Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnun Al Nahyan was the ruler of Abu Dhabi, one of the Trucial States which today form the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 1845 to 1855.

Accession Saeed acceded following the murder of his uncle, Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan. The murder led to a period of fighting for the leadership of the Bani Yas, with Sheikh Khalifa's maternal nephew and murderer, Isa bin Khalid Al Falahi attempting to take power but being himself killed by Dhiyab bin Isa. Khalid bin Isa then murdered Dhiyab and fled to Sharjah, leaving two influential leaders of the Bani Yas, Mohammed bin Humaid and Rashid bin Fadhil, to remove a claimant to the fort of Abu Dhabi, one of Khalifa's brothers, and nominate a son of the former leader Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan, Saeed bin Tahnun.

Saeed arrived in Abu Dhabi to a smooth accession, supported by his two influential sponsors as well as the approval of the British. Additionally, he contracted an early alliance with Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah's dynastically-inclined ruler, Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, his Uncle's old adversary but an ally against the Saudi presence looming in Buraimi.

He quickly moved to quell a disturbance in 1849 among the formerly secessionist Qubaisat and brought them to Abu Dhabi, stripped their boats and compelled them to pay their debts, return to the rule of Abu Dhabi and additionally pay a fine. He then pulled together the Bani Qitab, Ghafalah, Awamir and Bani Yas in Khatam and placed the Manasir and Mazari Bani Yas in Dhafrah to block the relieving Wahhabi army under Sa'ad bin Mutlaq. By 1850, Saeed's great tribal association had cleared Burami Oasis of Wahhabi forces. He subsequently accepted a stipend from the Sultan of Muscat for the defence of Buraimi.

With the Al Qasimi under Sultan bin Saqr opposed to the Sultan of Muscat and allied to the Saudis. Saeed bin Tahnun (who was himself in alliance with Sultan bin Saqr) was allied to Muscat and opposed to the Saudis.

Heavy gunfire was exchanged on 2 June near Al Bidda between the allied and Wahhabi forces, with the allied forces successfully repelling the initial invasion. On 3 June, the forces of Ali bin Khalifa and Saeed retreated to their ships and observed the ensuing close-combat skirmishes between Qatari and Wahhabi forces from sea. On the final day of battle, Faisal's forces retreated to their camp in Mesaimeer. Shortly after the final day of battle, Mohammed bin Thani sent a letter to Faisal's camp requesting peace and agreeing to be his subject, to which Faisal obliged. On 8 June, Qatari forces assumed control of Burj Al-Maah, a watchtower guarding Al Bidda's main water source, close to Al Bidda Fort where the allied forces of Ali bin Khalifa and Saeed were stationed. Upon hearing the news, they fled to Bahrain without incident.

Following the battle, tensions remained high between the various factions. Saeed, who maintained cordial relations with both the Bahraini rulers and the Qatari leadership, emerged as a key mediator in the ensuing diplomatic efforts. His involvement was prompted by concerns shared with other rulers of the Trucial Coast, particularly the Sultan of Muscat and the Sheikh of Sharjah, regarding the potential threat posed by Faisal's prolonged presence in Qatar.

In the third week of July 1851, Saeed arrived in Al Bidda (modern-day Doha) to facilitate negotiations. He successfully brokered a peace agreement by 25 July. The terms of this accord included:

Perpetual Maritime Truce Saeed was a signatory to the 1853 Perpetual Maritime Truce with the British. The treaty followed the ten year treaty of peace, intended to protect the pearling fleets during the annual fishing seasons, proposed by Samuel Hennell. The 1853 Treaty, signed with Captain Arnold Burrowes Kemball, the British Resident at Bushire was to be, as the name suggests, in perpetuity and signed between 4 and 9 May 1853 by Saeed bin Tahnun together with Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla of Umm Al Quwain; Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman; Saeed bin Butti Al Maktoum of Dubai and Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, ‘Chief of the Joasmees’. The resulting violent uprising drove Saeed to take refuge first in his fort and then to exile on the island of Qish.

The Bani Yas now selected a successor to Saeed, unanimously appointing Saeed’s cousin, Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, to rule them.