Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah

Emir Isa bin Salman Al Khalifah, GCB, GCMG (June 3, 1933 – March 6, 1999) (Arabic: عيسى بن سلمان آل خليفة‎) was emir of Bahrain from 1961 until his death. Born in the town of Jasra, he became emir upon the death of his father, Salman bin Hamad Isa bin Salman's reign saw Bahrain gain its independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. While the government initially considered joining the United Arab Emirates, Isa had his country withdraw (along with... more

Emir Isa bin Salman Al Khalifah, GCB, GCMG (June 3, 1933 – March 6, 1999) (Arabic: عيسى بن سلمان آل خليفة‎) was emir of Bahrain from 1961 until his death. Born in the town of Jasra, he became emir upon the death of his father, Salman bin Hamad Isa bin Salman's reign saw Bahrain gain its independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. While the government initially considered joining the United Arab Emirates, Isa had his country withdraw (along with Qatar) over his dissatisfaction with the proposed constitution. He then attempted to introduce a moderate form of parliamentary democracy, and men (though not women) were given the vote in parliamentary elections in 1973. In 1975, however, he dissolved Parliament because it refused to pass the notorious government-sponsored State Security Law of 1974. The parliamentary system was never restored the parliament, forcing the emir to contend with occasional protests from the leftist and Islamist camps, which reached their peak in 1995. (see:... less