Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca

Hussein bin Ali or Husayn ibn Ali (died 1931) was the Sharif of Mecca, and Emir of Mecca from 1908 until 1917, when he proclaimed himself king of Hejaz, which received international recognition. In 1924, he further proclaimed himself as Caliph of Muslims. He ruled Hejaz until 1924, when he being defeated by Abdul Aziz al Saud abdicated the kingdom and other secular titles to his eldest son Ali..

Related Topics:
1931 - Sharif of Mecca - 1908 - 1917 - Caliph - 1924 - Abdul Aziz al Saud

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Ali bin Hussein was born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (now Istanbul, Turkey)

Related Topics:
Constantinople - Ottoman Empire - Istanbul - Turkey

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Hussein ibn Ali was the last of the Hashemite rulers over the Hijaz to be appointed by the Ottoman Empire. In 1924, after his abdication, his son 'Ali briefly assumed the throne, but then he too had to flee the encroachment of Ibn Saud and his Wahhabi forces (Saudi Ikhwan). Sherif Hussein ibn Ali rebelled against the Ottoman rule during the Arab Revolt of 1916. During World War I, Hussein was initially allied with the Ottomans and Germany, but was convinced by an exchange of letters with the British High Commissioner McMahon that his assistance on the side of the Triple Entente would be rewarded by an Arab empire encompassing the entire span between Egypt and Persia, with the exception of imperial possesions and interests in Kuwait, Aden, and the Syrian coast. Hussein was the official leader in the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans.

Related Topics:
Hashemite - 'Ali - Saudi Ikhwan - Arab Revolt - 1916 - World War I - Ottomans - Germany - Triple Entente

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In the aftermath of the war, the Arabs found themselves freed from the Ottomans but placed under the hypocritical "Mandate" system, of France and the United Kingdom, in which the "liberty" of the inhabitants would be guaranteed by their occupation by European imperial powers. The sons of Hussein were made the kings of Jordan, Syria and Iraq. However, the monarchy in Syria was abruptly ended when the French were given control over the nation (resulting in much resistance and bloodshed), so his son (Faisal) was installed in Iraq instead.

Related Topics:
Mandate - Jordan - Syria - Iraq

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When Hussein declared himself king of the Hejaz, he also declared himself king of all Arabs (malik bilad-al-arab). This aggravated his conflict with Ibn Saud, with whom he had fought before WWI on the side of the Ottomans in 1910. After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and its subsequent dissolution in 1923, king Hussein declared himself Caliph. (The last Turkish Caliphate was abolished by the Turkish Grand National Assembly on March 3, 1924. Hussein of Hejaz declared himself Caliph at Mecca two days after Turkey relinquished the title. But no one took his claim seriously, and he was soon ousted and driven out of Arabia by the Saudis, a rival clan that had no interest in the Caliphate. Saud defeated Hussein in 1924. Hussein continued to use the title of Caliph when living in Transjordan, Caliph of Amman. Though the British had supported Hussein from the start of the Arab Revolt and the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, they elected not to help Hussein repel the Saudi attack, which eventually took Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah (Much to the relief of the citizens, who had grown weary of Hussein's unsuccessful rule). He was then forced to flee to Cyprus. He went to live in Amman, Jordan, where his son Abdullah was king. Hussein died there in 1931. His son Faisal was made King of Iraq.

Related Topics:
Hejaz - Ibn Saud - 1918 - 1923 - Caliph - Turkish Grand National Assembly - Mecca - Saudis - 1924 - Caliph of Amman - Arab Revolt - Hussein-McMahon Correspondence - Cyprus - Amman - Jordan - Abdullah - King - 1931 - Faisal - King of Iraq

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Ali bin Hussein's family

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Hussein, who had four wives, fathered five sons and three daughters:

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• Abdullah I of Jordan,former emir of Jordan
• Faisal I of Iraq, former king of Iraq
• Prince Zeid, succeeded King Faisal II of Iraq on his assassination in 1958, but never ruled as Iraq became a republic.
• Ali of Hejaz,last king of Hejez
• Hassan bin Hussein (died young)
• Saleha bint Hussein
• Fatima bint Hussein
• Sara bint Hussein