House of Sabah

For other uses, see Sabah.

The House of Sabah (Arabic: آل صباح‎‎ Āl Subah) is the ruling family of Kuwait. The family originated from the Utub federation.

The Emir of Kuwait is the head of state. He is nominated by a family council headed by prominent members of the family. The Kuwaiti parliament has the constitutional right to approve and disapprove of an Emir's appointment under Article 4 of the Constitution of Kuwait, therefore the parliament has the authority to remove an Emir from his post. The parliament effectively removed Saad al-Sabah from his post in 2006 due to his illness.

The crown prince has to be a senior member of the House of Sabah. He is nominated by a family council headed by prominent members of the family. The appointment of a crown prince requires approval by an absolute majority of the members of the Kuwaiti parliament, the National Assembly. If the new crown prince fails to win approval from the National Assembly, the Emir submits three eligible members of the family for consideration, and the National Assembly selects one to be the crown prince. The National Assembly also determines the Emir's salary.

Rulers

• 1st Ruler: HH Sheikh Sabah I bin Jaber: 1752–1762
• 2nd Ruler: HH Sheikh Abdullah I: 1763–1814
• 3rd Ruler: HH Sheikh Jaber I: 1814–1859
• 4th Ruler: HH Sheikh Sabah II: 1859–1866
• 5th Ruler: HH Sheikh Abdallah II: 1866–1893
• 6th Ruler: HH Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sabah: 1893–1896
• 7th Ruler: HH Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah: 1896–1915
• 8th Ruler: HH Sheikh Jaber II: 1915–1917
• 9th Ruler: HH Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah: 1917–1921
• 10th Ruler: HH Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah: 1921–1950
• 11th Ruler HH 1st Emir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah: 1950–1965
• 12th Ruler HH 2nd Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah: 1965–1977
• 13th Ruler HH 3rd Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah: 1977–2006
• 14th Ruler HH 4th Emir Sheikh Saad Al-Salim Al-Sabah: (15 January 2006 – 29 January 2006)
• 15th Ruler HH 5th Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah: (2006–present)

Dean of the House

• Chieftain, His Highness Sheikh Salem Ali Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah (b. 1926)

Governing branches

Succession to the throne of Kuwait is limited to the descendants of Mubarak Al-Sabah. The reigning emir must appoint an heir apparent within one year of his accession to the throne; the nomination needs approval by the majority of members of Kuwait's parliament, the National Assembly. If the new crown prince fails to win approval from the National Assembly, the Emir submits three eligible members of the family for consideration, and the National Assembly selects one to be the crown prince.

The Crown Prince has to be a senior member of the House of Sabah. The position of Emir is also traditionally alternated between the two main branches of the House of Sabah, the Al-Ahmed and Al-Salem branches. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Emir, however the appointment of the prime minister requires approval from the majority of members of the National Assembly parliament.

Chieftain Sheikhs of the House of Sabah have been leading the Military of Kuwait since the early establishment of defense infantry and cavalry forces. Since the forming of the first cabinet on 17 January 1962, all three of the defense ministry, interior ministry and ministry of foreign affairs of Kuwait have been led by members of the House of Sabah. By government protocol, defense, interior and foreign affairs ministers are deputy prime ministers of Kuwait; unlike the defense protocol minister of the Kuwait National Guard.

See also

• Government of Kuwait
• Politics of Kuwait

Publications

• Al Sabah: History and Genealogy of Kuwait’s Ruling Family 1752-1987 by Alan Rush (Ithaca Press, 1987)
• Burke’s Ruling Families of the World, Volume 2 (Burke’s Peerage, 1980), includes genealogies and essays on Al-Sabah (Kuwait)
• Records of Kuwait ed., Alan Rush (8 vols. Archive Editions, 1989)

References

• Article listing positions of a few Sabah's