▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁O man ▁A hm ad ▁bin ▁Sa id ▁maintained ▁a ▁permanent ▁army ▁and ▁n avy . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 7 7 0 s ▁he ▁attempted ▁to ▁gain ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁H orm uz ▁ ▁between ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁O man ▁and ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf , ▁a ▁key ▁position . ▁A hm ad ▁bin ▁Sa id ▁re est ab lished ▁the ▁leading ▁position ▁of ▁O man ▁among ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf ▁states . ▁ ▁Family ▁ ▁A hm ad ▁bin ▁Sa id ▁had ▁seven ▁sons ▁and ▁three ▁daughters . ▁His ▁el dest ▁son ▁Hil al ▁was ▁dis qual ified ▁from ▁the ▁succession ▁since ▁he ▁was ▁blind . ▁His ▁second ▁son ▁Sa id ▁bin ▁A hm ad ▁was ▁his ▁he ir . ▁His ▁third ▁son ▁Q ais ▁bin ▁A hm ad ▁later ▁became ▁governor ▁of ▁So har . ▁His ▁fourth ▁and ▁fifth ▁sons ▁were ▁Sa if ▁and ▁Sultan ▁bin ▁A hm ad , ▁both ▁children ▁of ▁his ▁fourth ▁wife , ▁a ▁sister ▁of ▁Sh a ikh ▁Muhammad ▁bin ▁Nas ir ▁al - J ab ry ▁al - G h af iry , ▁of ▁Zh ah ira h . ▁Sh a ikh ▁Ab dal lah ▁Rock y ▁Am ir ▁Muhammad ▁was ▁a ▁strong ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁N iz ari ya ▁fa ction , ▁and ▁under ▁the ▁Y ar ub i ▁had ▁once ▁been ▁governor ▁of ▁Bah rain . ▁His ▁two ▁young est ▁sons ▁were ▁Tal ib , ▁later ▁governor ▁of ▁Nak hal ▁and