King Faisal I ibn Al Hussein
His Majesty King Faisal I ibn Al Hussein, may his soul rest in peace, was born on 20 May 1883. He was one of the foremost Arab politicians in the modern age; and was elected to represent Jeddah in the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies in 1913. He completed his studies in Istanbul after being taught the Holy Quran by his father.
"King Faisal held the Syrian and then the Iraqi thrones,fame as a brave and wise leader with a civilised mindset, attributes he illustrated"
Faisal I ibn Al Hussein was a brave leader who held enlightened beliefs, as he ascended the thrones of Syria and Iraq.
When the Great Arab Revolt was launched in 1916, Prince Faisal took charge of the Northern Army, before becoming general commander of the Arab Legion. He entered Syria in 1918, after the Turks were routed, and was received as a saviour. An Arab government was then established in Damascus.
On 8 March 1918, the Syrian National Congress declared the independence of Syria and proclaimed Prince Faisal as King of Syria. The King announced a general pardon; and the government Arabised its military ranks, state transactions, schools and textbooks. In addition, a Syrian university was established.
The French forces, led by General Gouraud, issued a warning to King Faisal and the Arab Legion on 14 July 1920, after which the battle of Maysaloun took place on 24 July. The battle ended with the French army occupying Syria.
King Faisal left Syria after the French occupation and started diplomatic efforts to call for honouring the rights of Arabs. In early 1921, Britain responded to some of the Arabs’ demands, leading to the establishment of two Arab states under the British mandate in Iraq and Transjordan. A referendum was conducted in Iraq in the summer of 1921, the results of which led to the proclamation of Faisal as King.
King Faisal, committed to the principles of moderation in building Iraq, ensured its stability and removed the shackles of the mandate. He was successful in 1932, when the mandate was over and Iraq became a member of the League of Nations.
But fate soon caught up with King Faisal and he could not continue to serve the Arabs, passing away on 8 September 1933 of a heart attack while undergoing treatment in Switzerland. His remains were brought to Baghdad, where he was laid to rest. He was succeeded by his son, King Ghazi.
