Sultan Qaboos bin Said was the hereditary leader of the country which is an absolute monarchy, from 1970 until his death on 10 January 2020. According to the rules for succession to the sultanic throne of Oman, the son of the Sultan is usually announced as the new monarch. Sultan Qaboos bin Said did not have any children, and decreed in his last will and testament that his successor should be whichever member of the dynasty was deemed most suitable. Therefore, upon the death of Qaboos, the sultanic family named his cousin, Haitham bin Tariq, as the new Sultan of Oman.