Contents — explore this royal house
The family and nineteenth-century QatarJassim and the development of the stateIndependence and later transfers of powerThe current generation and education institutionsDifferent roles within one familyHistorical timelineThe family and nineteenth-century Qatar
The Al Thani family’s history is connected with migration from Najd and settlement in the Qatari peninsula. Mohammed bin Thani became a central figure in the nineteenth century, and the agreement he signed with Britain in 1868 is an important milestone in Qatar’s political history. Pearling and maritime trade formed part of the economic environment in which the family’s position developed.
Jassim and the development of the state
Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani followed Mohammed as ruler in 1878. His period belongs to the history of relations among local communities and competing regional powers, including the Ottoman and British empires. A family history can identify these rulers without reducing state formation to a single date or ignoring the wider social and international setting in which their authority took shape.
Independence and later transfers of power
Qatar became independent in 1971. Khalifa bin Hamad ruled from 1972 to 1995, followed by Hamad bin Khalifa from 1995 to 2013. Hamad transferred leadership to his son Tamim on 25 June 2013. The last transition was an abdication and transfer of office, not a succession after the death of a reigning amir. The Amiri Diwan provides the official sequence of rulers.
The current generation and education institutions
Tamim is the current amir. His mother, Moza bint Nasser, chairs Qatar Foundation, and his sister Hind serves as its vice chairperson. Moza was born into the Al Missned family and is connected to Al Thani by marriage. Hind’s former chief-executive role should not be treated as current: Qatar Foundation appointed a new CEO effective June 2025. Their sister Al Mayassa chairs Qatar Museums, a distinct cultural institution covered in her individual biography.
Different roles within one family
The amirship is a state office, while foundation leadership concerns organizations with their own structures and programmes. Their occupants are related, but their legal and organizational responsibilities differ. The relationship diagram makes the family connections visible while the individual biographies explain the public work. This selected page does not attempt to list every branch or member of the wider Al Thani family.
Historical timeline
Mohammed bin Thani signs an agreement with Britain.
Jassim bin Mohammed becomes ruler.
Qatar becomes independent.
Hamad bin Khalifa becomes amir.
Tamim succeeds following his father’s transfer of leadership.
Hind continues as Qatar Foundation vice chairperson after the CEO transition.
- Amiri Diwan — history of Qatar and the ruling family
- Amiri Diwan — rulers and dates
- Qatar Foundation — Hind’s current role
- Qatar News Agency — the 2025 CEO transition
Reviewed 2026-10-31. Selected public history and family relationships; not an exhaustive genealogy.
