Last Sultan of Zanzibar, Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said dies at 95 in Oman

MUSCAT: The last Sultan of Zanzibar, Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said,  passed away on Monday, at Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Muscat, Oman, at the age of 95.

Born on September 16, 1929, in Zanzibar, Sayyid Jamshid was educated in Alexandria and Beirut.

He also served in the British Royal Navy, gaining leadership experience before undertaking administrative roles under his grandfather, Sultan Khalifa bin Harub.

Sayyid Jamshid ascended to the throne as the Sultan of Zanzibar on July 1, 1963. However, his reign was short-lived; he was deposed during the Zanzibar Revolution on January 12, 1964.

Following his ousting, he initially sought refuge in Oman but was not permitted to settle there permanently. Subsequently, he moved to the United Kingdom, residing in Portsmouth with his family for over five decades.

In September 2020, after multiple requests, the Omani government granted Sayyid Jamshid permission to return to Oman. He spent his final years in his ancestral homeland.

His burial is scheduled to take place in the Royal Family cemetery in Muscat, marking the end of an era.