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When people hear of emirates, they may be confused by one or more issues. Many people are unfamiliar with the term and simply guess that it is Arabic or has something to do with Islam. Others believe that it refers to a kind of medieval, Islamic government which no longer exists. The term is Arabic but it is actually in current use in the name of one modern government in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula.

The Emir

The word is roughly analogous to prince or chief in English. The best translation of the term into English renders it as the word Amir. However, English=speakers have relied on the French translation which is spelled Emir.

The first Caliphs, or rulers, of the Islamic Empire used the term to describe themselves during the earliest centuries of the Islamic expansion. Later, they themselves began to apply the term to certain leaders within the Caliphate who were charged with executive powers. After the end of the Caliphate, various leaders of subdivisions of the Islamic lands began to use the name to describe their own positions.

Monarchies

The governments led by emirs were essentially monarchies. They resembled Western forms of monarchy in certain respects. These governments were led by one man who may or may not have listened to advice from counselors within his realm. The emir was both a civil and a military leader in his country, just as monarchs in the West. Emirs also shared the desire to have their own sons follow them as rulers with intermittent success.

Modern Examples

There are two countries whose leaders presently refer to themselves as emirs. There is an additional country which is led by a body of emirs. An odd arrangement makes it difficult to classify this nation as either a monarchy of a republic.

The ruler of Qatar styles himself an emir. However, this lineage does not date back to the earliest eras of Islam. This country was formed by the British in the 19th century and placed under the rule of an emir who cooperated with British policies. In 1971, Qatar became an independent country.

Kuwait is a constitutional emirate. This country was also formed by the British. Kuwait gained independence in 1961. A group of emirs cooperate in ruling over a parliamentary form of government.

The United Arab Emirates is another monarchy which relies on the leadership of emirs for its government. Unlike the other countries led by emirs, the UAB is a confederation of seven principalities, each led by its own emir. After gaining independence from Britain in 1971, the emirs of these states formed a constitution which guides and limits their actions. Each emir holds absolute power in regard to matters internal to his state. However, actions impacting multiple states within the confederacy are the responsibility of a president elected by the emirs.

Though the term is old, an emirate still has a place in today’s world. Just as kings and queens still hold positions of influence or power in Western countries, some Arabic countries still have old-fashioned monarchs. As the example of the United Arab Emirates shows, these rulers have been able to adapt to the democratizing feelings of the present.