Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi

Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi was Ruler of Sharjah, a Trucial State and today one of the United Arab Emirates, from 1868–1883. His rule was unusually tumultuous and marked by intrigue, the secession of Sharjah's dependencies and constant conflict. He was also briefly the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah from 1868–1869 and its Wali, or governor, from 1908–1919.

Accession Salim bin Sultan was the son of the former Ruler of Sharjah, Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi. On his accession as Ruler of Sharjah, following the death of Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi at the hands of Zayed the Great in single combat in 1868, his nephew Humaid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi assumed the role of Wali of Ras Al Khaimah and the following year proclaimed independence from Sharjah.

The Saudi agent from Buraimi, who had been actively involved in stirring up a number of coastal disputes in the area, managed in April 1869 to organise a dynastic shuffle of remarkable proportions when he had Salim bin Sultan imprisoned, his brother Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi (who had long been Wali of Ras Al Khaimah under Sultan bin Saqr

Breach of Maritime Truce In May 1869, Salim and Ibrahim moved together against Humaid bin Abdullah at Ras Al Khaimah, landing 1,500 men from 32 boats. Humaid was supported by a force of some 500 men landed from Umm Al Quwain and fighting took place both at Jazirat Al Hamrah and in Ras Al Khaimah town. The British Resident, Colonel Lewis Pelly, on hearing of this breach of the maritime truce sailed from Lingeh in the Dalhousie with the gunboat Hugh Rose. Arriving at Ras Al Khaimah on 12 May, Pelly then ordered Salim and Ibrahim to withdraw their forces from Ras Al Khaimah by sunset the next day.

Alliances shifted quickly, however, and in 1871, Salim took advantage of Ibrahim's absence on a journey to Abu Dhabi and, with the support of Humaid bin Abdullah of Ras Al Khaimah together with the ruler of Umm Al Qawain, he cemented his ascendancy over Ibrahim by retaking total control of Sharjah. At the same time, Humaid bin Abdullah retook the dependencies of Sha'am, Rams and Shimal, which had managed to secede from Ras Al Khaimah.

Salim bin Sultan was deposed in 1883 by his nephew, Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi, who moved against him when he was travelling to Ras Al Khaimah (and his brother, Ahmed was on the island of Abu Musa, where he kept horses).

Sheikh Salim bin Sultan died in August 1919.