Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the founding father and the principal driving force behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates, uniting seven emirates, and becoming the Union's first Raʾīs, a post which he held for a period of almost 33 years. He was also the ruler of Abu Dhabi for more than 30 years.

What happened when Sheikh Zayed died?

Death. On 2 November 2004, Zayed died at the age of 86. He was buried in the courtyard of the new Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. ... Directly after his father's death, he became the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and was ratified as the president of the United Arab Emirates by his fellow rulers in the Supreme Council.

When did Sheikh Zayed stop?

He ruled for 54 years, until his death in 1909. He had a wife called Maitha Almansoori. Early in his rule, Zayed guided Abu Dhabi through a series of conflicts with the Emirate of Sharjah.