Saeed bin Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum was born in 1878. He died in 1958. In 1912 He became the president of Dubai. And stayed at that position until his death. Saeed bin Maktoum became the ruler of Dubai at the end of a pearl boom. Then boom collapsed and the long recession started. Saeed was a reformer and he pulled Dubai out of the crisis. He established a long tradition of liberal merchant rulers. That’s why the leading figures neglected him. In the end, he felt a pressure on his back.
Later, he began to avoid politics and transfer responsibilities to his son Rasheed.
Origin
Saeed bin Maktoum was the son of Maktoum bin Hasher. He presided over Dubai from 1894 to 1906. When Maktoum died, his cousin Butti bin Suhail took over. He ruled for eight years, until his own death in 1912. Then Saeed bin Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum became the ruler of Dubai.
Trade
In 1934, Sheikh Said inherited a small trading port. He was successful. During the season he employed 7,000 men in the shop. Said was an ordinary man. He used to go to the desert for hunting. He truly believed in Islamic values and people respected him. He stabilized relations with neighboring sheikhs. He also had an excellent relationship with the British. The store was profitable, especially in the Arabian and Persian regions.
That’s why commercial migration took place in the early 20th century. Many merchants from the Bastak and Lingeh areas moved to Dubai. They brought families and settled permanently in this city.
Movement Majlis
The Majlis movement was a reflection of dissatisfaction. In October 1938, Dubai split into two armed entities: Deira and Bur Dubai. Dissatisfied members of Al Bu Falasah held Deira. Sheikh and his followers held Bur Dubai. Other rulers and a British political agent-mediated this case. On October 20th, an agreement on the founding of the Majlis was signed. Majlis was an advisory panel. It was composed of fifteen leading members of the community led by Sheikh Saeed.
Sheikh soon became disappointed with the process of Majlis. Beduins who attended the wedding of his grandson in Deir attacked some members of the panel. The same day (March 29, 1929) Majlis protocol was terminated.
The collapse of the pearl trade
There was a new migration of commercial families, stormy clouds covered pearl market again. Japanese started with the production of low cost cultivated pearl. By the end of the twenties, this low-cost product destroyed market of Dubai.
New Economic growth
Sheikh managed to save the people from the crisis. Soon after he started to avoid political life. Though he ruled for another twenty years, he passed Dubai control to his son Saeed Rasheed. Dubai slowly began to evolve. From a small trading port, Dubai became a modern city. By 1950, there was also a significant source of wealth in Dubai. There was an increase in the oil trade. Many foreign oil companies opened their representative offices. Roads, post offices, shops, etc were built. And the wealth was constantly increasing. Concessions for oil have been formed, and the activity in this field showed rapid growth.
Today, Dubai is one of the most powerful cities in the world. And the citizens of Dubai are blessed and grateful to their father.
