Emir of Bahrain. Shaikh Isa succeeded his father as ruler in 1961, and declared himself Emir when Bahrain became independent in 1971. During Majlis, the open court he held fortnightly, anyone could attend and speak to him. Shaikh Isa was ahead of time and helped develop Bahrain's economy based on trade, investment, banking and services and diminishing dependence on oil-income. His policies were open and relaxed and his priority was education, health care and social welfare. Shaikh Isa also helped develop and opened in 1986 the 16-mile causeway that links western Saudi Arabia with Bahrain. Bahrainis liked Shaikh Isa, 'a man genuinely eager to preserve social stability and welfare' and a 'father figure with a common touch, but a modernist; his ways were paternalistic but passionate.'