Dina Al-Sabah family; she is close lineage because her grandfather was the son of Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, ruler of Kuwait from 1917 to 1921. The Al-Sabahs have ruled Kuwait for over more than two centuries. Al-Sabah was raised in Egypt, Morocco, Italy and the United Kingdom, so she was exposed to many different cultures at a young age. A natural athlete, she started horseback riding at the age of five. She continued her active lifestyle throughout her high school years, competing in equestrian shows and participating in track, volleyball and basketball at the American School of Tangier in Morocco. Al-Sabah is fluent
Rise of the Ottoman Empire tax burden was increased, prompting criticism from writers who saw such centralization in a negative light. Of particular importance for Ottoman success was their ability to keep the empire intact from generation to generation. While other Turkic groups frequently divided their realms between the sons of a deceased ruler, the Ottomans consistently kept the empire united under a single heir. The process of centralization is closely connected with an influx of Muslim scholars from Central Anatolia, where a more urban and bureaucratic Turkish civilization had developed under the Seljuks of Rum. Particularly influential was the Çandarlı family, which supplied several