Accessing documents for my research wasn't easy: Sultan

In an interview aired on Sharjah TV, His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, spoke with Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, about his latest historical and intellectual work, “ The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman: Events in Annals from 1497 to 1757."

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The 21-volume series chronicles events from 1497 to 1757 AD, focusing on the region's history and the strategic significance of the Sea of Oman.

Sheikh Sultan highlighted the depth and authenticity of Oman's historical legacy, describing it as both rich and honourable.

Sheikh Sultan opened the television interview with an in-depth overview of his ongoing project to collect, translate, and publish historical documents.

He recalled that in 1985, after earning his doctorate and publishing his thesis as a book, he visited the India Office Library and Records in the UK.

There, he met the library's director, Barry Bloomfield, a distinguished figure with extensive expertise in history, library science, and administration.

Sheikh Sultan noted that Bloomfield played a key role in transforming the India Office Library into what is now the British Library at its current location.

Sheikh Sultan shared that he had presented his doctoral thesis to the Director of the British Library, who examined it with interest, particularly intrigued by the sources of the documents it referenced.

Sheikh Sultan then detailed the challenges he faced in accessing British documents for his research, which ultimately led him to travel to Mumbai, India, to obtain the necessary copies.