Publishing a massive literary project is no small feat, even for a royal. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah, recently revealed the personal sacrifices he made to bring his expansive 61-volume encyclopedia, The Portuguese in the Indian Ocean, to life. During an interview, he candidly admitted that he lacked the necessary funds for such an ambitious undertaking. To bridge the financial gap, he opted to sell off his long-held shares in the Sharjah Cement Factory, effectively liquidating his personal assets to ensure the project’s completion. This monumental work, which covers centuries of history regarding trade routes and geopolitical shifts, stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to historical research.

Beyond the financial hurdles, the Ruler shared touching reflections on the grueling nine-year journey required to compile the necessary manuscripts. He recalled the bittersweet moment when the project reached its conclusion, marked by the tragic news that a key contributor had passed away just after delivering the final documents. Looking ahead, Sheikh Dr. Sultan remains undeterred and is already deep into his next massive project focusing on the pre-Portuguese era, which he plans to unveil at the 2027 Sharjah Book Fair. Throughout the discussion, he encouraged future researchers to prioritize primary source documentation over personal bias, emphasizing that true history should be rooted in facts rather than speculation.