlie Syud bin Sultan, commonly called the Imaum
of Muskat, is* in the sixty-fifth year of his age.
He succeeded to the government on the death of his uncle, Badr bin
Halal, in the early part of the year of the Hijree 1222 (in the month of
March a. d . 1807), date of the month unknown.
TT , H.—Either at Muskat or Zanzibar; but the
Usual rlace ot Kesidence. T i • i
Imaum mostly resides at the latter place.
Names^and Ages of Le- III.—The Imaum has ten sons living, all by
eltimate Male Issue, and , . /i -x- ^ , v
of the Principal Persons of concubines (legitimate amongst Arabs), whose
the Court. names and ages are as follow :—
1, Syud Soweynee bin Saeed, aged thirty-four years.*
2, Mahomed bin Saeed, aged twenty-nine years.
3, Turkee bin Saeed, aged twenty-three years,
4, Majed bin Saeed, aged twenty years.
5, Burgash bin Saeed, aged eighteen years.
6, Abdool Wahab bin Saeed, aged fifteen years.
7, Jamsheed bin Saeed, aged thirteen years.
8, Haurdan bin Saeed, aged twelve years.
9, Sawedan bin Saeed, aged ten years.
10, Abdool Azeez bin Saeed, aged five years.
Primogeniture amongst Arabs is not acknowledged as giving any
bona fide right of succession.
There are but two men who can be fairly said to be principal men of
the Court, who interfere in affairs of Government: one is at Muskat,
Saeed Mahomed bin Saban, the Imaum's nephew, a clever man, of
about forty years of age (he is a sort of adviser with the Imaum's son,
Syud Soweynee, the Governor of Muskat); and the other at Zanzibar,
* A. D. 1855.