Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al-Thani and the Ottomans in Qatar

Sheikh Muhammad ibn Thani was the first official ruler of Qatar. After his retirement, his son Sheikh Jassim bin Muhammad Al-Thani, became the ruler of the State of Qatar on 18 December 1878. Sheikh Jassim truly united and founded the nation of Qatar. He deftly managed the complex political situation, allowing the Ottomans to station themselves in Doha in return for recognising his authority in Qatar. Tensions with the Ottomans were ever-present, and came to a head in 1892–93 when an Ottoman force entered Qatar over taxes and the non-implementation of Ottoman reforms. Sheikh Jassim, whose charisma and strong leadership had won over the people of Qatar, rallied the Qatari people and won a decisive victory at the Battle of Al-Wajba in 1893. This was a key moment in Sheikh Jassim’s rule and the nation’s history.