Mazoon bint Ahmad Ali Al-Mashani[1] (Arabic: ميزون بنت أحمد, romanized: Mayzūn bint Aḥmad; also Romanized Maizoon or Mayzoon; 1925[2] – 12 August 1992) was the second wife of Sultan Said bin Taimur of Oman and the mother of Sultan Qaboos bin Said.[3] Said's first wife, Fatima Al-Mashani, was her cousin.
| Mazoon al-Mashani | |
|---|---|
| Consort of the Sultan of Oman | |
| Tenure | 1936 – 23 July 1970 |
| Born | 1925 Dhofar, Oman |
| Died | 12 August 1992 (aged 66–67) Muscat, Oman |
| Spouse | Said bin Taimur |
| Issue | Qaboos bin Said |
| House | Al Said (by marriage) |
Biography edit
Mazoon was born in 1925 in Eastern Dhofar, the southern province of Oman. She was the daughter of Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Al-Mashani, a leader of the Al-Mashani tribe, a branch of the Al-Hakli tribe. She was a "Jebbali", thus a member of a mountain tribe.
In 1936, she became the second wife of Sultan Said bin Taimur.[4] She was from the same tribe and a cousin of his first wife, Fatima.[citation needed] The wedding ceremony was not without complications. The wedding was interrupted because the Al-Mashani tribe was of the opinion that the bride price was not high enough. Therefore, they kidnapped the fiancée of the Sultan and carried her back into the mountains. Thereupon the Tabook tribe, another tribe belonging to Al-Hakli located around the mountains of Salalah, mounted a pursuit. They succeeded in stopping the kidnappers and forcing them to return to Salalah. The wedding was celebrated with the usual rejoicing and on 18 November 1940, Mazoon gave birth to the Sultan's only son Qaboos, the later Sultan and successor over her husband.[5] Of her life little is known, except that Sultan Qaboos was cordially connected with his mother throughout his life.
She died in 1992 from her long lasting diabetes. Sultan Qaboos had her buried in her homeland region in Taqah. She was not only popular in her home province, but throughout Oman. On the occasion of her death a three-day-long state mourning was declared.[6]
References edit
- ^ The name "Mazoon" is an old Persian name for the Sultanate of Oman. The way of writing of the name varies in many publications. One finds also: "Mazun" (in German), "Mazwun bint Ahamed al-Maashani", "Mizoon" or "Miyzun".
- ^ "بعد مرور ربع قرن على رحيلها.. من هي "ميزون" والدة السلطان قابوس ؟ | راصد". Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ See Plekhanov, Sergey: A Reformer on the Throne: Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, London: Trident Press, 2004, p. 279.
- ^ This detail were confirmed personally by the Sultan to the then "Political Agent" T. Hickinbotham (see telegram from the "Political Agent" in Muscat to the "Political Resident" in Kuwait on 10 December 1940; reprinted in: Lacy Rush, Alan de: Ruling Families of Arabia. Sultanate of Oman. The Royal Family of Al Bu Sa'id. Vol. 2, Archive Editions, London 1991, p. 675.
- ^ See Jeapes, Tony: SAS Secret war: Operation Storm in The Middle East, London/Pennsylvania: Grennhill Books/Stakpole Books, 2005 (ISBN 1-85367-567-9), p. 19.
- ^ Pinto, Christina (11 January 2020). "Sultan of Loyalty, Love and Wisdom passes away". TimesKuwait. Retrieved 4 February 2020.