Biography of Aga Khan IV

Prince of Sardinia

December 13, 1936 Shah Karīm al-Husayni, better known as the Aga Khan was born on 13 December 1936 in Geneva. Prince, according to Islamic tradition Imam of Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim community becomes, the 11 July 1957, when he's only 20 years old, going on to Grandpa Mahomed Shah Aga Khan. It is part of the lineage of hereditary imam, a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad via his cousin Ali. Is the 49th spiritual leader. In addition, successful entrepreneur, Italy is known for giving life starting in the 60 's to the tourist complex of Costa Smeralda, through a series of highly successful investments, which have contributed exponentially to the explosion of this area of the Italian region. Son of Prince Aly Khan and Princess Tajuddawlah Aly Khan, the Aga spent his childhood in Kenya, in the city of Nairobi. His school education must complete it in Switzerland, at the prestigious "Le Rosey", which he attended for nine years. In 1959 he graduated in the United States, at Harvard University, in Islamic history. At the age of 33 years, in 1969, bride Begun line floor. His wife, born in New Delhi, is the daughter of British parents. Within four years, the couple has three children, in 1970, in 1971 and in 1974. Arrives before the Princess Zahra, then Prince Rahim and, finally, the third son, also a Prince, Hussein. Meanwhile, the Aga Khan begins became interested in Italy and in particular the island of Sardinia. Impressed by the beauty of its coastline, especially in the North, opposite the French island of Corsica, together with his partner and friend Gianfranco Fodde begins to invest in the current Costa Smeralda, building complexes at the forefront. Within the years ' 60 the Aga Khan gets already on return of his investment, selling and booking both their structures and building new ones. In 1963, again in Sardinia and in order to encourage even more tourist links with the rest of Europe, he founded the airline Alisarda, which will become the famous Sundial. To entrepreneurial success the Aga Kahn does follow, in parallel, the Imam. The Prince in the years ' 70 is a true Guide for Ismaili Muslims, transforming widely the administrative system, thanks in part to the proclamation of some republics in Central Asia and other Nations that have gradually freed from the Soviet bloc. His commitment in defense of the Ismaili culture is enormous. In 1967 he founded and chairs the Aga Khan Foundation, operating in this sense. Nine years later, after his strong commitment in the arts and business, building on the success in infrastructure in "his" Sardinia, brings to life one of the most important industry awards, the Aga Khan Award for architecture. In 1976, as Chairman at the International Conference, the Prince States that the road ahead is that of modernization, also for the Muslim peoples in the wake of what was said by Muhammad on "to look for new solutions to problems that cannot be solved by traditional methods". The dynamism, says the Aga Kahn, also economically, should be an important tool for the people, and does not have and cannot have a negative or misleading claims on fundamental concepts of Islam. Over two decades the Aga Khan imanato has turned into the Aga Khan Development Network, a group of merged institutions committed to improving living conditions and opportunities in developing regions. Areas of interest range from architecture, through health education and entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, in 1983, based in Pakistan, the University that bears his name: "Aga Khan University". True to its commitment, the Aga Khan has involved in its experience her children, all engaged with his father in the most important issues of imanato. The eldest daughter Zahra, once after graduating BA Honors from Harvard, just like his father, from the third world, 1994 develops and is responsible for coordinating some social institutions in the Secretariat. The second son, Prince Rahim, graduated from Brown University in 1995, deals with economic issues at the imanato. And, finally, the last of three sons, Hussain, graduated from Williams College in 1997, has to do with respect of the cultural activities of the Secretariat. In 1995 the Aga Khan divorced his wife of his three children. Three years later, in 1998, married with the German Gabriele Thyssen, a wealthy woman, lawyer and former singer, presented to him by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos. The woman, much younger Prince, after converting to Islam, become Begum Inaara Aga Khan. In July 2000 the Prince and his new wife have a son, the little Aly. After six years of living together, in 2003, the Aga Khan divorce prompts the Swiss Court but proves incompetent about his file. The ball passes then to France and, in October 2009, in first instance, the Court of Senlis condemns the Ismaili community leader to pay 12 million euros in compensation to ex-wife. Appeal in the second instance of appeal, in 2011, the Court of appeal of Amiens establishes that the Prince must pay his wife well 60 million, ascribing to him all the causes of divorce, unlike what established previously by another court.

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