Tintin Forums

For many years growing up with and loving the Tintin books, and included among my top favourites were and still are Land of Black Gold and Red Sea Sharks, I often fantasised and wondered about the inspirations behind characters including imagining possibilities for the family and private life of Emir Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab.

For instance, although obviously married at least once to have fathered an heir Prince Abdullah, with no references to him having any other children, no mention of any wife or suggestion of her whereabouts in exile or hiding with his entourage in the mountains (Red Sea Sharks), this makes me wonder various possible scenarios.

He does not seem a young man as Emir, yet Abdullah is a young son, so does he have just the one son or child, is he married to just the one wife, does he have several wives, did he just marry for expected moral convention and expected production of an heir, etc?

Various true life inspirations come to mind of Arab monarchs who fit that reality in the 1920's-1950's, and even one example similar scenario in that general region that i can think of today!

So what do other Tintinologists think regarding the Emir, his wives, other children (or rather lack of both), his sexuality, and any other suggested (believable, please) scenarios or reasoned theories?

If answering some of the above questions, please be careful to stick to facts or information supplied by the books themselves - it would be easy to wander into the realms of speculative fan-fiction, which is an area that we avoid.

I think we need to look at it in terms of whether or not Hergé was accurately depiciting social morés and Middle Eastern customs and practices regarding marriage, monarchy and the bringing up of a crown prince, etc., which it would be possible to know, rather than just arbitrarily decideing that there are other children in the family, for example.

To start it off, the model for Abdullah was Prince Faisal, later King Faisal II of Iraq; the archives hold the photos Hergé used for his research, including a portrait of the Prince almost identical to how Abdullah appears in the books. It's reproduced in Michael Farrâ's Complete Companion.

I certainly didn't mean to wander into the realms of speculative fan-fiction, and hope others won't, just merely thought or have I misunderstood that threads in "Curious About Tintin" section would be appropriate to discuss opinions on the possible inspirations and likely situation of the monarchy in Khemed and the family of the Emir.

I too understand the Prince Faisal (King Faisal II) inspiration and archive evidence.
I wonder who the inspirations for the Emir were (certainly not King Ghazi of Iraq, by appearance and the way Khemed is represented and portrayed)? Could he be based more on an Arabian Gulf Emir or an al-Saud of the 1930's-40's?

My post was suggesting other Tintinologist members may have views or theories on the subject of the Emir's family and private life (including the inspirations), but of course in terms of the books and evidence, facts and clues included, and maybe also facts and clues omitted?

There's no problem in a look at the portrayal of any character, but experince has shown that inviting people to speculate on aspects of a character can often go astray, and drop into the realm of what Wikipedia might refer to as "original research"... ;-)

So while it might be possible to look at the books and suggest that, for example, in an actual state like Khmed, such as one of the Gulf states, it is unlikely that a ruler would ever appear with his wife, under some royal protocol or cultural convention (this is just a "for instance", I've no idea if that would be the case), we'd ask that people not offer things like, "Perhaps the Emir's wife was killed in a war...", or something which isn't supported by internal evidence.

Questions such as how many wives he has or had thus have to be limited to what is there in the books, or informed by what history has shown us about other comparable emirs; it also has to be said that in such a case, given the scarcity of information, it's hard to see how making enquiries into the Emir's sexuality could possibly be anything other than speculative...

I understand and share your point and would'nt want this topic to descend into fictitious plot scenarios like the Emir's wife being killed or fantasy sub-plots!
Also, therefore i take your point re speculation on sexuality too.
I suppose other than discussing the Emir's and Prince Abdullah's appearance in the books, and any archive material or inspirations, this does rather mute or limit my original post and suggestion.
To expand on the Emir's private life and the context of the books plots and the times they were written or set, another interesting discussion relevant to both Land of Black Gold and particularly Red Sea Sharks, is the subject of that regions Arab/ African slave trade.
As many, if not most, this regions Arab Emirates and evolving independent Monarchies in 1920's-1950's fairly openly, and certainly knowingly, still dealt in slavery, and most only gradually or officially (under international pressure) legally abolished slavery over the 1950's-60's, the representation of African 'servants' in both Tintin books featuring Khemed and the Emir, among his entourage, could well be assumed as either slaves or at best recently emancipated slaves still in their masters service?
What do other members think?
Examples of my suggestion can be found in both books of African 'servants' (I think most likely slaves) among scenes in the service and entourage of Emir Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab in Khemed (Hasch Abaibabi Palace, and in the mountain hideout), with Prince Abdullah's retinue at Marlinspike Hall, and also with Sheikh Bab El Ehr in desert camp, etc.

You might note that when the Emir is talking to Tintin and Haddock in "Red Sea Sharks" he states that he was only going to expose the slave trade after Arabair had refused Abdullah's "simple" request that their planes loop-the-loop.

When Tintin describes the slave trade as terrible, the Emir mutters "Er... yes..." as if not entirely convinced that it is wrong.

When Müller is surrounded in "Black Gold", he decides to commit suicide in order to avoid the Emir torturing him. I wouldn't be surprised if that had a basis in truth. Emirates are not famed for their human rights records and the Emir does state that a fair trial is making things more complicated than simply putting Muller to death.

It's always surprised me that on the one hand Tintin is a close friend of the likes of the Emir and General Alcazar, who are friendly enough on a personal level, but, as rulers, are hinted by Hergé to be ruthless despots. I suppose that al-Assad of Syria is similar in that respect.

Interesting points and those very same examples and quotes were also behind my suggestion, with the scenes of the Arab leaders and their African 'staff' or 'servants'!
I think the friendship of Tintin with the Emir (among other controversial political leaders) is another example of real-politics, as with our Western so-called civilized and democratic governments diplomatic relations, dealings, trading, and hosting, of similar Khemed influenced Emirates and Kingdoms in the Arabian Gulf region, both in the 1930's-1950's, and still today.
I've always thought Tintin fitted the times and real-politics of European nations in their dealings and diplomatic friendships with Khemed style rulers and fledgling states.
The oil/petrol plot of Land Black Gold and the coup d'etat of Red Sea Sharks, both set in our Khemed, and both involve the reason for Tintin supporting the Emir, are the reality of the politics, and i remember when reading these books as a child were blurred or invisible to me then because of the simplistic accepted line that Tintin liked and was good friends with the Emir.
Its interesting seeing and discovering all these contridictions and layers in Herge's plots and work as you read, and re-read these wonderful books again and again as you grow-up and as an adult.
And for me the slave trade of the real Arab region in 1930's-60's would be the reality of Khemed under the Emir.
He may of course have been a benevolent ruler and master to his loyal court, loyal subjects, and even his loyal slaves, but the suggestions that he was also a violent, undemocratic, and petty despot are certainly there.
My interpretation of his attitude to the Arab/African slave trade was that he would have probably known and accepted slavery, and most certainly owned personal slaves, must therefore have tolerated or allowed the slave trade, but used it against his enemies and rivals, to discredit them with the West and Europe, and to gain support and legitimacy from the West and European or international powers.

A clue to the family and private life of Emir Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab is found in Tintin and Alph-Art. Early in the story (page 6 in the first edition, page 10 in the second edition), the Emir is interviewed on TV and in panel 7 of the sketched page, five persons in long gowns are shown with the text "son harem?" (i.e. "his harem?"). I'm not sure if this indicates five wives but at least there are five women connected to the Emir.

And regarding the history of Khemed, it's worth noting that the first versions of Land of the Black Gold never mention Khemed.
In the first, pre-war version (published in Petit Vingtième) Tintin arrives in the fictionalised port of Caïffa (based on real-life Haïfa) in British Palestine but the story is abandoned before Tintin meets the Emir, and I guess nobody knows for sure how Hergé had imagined the continuation of the story at the time.

In the next version of the story (published in the late 1940s in the Tintin magazine), Tintin arrives in Haïfa proper, and in this version the Emir is supported by the Britons while Sheik Bab El-Ehr wants to get rid of them.
Khemed is never mentioned while Wadesdah is just a small town by the sea.

And in the following album, Destination Moon, the Thompsons say that the disease that make their beards and hair grow long appeared during an expedition "in Arabia".

Then came The Red Sea Sharks, which was the first time Khemed was mentioned, with Wadesdah designated as capital. So, when the final version of Land of Black Gold was made (around 1971), all of the story was said to take place in Khemed with Haïfa changed to the port of Khemkhâh (or Khemical in the English version). I wonder though if it still lies in the Mediterranean, like Haïfa? That could explain why Palestinians are threatening the Emir in Tintin and Alph-Art.

An alternate name of Khemed mentioned by the Emir in the final version of Land of Black Gold is "Arabie khemedite", i.e. "Khemedite Arabia", which sounds a bit like the French names of Saudi Arabia (Arabie saoudite) and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Royaume hachémite de Jordanie).

The Saoudites and Hashemites are important families in these countries, so we might speculate that the same goes for the Emir as member of a possible Khemedite family which could have given the country its name.

It's possible that the Arabian section of Cigars of the Pharaoh also takes place in Khemed. The final version of this story was made in the mid-50s shortly before The Red Sea Sharks, and the uniforms of the soldiers are similar. We also have the appearence of Signor Oliveira da Figuiera in all these albums, plus Sheik Patrasch Pascha, whom Tintin meets in Cigars of the Pharaoh and then are mentioned as a supporter of Emir Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab in The Red Sea Sharks.

Thank you for such interesting and informative clues and points, many of which were previously unknown to me, especially the "Alph Art" reference to the Emir's "harem"!

It took me a while to find that image and reference in my English edition 2004 "Alph Art" book, but I eventually made sense of this and the French scribbled text!
Well this is really fascinating, and another great example of continuously discovering new Tintin & co facts and clues!
Incidentally, in my French pirate edition B&W Yves Rodier book, he has completely omitted this detail and reference!
So we know in print now that the Emir had a family harem for sure, whether they include wives, daughters, or sisters, its confirmation of female family members.

The reference of the Emir mentioning "Arabie Khemedite" is really interesting, and completely fits the regions and eras norms - Saudi Arabia, Hashemite Jordan and Iraq. This all makes so much more sense to me re the Emirate and family dynasty name suggestion, totally fits the image and is a detail unknown to me before.
Would this reference from the Emir to "Arabie Khemedite" be in either of my "Land Black Gold" books (English 1972 text edition, and French 1950's text)?
H.H.Emir Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab Al-Khemed completes the creation of "Arabie Khemedite" or "Khemedite Arabia" to me.
Was Khemed completely unmentioned in the 1950's book in French (im yet to study mine again for detail)?
If so, how is the Emir referred to, as a ruler or Emir of an unnamed Emirate?

Your suggestions and references re the continuity and similarities between the later edition "Cigars of Pharaoh" and "Land Black Gold" are also really interesting (Arab police and uniforms, Sheikh Patrash Pasha, Oliveira da Figueira, etc), and has left me much fresh information and clues to re-read and reference.
Think I know what I'm reading tonight again.

Looking forward to further suggested clues and missed information on "The Emirate of Khemedite Arabia", and the Emir's Al-Khemed dynasty!

I haven't got the English edition - I'm a Swede myself - but it should be in the edition from the 1970s, page 35. In Swedish it says "khemeditiska Arabien", in Dutch it says "Khemedaans Arabië".

In the version from 1950, it's just about Bab El Ehr wanting to get the Britons out of the country since "...la compagnie qui exploite les terrains pétrolifères situés sur mon territoire est une compagnie anglaises..." (the company which are exploiting the oil-fields situated in my territory is an English firm...)


Yes.


Yes. He's just an Emir. But, like the quote above, he mentions "mon territoire" (my territory).

So, Hergé manages to make a story which takes place in the Land of Black Gold, but - in its original version - doesn't mention the actual name of the land :-)