| Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani | |
|---|---|
| Emir of Qatar | |
| Reign | 1913 - 1949 |
| Born | 1871 |
| Birthplace | Doha, Qatar |
| Died | 25 April 1957 |
| Predecessor | Muhammed bin Jassim (brother) |
| Successor | Ali bin Abdullah (son) |
| Offspring | Ali Hamad Hassan |
| Royal House | Al Thani |
| Father | Jassim bin Mohammed |
| Religious beliefs | Sunni Islam |
Abdullah bin Jassim bin Muhammed Al Thani was born in 1871 at Doha, and on 17 July 1913, he became the ruler of Qatar.
Great Britain and the Ottoman Empire accorded their recognition to Shaikh Abdullah and his successors’ right to rule over the whole of the Qatari Peninsula. The Ottomans renounced all their rights to Qatar and following the outbreak of the First World War; Shaikh Abdullah forced the Ottomans to abandon Doha in 1915.
On 3 November 1916, Britain, in order to bring Qatar under its Trucial System of Administration, signed a treaty with Shaikh Abdullah. While Shaikh Abdullah agreed not to enter into any relations with any other power without prior consent of the British Government, Percy Zachariah Cox, the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, who signed the Treaty on behalf of his government, guaranteed the protection of Qatar ‘from all aggression by sea’.
On 5 May 1935, Shaikh Abdullah was able to obtain Britain’s agreement for the protection of Qatar from inside as well as any attacks from external forces.
Following British recognition of Shaikh Hamad, the second son of Shaikh Abdullah as the Heir Apparent of Qatar signed the first Oil Concession Agreement with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company on 17 May 1935.
Accordingly, in October 1938, drilling of the first well in Qatar began and the discovery of oil was made at Dukhan structure in January 1940. However, the oil wells were capped as the Second World War progressed.
On 30 June 1948, Shaikh Abdullah appointed Shaikh Ali Bin Abdullah Al-Thani as the Deputy Ruler following the death of Shaikh Hamad on 27 May 1948.
Shaikh Abdullah’s last act as ruler was the signing of a Seabed Concession with Central Mining and Investment Corporation Ltd. on 5 August 1949. He died on 25 April 1957.