The sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said Al Said, died on Saturday. The state television and the Oman state press agency report this. The head of state, who sat on the throne for nearly 50 years, has turned 79.
Sultan Qaboos led the sultanate on the southeast coast of the Arabian peninsula since 1970 when he took over the power of his father Saíd idb Taimur. He did this coup without bloodshed with the help of British soldiers, the former colonizers of Oman.
A mourning period of three days has started. Qaboos has no children and he has not designated a successor in public. By law, the ruling family must choose a successor within three days. If the family fails, a sealed letter from the deceased sultan will be opened by a committee of soldiers, security officers, high court judges and the heads of the two legislative councils.
Oman is an absolute monarchy, the sultan enacts all laws. The sultan is advised by the so-called Majlis: legislative councils. In Oman, they are divided into two chambers, the lower Advisory Council and the higher State Council.
The health of Qaboos has been going badly in recent years. At the beginning of December last year, the sultan in Belgium underwent another medical treatment.
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