Abdullah II of Jordan

His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein (Arabic: عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين) (born January 30, 1962), is the current King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan since February 7, 1999.

Related Topics:
Arabic - January 30 - 1962 - King - Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - February 7 - 1999

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Born in Amman to King Hussein and Antoinette Avril Gardiner, the king as a young man attended the Islamic Educational College in the Jordanian capital for his primary education, later attending St. Edmund's School in Surrey, England. Abdullah subsequently attended Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy in the United States of America for his secondary education. In 1980, he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK as a cadet. He joined the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) upon commission as a Second Lieutenant the following year. King Abdullah retains close links with the British Army and is the Colonel-in-Chief of The Light Dragoons, a tank regiment and the successor to the 13th/18th Royal Hussars. He attended the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University as a mid-career fellow in the Master of Science in Foreign Service program in 1987.

Related Topics:
Amman - King Hussein - Antoinette Avril Gardiner - St. Edmund's School - Surrey - England - Eaglebrook School - Deerfield Academy - United States of America - 1980 - Royal Military Academy Sandhurst - 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) - Lieutenant - British Army - Colonel-in-Chief - The Light Dragoons - Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

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Abdullah ascended to the throne on February 7, 1999 upon the death of his father King Hussein. Hussein had recently decreed him Crown Prince on January 24, replacing Hussein's brother Hassan after many years in the position. It was not a universally popular decision. Abdullah's mother, Antoinette Avril Gardiner (commonly referred to as Toni Avril Gardiner), was British by birth – she was renamed "Muna al-Hussein" upon her marriage to King Hussein, created a royal princess by her husband, and remains a popular philanthropic figure in Jordan – and many people in Jordan thus considered it unfitting that he should be an heir to the Hashemite throne, which claims to trace its descent directly to the Prophet Muhammad. (King Abdullah claims to be the 43rd generation descendant of the prophet).

Related Topics:
King Hussein - Crown Prince - January 24 - British - Hashemite - Muhammad

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Abdullah is married to a Kuwait-born, Jordan-bred Palestinian, Rania Al-Yassin (now Queen Rania al-Abdullah), who is as praised for her philanthropic work as she is criticized for her frequent interviews to the Western press and her fondness for haute couture. They have four children: Prince Hussein (born June 28, 1994), Princess Iman (born September 27, 1996), Princess Salma (born September 26, 2000) and Prince Hashem (born January 30, 2005).

Related Topics:
Kuwait - Palestinian - Queen Rania al-Abdullah - Haute couture - June 28 - 1994 - September 27 - 1996 - September 26 - 2000 - January 30 - 2005

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On November 28, 2004, Abdullah revoked the title of Crown Prince from his half-brother, Hamzah, (whom he had appointed on February 7th, 1999 in accordance with their late father's wishes). In a letter from Abdullah to Hamzah, read on Jordanian state television, he said "Your holding this symbolic position has restrained your freedom and hindered our entrusting you with certain responsibilities that you are fully qualified to undertake." No successor to the title was named, but some analysts http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4050231.stm believe it probable that Abdullah intends to name his own son, Prince Hussein, to succeed him at some point in the future.

Related Topics:
2004 - Hamzah - 1999

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King Abdullah is an acknowledged fan of Star Trek. In 1995, while he was still Prince, he appeared as an extra in an episode of ' (#36: "Investigations").

Related Topics:
Star Trek - 1995 - Extra

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There has been sharp criticism levelled at Abdullah that he and his Jordanian regime restricts freedom of speech due to his amendment to the Jordanian Penal Code to ensure the legislation of the punishment of all those who express dissent. They raise the fact that this Jordanian law bans all kinds of public criticism of the king and his policies and accords one-to-three year imprisonment and fines up to 5,000 Jordanian dinars (about US$7,000) for violating these regulations. Many editors, journalists and union workers who have criticized King Abdullah have been jailed and detained for long periods of time http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3220566a12,00.html. Human rights organizations have also criticized Abdullah and his regime for several human rights violations and acts of torture committed against Islamic radicalists and those who express dissent and criticism over his policies.

Related Topics:
Freedom of speech - Islamic - Radicalists

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King Abdullah II improved the economy of Jordan, bringing foreign investments to Jordan, attending the meetings between the public and private sectors, and providing the foundation for Aqaba's freezone.

Related Topics:
Jordan - Aqaba

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