Jordanian Monarch. He reigned as the first King of the Kingdom of Jordan from 1946 to 1951. He was the second son of Husayn ibn Ali, the ruler of the Hejaz. As a young man, Abdullah served in the Ottoman parliament. In 1914 he joined the Arab nationalist movement which advocated for independence for Arab territories in the Ottoman Empire. Abdullah played a major role in the negotiations between the British and his father that led to the declaration on June 10, 1916 for Arab revolt against the Ottomans. In 1920 he was named king of Iraq, but he declined it and it was given to his brother Faisal. Afterwards Abdullah occupied Transjordan and worked to separate it from Britain's Palestine mandate. His dream was to create an Arab kingdom joining Syria, Iraq, and Transjordan, but this never came to be. During the Second World War Abdullah sided with the British and provided troops to help them. In 1946 Transjordan became independent and he was crowned king later that year. Abdullah was the only Arab leader prepared to accept the United Nations' partitioning of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. In a war with Israel in May 1948 his armies occupied the West Bank and captured east Jerusalem. In 1950 Abdullah annexed the West Bank and changed the name of his kingdom to Jordan, thus angering other Arab countries who wanted to see a Palestinian Arab state on the West Bank. His popularity declined and a year later, was assassinated by a Palestinian nationalist.
Jordanian Monarch. He reigned as the first King of the Kingdom of Jordan from 1946 to 1951. He was the second son of Husayn ibn Ali, the ruler of the Hejaz. As a young man, Abdullah served in the Ottoman parliament. In 1914 he joined the Arab nationalist movement which advocated for independence for Arab territories in the Ottoman Empire. Abdullah played a major role in the negotiations between the British and his father that led to the declaration on June 10, 1916 for Arab revolt against the Ottomans. In 1920 he was named king of Iraq, but he declined it and it was given to his brother Faisal. Afterwards Abdullah occupied Transjordan and worked to separate it from Britain's Palestine mandate. His dream was to create an Arab kingdom joining Syria, Iraq, and Transjordan, but this never came to be. During the Second World War Abdullah sided with the British and provided troops to help them. In 1946 Transjordan became independent and he was crowned king later that year. Abdullah was the only Arab leader prepared to accept the United Nations' partitioning of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. In a war with Israel in May 1948 his armies occupied the West Bank and captured east Jerusalem. In 1950 Abdullah annexed the West Bank and changed the name of his kingdom to Jordan, thus angering other Arab countries who wanted to see a Palestinian Arab state on the West Bank. His popularity declined and a year later, was assassinated by a Palestinian nationalist.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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