King Ali bin Al Hussein
His Majesty King Ali bin Al Hussein, may his soul rest in peace, was Sharif Hussein bin Ali’s eldest son. He was born in Mecca in 1880, and he accompanied his father when he stayed in Istanbul, before returning to Hijaz when Sharif Hussein took over as its emir. King Ali helped his father in his duties and acted as regent in his absence.
When the Great Arab Revolt erupted, Prince Ali participated in leading its armies and forces. After Sharif Hussein was proclaimed King of Arabs, Prince Ali was entrusted to head the state’s first government.
After the end of World War I, Fakhri Pasha, the leader of the Turkish army, left Medina Munawara after a three-year siege by the Revolt’s armies. He turned himself in to Prince Ali, who entered Medina Munawara and raised the Revolt banner there, after which his father named him Emir of the city.
Prince Ali worked hard to restore normalcy to Medina, and he also exerted efforts to rebuild the railway until it was fixed.
In late 1924, Sharif Hussein abdicated, and Prince Ali was proclaimed King of Hijaz. He then moved from Mecca to Jeddah, where he continued to fight battles for around a year, before leaving Hijaz in late 1925. He moved to Baghdad to stay with his brother Faisal I, acting as regent in his absence.
King Ali had one son — Prince Abdul Ilah, who played a major role in the Iraqi Kingdom after King Ghazi bin Faisal died — and three daughters.
King Ali died in Baghdad in 1935.
