Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi Signs Historic Book at MIBF 2025

Photo: Sharjah Government Media Bureau

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, visited the 29th Muscat International Book Fair (MIBF) on Thursday morning. The event took place at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The theme of this year's book fair was "Cultural Diversity: Enriching Civilisations." It was a special event for His Highness, who took the opportunity to sign his latest historical book titled "The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman: Events in Annals from 1497 to 1757." This book, published by Al Qasimi Publications, is an important addition to His Highness's work in preserving and sharing regional history.

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During the visit, His Highness was joined by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), and other distinguished figures. These included His Excellency Khalid bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court of Oman, and His Excellency Mohammed bin Nakhira Al Dhaheri, the UAE Ambassador to Oman, among others.

When His Highness arrived at the book fair, he was warmly welcomed by His Highness Sayyid Saif bin Julandi bin Saif Al Said and several other important Omani officials, such as Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harrasi, the Minister of Information, and Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Saidi, the Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs.

His Highness also visited the pavilion of the North Al Sharqiyah Governorate, which was the guest of honour at the fair. Mahmoud bin Yahya Al Dhahli, the Governor of North Al Sharqiyah, gave His Highness a detailed explanation of the governorate's participation. He also showed a video about the area’s beautiful natural landscapes. As a gift, His Highness was presented with a special sculpture called "The Door Threshold," inspired by traditional Omani architecture.

In addition to this, His Highness received several other gifts, books, and materials from different exhibitors at the fair as a sign of appreciation for his visit.

His Highness then took a tour of the exhibition halls, where 674 publishing houses from 35 countries were displaying their works. During the tour, he was also informed about the contributions of the Oman News Agency, the Omani Ministry of Information, and other Omani institutions.

One of the most important moments of the visit was when His Highness signed his new book, "The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman: Events in the Annals from 1497 to 1757." This book is a remarkable historical work, consisting of 21 volumes in both Arabic and English, with a total of 10,500 pages. It includes 1,138 historical documents and letters gathered from archives all over the world.

The book is written in a special format, called an annal, where events are listed in chronological order, year by year. Each volume has detailed footnotes and an index to help readers understand the events more easily. The book contains rare writings and letters from Portuguese authors, many of which are being published for the first time.

This work is very important for understanding the history of the Sea of Oman and the region's relationship with Portuguese explorers and fleets over 260 years. It talks about Portuguese battles, agreements, and the effects they had on the region, especially in terms of trade and politics.

The book was created through years of research by His Highness. He carefully gathered Portuguese, Dutch, and British manuscripts, translated them into modern languages, and arranged them chronologically to make it easier for people to understand.

"The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman" is a valuable historical record that helps us understand the social, economic, and political changes in the region during the time of Portuguese influence. It also uncovers the Portuguese efforts to control the region's economy and the agreements they made with Indian rulers to limit trade with Oman.

This historical work is a significant contribution to libraries in both the Arab world and internationally, offering new insights into events that were previously unknown to most people.

The book follows a traditional historical writing style called "annals," where events are recorded in order, starting with the beginning of the year. This style makes it easy to follow events and understand how they fit into a bigger historical picture. Annals have been used for centuries by historians to document key events and help us understand how different societies developed over time.