The 79-year-old was the longest serving leader in the Middle East, having ruled the country since 1970.
Growing tired of his father's leadership and with a desire for change, he launched a coup against him in 1970, backed by the UK and was thought to be planned by British security forces and Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
The sultan's leadership is credited with drastically improving living standards in the country, and used oil revenues during his reign to build schools, roads and hospitals, as well as encouraging the development of private enterprises.He also outlawed slavery in the same year he came to power - once an important part of the Omani economy.
Sultan Qaboos had no children, and had not publicly appointed a successor. The ruling family will now have three days to appoint a successor, according to a statute from 1996. If they family fail to do so, a council of military and security officials, supreme court chiefs and heads of two assemblies will put the person into power that the sultan secretly named and whose name is kept in a sealed letter.
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