King Abdullah I
His Majesty King Abdullah I, may his soul rest in peace, was born in Mecca on 4 April 1882. Since early childhood, King Abdullah I showed interest in the history of tribes and was deeply acquainted with the customs and traditions of Bedouins. These early cultural experiences had a profound effect on his character later on, with the Raghadan Palace built in Amman in 1927, becoming a destination for Arab intellectuals and poets, with whom he sparred in poetry and debates.
His Majesty received his education in Mecca and Istanbul. From Mecca, he developed deep faith and an understanding of the hopes and aspirations of Muslims, while Istanbul gave him wisdom and statesmanship.
The Founding King Abdullah developed the political savvy and remarkable ability necessary to overcome crises and intervene decisively to resolve issues, making him one of the most important leaders of the Great Arab Revolt. After Faisal was proclaimed King of Syria, Prince Abdullah remained at his father’s side in Mecca. However, the end of the Arab government in Damascus, after the Battle of Maysaloun on 24 July 1920, pushed him to go to Transjordan in order to ensure that the Great Arab Revolt’s banner remains hoisted high and to establish a launching ground for supporting Arab rebels fighting the French occupation to liberate Syria.
King Abdullah I came to Jordan to fight for the sake of the Arabs and the faith; and he died a martyr in the land of Jerusalem that he fervently defended. He fell on the threshold of Al Aqsa Mosque, near the tomb of his father, Sharif Hussein bin Ali, may his soul rest in peace, who sacrificed his throne rather than let go of one inch of Jerusalem and Palestine. On 20 July 1951, the Founding King was headed to Al Aqsa Mosque, where he always performed the Friday prayer. He was accompanied by his young grandson, His Royal Highness Prince Al Hussein bin Talal. There, fate was waiting for the Founding King, and it opened the eyes of a young King Hussein to a major incident and great bereavement: “I learned the unimportance of death; that when you have to die, you die; for it is God’s will,” His Majesty the late King Hussein later said about that day.
The founding King left a number of literary writings: “My Memoirs,” “Political Hopes,” “Who Am I,” “Between Pearls from Prose and Verse,” and “The Answer to Questions on Thoroughbred Horses.” They were all collected in “The Complete Works”.
