Ahmad bin Said al-Busaidi

He came to power during a period when Oman was divided by civil war, and the Persians had occupied large parts of the country.

[citation needed] The sixth Imam of Oman of the Yaruba dynasty was Saif bin Sultan II, who came to power during a period of civil war and lost popularity due to his indulgent lifestyle.

The Persian commander Taqi Khan confirmed him as governor of Sohar and Barka in return for payment of tribute.

[citation needed] Bal'arab bin Himyar of the Yaruba had been elected Imam in 1743, and retained the support of some of the Ghafiri of Dhahireh and the Semail.

[3] For several years Bal'arab bin Himyar was recognized as the true Imam, fully controlling the interior, while Ahmed remained on the coast.

[citation needed] Ahmad bin Said had widespread popular support as the person who had liberated the country from the Persian occupiers.

A ship owner and trader in outlook, he saw the economic potential of Oman's position on the trade routes, and gained allegiance from the tribal leaders by engaging them in commercial ventures.

From there he ruled for 39 generally peaceful years, although he had to deal with intrigues by members of the deposed Ya'Aruba family, by other tribes and by two of his sons.

Shaikh Abdallah Rocky Amir Muhammad was a strong leader of the Nizariya faction, and under the Yarubi had once been governor of Bahrain.

His two youngest sons were Talib, later governor of Nakhal and then of Rustaq, and Muhammad, later Governor-General of Mombasa and Oman's East African possessions.

The eldest of his three daughters, Moza, became a power in family affairs and acted as guardian and supporter of her nephews Salim and Sa'id.

[citation needed] Ahmad bin Said's sons Sultan and Saif rebelled in 1781, and took control of the forts of al-Mirani and al-Jalali that guarded the harbor of Muscat.