Hussein of Jordan
This article may be inaccurate in or unbalanced towards certain viewpoints. Please improve the article by adding information on neglected viewpoints, or discuss the issue on the talk page. (May 2010) |
Hussein | |
---|---|
| |
Reign | 11 August 1952 – 7 February 1999 ( | 46 years, 180 days)
Predecessor | Talal |
Successor | Abdullah II |
Spouse | Dina bint 'Abdu'l-Hamid Antoinette Avril Gardiner Alia Baha ed din Toukan Lisa Halaby |
Issue | |
Princess Alia Abdullah II of Jordan Prince Faisal Princess Aisha Princess Zein Princess Haya Prince Ali Prince Hamzah Prince Hashim Princess Iman Princess Raiyah | |
House | Hashemite |
Father | Talal of Jordan |
Mother | Zein al Sharaf Talal |
Born | 14 November 1935 Amman, Transjordan |
Died | 7 February 1999 (aged 63) |
Religion | Sunni Muslim |
Hussein's family claims a line of descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad. "We are the family of the prophet and we are the oldest tribe in the Arab world," the king once said of his Hashemite ancestry.[1]
Contents[show] |
[edit] Early life and accession
Hussein was born in Amman on 14 November 1935, to then Prince Talal bin Abdullah and Princess Zein al-Sharaf bint Jamil. After completing his elementary education in Amman, he was educated at Victoria College in Alexandria. He proceeded to Harrow School in England, where he befriended his cousin Faisal II of Iraq. He pursued further study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.On 20 July 1951, Prince Hussein traveled to Jerusalem to perform Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque with his grandfather, King Abdullah I. A Palestinian extremist, fearing the king might negotiate a peace with the newly created state of Israel, opened fire on Abdullah and his grandson. Abdullah was killed, but the 15-year-old Hussein survived the assassination attempt, and made to pursue the gunman. The assailant turned his weapon on the young prince, who was saved when the bullet was deflected by a medal on his uniform which had been given to him by his grandfather.[1]
In his autobiography, Uneasy Lies the Head, Hussein recalls how three days before that fateful day in Jerusalem, his grandfather turned to him and said: "I hope you realize, my son, that one day you will have to assume responsibility. I look to you to do your very best to see that my work is not lost. I look to you to continue it in the service of our people.”[2]
He was appointed Crown Prince of Jordan on 9 September 1951. Abdullah's eldest son, King Talal, became King of Jordan, but within a year was forced to abdicate owing to his mental state (European and Arab doctors diagnosed schizophrenia).[3] King Talal's son, Crown Prince Hussein, was proclaimed King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 11 August 1952, succeeding at the age of 16; because this was under the legal age, he was enthroned a year later, on 2 May 1953.[1]
[edit] Reign
In March 1956 Hussein established his firm authority over Jordan, and burnished his own nationalist credentials by dismissing Glubb “Pasha” as the commander of the Jordanian Army, and replacing all the British officers with Jordanians. This now mainly Bedouin army was fiercely loyal to him, not just because the monarchy and the East Bank Bedouin tribes depended upon each other but also because, in personal style, Hussein was a classic Bedouin leader.He navigated Jordan through turbulent years and maintained Jordan's reputation as an oasis of stability. After the Six Day War, Hussein opened Jordan's borders and welcomed well over a million Palestinian refugees and almost instantly gave them Jordanian citizenship giving them free access to healthcare and an education. He heavily invested in human capital in his 46 years as King. As a result, Jordan had the most advanced health and education systems in the Arab World. The King Hussein Medical City became the regional hub for treatment and surgery.
In 1991, together with an executive royal council, Hussein created the National Charter which reaffirmed democratic principles and lifted martial law. Opposition movements and political parties were legalized and freedom of the press was reaffirmed.
Throughout his reign Hussein was lenient in his treatment of political opponents, even those who had plotted against his person and his throne. While he understood that his country may have been a weak state in terms of its military and economic resources, he consistently exercised considerable political influence both through his moral authority and his subtle grasp of the hopes and fears of others. According to biographer Nigel Ashton: "Empathy was his most useful tool in regional politics."[4]
[edit] Six-Day War
[edit] Black September
[edit] The Gulf War
|
[edit] Peace with Israel
-
- “My sister, Mrs. Leah Rabin, my friends, I had never thought that the moment would come like this when I would grieve the loss of a brother, a colleague and a friend — a man, a soldier who met us on the opposite side of a divide whom we respected as he respected us. A man I came to know because I realized, as he did, that we have to cross over the divide, establish a dialogue, get to know each other and strive to leave for those who follow us a legacy that is worthy of them. And so we did. And so we became brethren and friends... And as I stand here, I am obliged to you, to my people in Jordan and to the world, to keep on doing the utmost to guarantee that we leave behind a similar inheritance.“[8]
[edit] Summit of the Peacemakers
On 13 March 1996 the “Summit of the Peacemakers” was held at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt hosted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Besides Hussein, those who attended included such dignitaries as Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, US President Bill Clinton, and Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The summit was convened in order to put the Israeli-Palestinian peace process back on track after a spate of suicide bombings in Israel. In his address to the gathering, Hussein stressed that those who use religious justifications for terrorist acts have tarnished the image of Islam, which is a religion of peace, tolerance and dialogue. Hussein also said that a dual approach must be used in the fight against terrorism. Sources of funding, training and operations must be cut off, and media coverage must not encourage terrorism. He added that States in the Middle East and throughout the world must eliminate those sources of despair that drive persons to perform such horrible actions, stating:-
- “We must shoulder our responsibilities and work together to protect the dignity of human beings, whoever and wherever they may be.”
[edit] Hebron Agreement
[edit] The Wye accords
-
- “The Jordanian Monarch was at the heart of the diplomatic breakthrough. His courage, commitment, wisdom and, frankly, stern instruction at certain times, were at the heart of this success. Every time he was in the room, he made us all become a little closer to the people we all would like to see ourselves as being.”[citation needed]
[edit] Illness
At the end of July 1998 Hussein made public a letter to his brother, Crown Prince Hassan, divulging that his doctors at the Mayo Clinic thought he had lymphatic cancer. By the beginning of August they had confirmed it. Hussein's lymphoma was of a type that responded to chemotherapy, which the King had already begun and his physicians were optimistic he could be cured. Speaking on Jordanian television via satellite, Hussein told his people, "Rest assured, I am not over and done with." Nevertheless, he looked fragile and pale. It was the 62-year-old monarch's second bout with cancer; he lost a kidney to the disease in 1992.[citation needed]On his way back to Jordan in January 1999, Hussein stopped in London.[9] Doctors advised him to rest and stay in England for a few weeks, as he was still too fragile to travel. The King declined. According to sources present, he stated that,
-
- “I need very much to feel the warmth of my people around me, there is work to be done and I will get the strength from my people to finish the business.“[10]
[edit] Death
Just before his death, Hussein made a constitutionally allowable change to his will, disinheriting the heir-apparent of several decades, his brother Hassan, in favor of his eldest son Abdullah. Then, with a recurrent fever, he abruptly returned to the U.S. clinic on 25 January 1999 for further treatment. He underwent a bone marrow transplant earlier that week, but the transplant failed, and the king returned home to die.On 7 February 1999 King Hussein died of complications related to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was, at the time of his death, one of the longest-serving leaders in international politics.[1] He had been the King of Jordan for over 46 years and in that time was plagued by a single problem that overshadowed every other in his political life: Peace in the Middle East. He did not live to see its resolution even though he is remembered as one whose efforts helped his neighbors, the Israelis and the Palestinians, to live in the peace that eluded him most of his life. In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour in January 1999, Hussein stated:
-
- “I still feel that those of us who work for peace and believe in peace have a very, very loud voice, and hopefully, wisdom and common sense will prevail.“[14]
[edit] Personal life
King Hussein was married four times, although he was never married to more than one woman at the same time; his four wives were:- Sharifa Dina bint 'Abdu'l-Hamid (born 1929), on 18 April 1955. She was an Egyptian-born third cousin of King Hussein's father, King Talal. A graduate of Cambridge University and a former lecturer in English literature at Cairo University, the bride was 26 to the groom's 19. They separated in 1956 and were divorced in 1957, at which time Queen Dina became known as Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Abdul-Hamid of Jordan. She became an Egyptian citizen in 1963, and in October 1970, Princess Dina of Jordan married Asad Sulayman Abd al-Qadir, alias Salah Taamari, a Palestinian guerrilla commando who became a high-ranking official in the Palestine Liberation Organization.
- Daughter: H.R.H.Princess Alia bint Al Hussein (born 1956). Married first to Sayyid Nasser Mirza, they have one child together, a son Hussein. They divorced in 1987. She remarried in 1988 to Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh; they have two sons, Talal and Abdul.
- Antoinette Avril Gardiner ('Toni Gardiner'), (born 1941), on 25 May 1961, styled HRH Princess Muna al-Hussein from marriage. An award-winning field hockey player, former typist, and daughter of a British army officer turned innkeeper, Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Percy Gardiner, she was given the title Her Royal Highness Princess Muna al-Hussein and retained this title after they divorced on 21 December 1971.
- Children:
- His Majesty Abdullah II, King of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (born 1962). The current King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Married to Rania Al-Yassin. They have four children: Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem.
- His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein of Jordan (born 1963). Lieutenant-General, former Commander of Royal Jordanian Air Force. Married to Alia Tabbaa (now known as Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Tabbaa). They have four children: Princess Ayah, Prince Omar, and twins Princess Sara and Princess Aisha.
- Her Royal Highness Princess Aisha bint Hussein (born 1968). Brigadier-General of Jordan's Royal Jordanian Land Force. Married to Sayyid Zeid Juma, they have two children, a son Aoun and a daughter Muna.
- Her Royal Highness Princess Zein bint Hussein (born 1968, Aisha's twin). Married to Sayyid Majdi Al-Saleh, they have two children: a son Jaafar and a daughter Jumana, and an adopted daughter called Tahani Al Shawan.
- Children:
- Alia Baha el-Din Toukan H.M. Queen Alia al-Hussein (1948–1977), on 24 December 1972, after whom Jordan's international airport (Queen Alia International Airport) is named. She died in a helicopter crash in Amman, Jordan in 1977.
- Children:
- Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Hussein (born 1974). Married to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai and has a daughter HH Sheikha Al Jalila.
- His Royal Highness Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan (born 1975). Married to Rym Brahimi now known as Her Royal Highness Princess Rym al-Ali. They have two children, Princess Jalilah and Prince Abdullah.
- Adopted daughter: Abir Muhaisen, (born 1972, adopted 1976). She attended Oldfields Prep School in Glencoe, Maryland, U.S.(boarding school).
- Children:
- Lisa Najeeb Halaby, (renamed Queen Noor al Hussein on her conversion to Islam), married in Amman on 15 June 1978
- Children:
- His Royal Highness Prince Hamzah bin al Hussein of Jordan (born 1980). Married to Her Royal Highness Princess Noor bint Asem of Jordan, third daughter of His Royal Highness Prince Asem Abu Bakar of Jordan, by his first wife, Princess Firouzeh Vokhshouri. Princess Noor became Her Royal Highness Princess Noor Hamzah of Jordan upon her marriage. They have a daughter, Princess Hayah
- His Royal Highness Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein of Jordan (born 1981). Married to Her Royal Highness Princess Fahdah. They have two daughters: Princess Halaah and Princess Rayet Al Noor.
- Her Royal Highness Princess Iman bint Hussein (born 1983).
- Her Royal Highness Princess Raiyah bint Hussein (born 1986).
- Children:
King Hussein was succeeded as king by his eldest son Abdullah II of Jordan.
[edit] Honours
- King Faisal II Coronation Medal-1953
- Collar of the Grand Order of the Hashemites of the Kingdom of Iraq-1953
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Two Rivers of the Kingdom of Iraq-1953
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)-1953
- Bailiff Grand Cross of the Venerable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (GCStJ)-1955
- Grand Collar of the Order of the Nile of the Republic of Egypt-1955
- Collar of the Order of Military Merit of the Spanish State-1955
- Grand Cordon of the Order of Omayyad of Syria-1955
- Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence of Tunisia-1956
- Collar special class of the Order of the Propitious Clouds of the Republic of China-1959
- Collar of the Order of Pahlavi of the Empire of Iran-1959
- Collar of the Order of Muhammadiya of Morocco-1960
- Collar of the Order of Solomon of the Ethiopian Empire-1960
- Collar of the Order of Idris I of the Kingdom of Libya-1960
- Collar special class of the Order of Merit of Lebanon-1960
- Grand Collar of the King Abdul Aziz Decoration of Saudi Arabia-1960
- Collar of the Order of the Badr Chain of Saudi Arabia-1960
- Collar of the Order of National Merit of Guinea-1960
- Collar of the Order of the Redeemer of the Kingdom of Greece-1960
- Collar of the Order of Leopold-1964
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion-1964
- Collar of the Order of St Olav of Norway-1964
- Collar of the Order of the Tower and Sword of Portugal (GCollTE)-1964
- Knight of the Order of the Golden Spur of the Vatican-1964
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the State Crown of Malaysia (DMN)-1965
- Royal Victorian Chain-1966
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour of France-1967
- Grand Cross special class of the Bundesverdienstkreuz of West Germany-1967
- Collar of the Order of Mubarak the Great of Kuwait-1974
- Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum of Japan-1976
- Collar of the Order of al-Khalifa of Bahrain-1976
- Collar of the Order of Independence of Qatar-1978
- Grand Cordon of the Yugoslavian Grand Star-1979
- Collar of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy-1983
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB)-1984
[edit] Books
The king wrote three books:- Uneasy Lies the Head London: William Heinemann Ltd. (1962)
- My "War" with Israel London: Peter Owen. (1969) ISBN 0-7206-0310-2
- Mon Métier de Roi. Paris: R. Laffont (1975)