Sharjah: In an enlightening interview aired on Sharjah TV, His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, discussed his recent historical and intellectual work, "The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman: Events in Annals from 1497 to 1757." The interview was conducted by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority. The 21-volume series meticulously chronicles events from 1497 to 1757 AD, focusing on the region's historical depth and the strategic importance of the Sea of Oman.
According to Emirates News Agency, His Highness began the interview with an in-depth overview of his ongoing project to collect, translate, and publish historical documents. He shared memories from 1985, when he earned his doctorate and published his thesis as a book. During a visit to the India Office Library and Records in the UK, His Highness presented his doctoral thesis to the Director of the British Library, who showed keen interest in the sources of the documents referenced.
His Highness detailed the challenges encountered in accessing British documents for his research, which led him to travel to Mumbai, India, to acquire necessary copies. He recounted meeting an elderly Indian woman in the library, who was also working on her thesis and informed him that the same documents were available in Mumbai. This encounter prompted him to continue his research there.
Sheikh Dr Sultan further revealed that he enlisted the help of Fiona Wilkie, a British Library employee specializing in Portuguese documents. With the Library Director's approval, he arranged for her early retirement, covering the expenses personally, and employed her directly to assist in gathering Portuguese historical records.
His Highness explained that the British Library had preserved numerous Portuguese documents following the recapture of Mumbai from the Portuguese, as part of efforts to better understand and study the region. He also disclosed that transferring and translating these documents into the British Library's collection required five years and was accomplished by a Portuguese-speaking expert named Denver, supported by a dedicated and skilled team.