Three Abu Dhabi rulers were killed in family feuds in six years; the survivors swore to their mother never to do it again, and in 1966 one brother removed another without bloodshed

In 1922 Sultan bin Zayed murdered his brother Hamdan, the ruler, and found the treasury almost empty. In 1926 another brother, Saqr, shot Sultan after a family dinner. In 1928 Saqr was hunted down and killed. Sultan's eldest son, Shakhbut, became ruler. He and his three brothers swore an oath to their mother, Salama, to support him and never resort to fratricide. After oil was found, Shakhbut distrusted banks. When the British Bank of the Middle East opened, he accused its staff of trying to steal his money. He ordered a new municipal records office burned down. He told his brother Zayed that a published budget would show the people the ruler's income, which would be shameful. A 2004 UPI commentary says early oil royalties were kept in cash in steamer trunks, where mice chewed the notes^†. In mid-1966 Zayed told the British agent the whole family was united against Shakhbut. On 6 August 1966 the family deposed Shakhbut with British support through the Trucial Oman Scouts, and Zayed became ruler. Shakhbut went into exile, later returned, and died in Abu Dhabi on 11 February 1989. Zayed became the first president of the UAE. His sons rule Abu Dhabi in 2026.