Nabhani dynasty
| Bani Nabhan | |
|---|---|
| Country |
 Oman |
| Titles | malik (~ king) |
| Founded | 1145 |
| Ethnicity | Arab |
The Nabhani dynasty (or Nabahina dynasty), members of the Bani Nabhan family, were rulers of Oman from 1154 until 1624, when the Yaruba dynasty took power. One of their most visible legacies is the Bahla Fort, a large complex of mud brick buildings on stone foundations which is registered as a UNESCO world heritage site.
After the early days of Islam, the tribes in the interior of Oman were led by Imams, who held both spiritual and temporal power. The Yahmad branch of Azd tribes gained power in the 9th century. They established a system where the ulama of the Banu Sama, the largest of the Nizari tribes of the interior, would select the Imam. The authority of the Imams declined due to power struggles. During the 11th and 12th centuries Oman was controlled by the Seljuk Empire. They were expelled in 1154, when the Nabhani dynasty came to power.
The best quality frankincense, a valuable product in the Middle Ages, comes from Dhofar in the interior of southern Oman. The Banu Nabhan controlled the trade in frankincense on the overland route via Sohar to the Yabrin oasis, and then north to Bahrain, Baghdad and Damascus. Muhammed al-Fallah of the Banu Nabhan emerged as a powerful leader in 1151 and had taken control by 1154. He lived until 1176.
The Nabhanis ruled as muluk, or kings, while the Imams were reduced to largely symbolic significance. The Imams lost moral authority since the title came to be treated as the property of the dominant tribe at any time. According to the historian Sirhan bin Said there were no records of Imams from 1153, when Imam Musa bin Abu Ja'afar died, until 1406, when Imam Hubaise bin Muhammad died.
The Nabhani made their capital at Bahla. The Bahla Fort is called Hisn Tammah, and is said to take its name from an Iranian ruler of the town before the Islamic period. There are probably some pre-Islamic structural elements, but most of the buildings date from the Nabhani period. Buildings include the Friday Mosque, which probably dates from the 14th century and has an elegantly carved mihrab. The most recent buildings appear to date to the start of the 16th century. The fort testifies to the power of the Nabhani in their heyday.
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