Faisal II

Faisal II
Faisal in the 1950s
King of Iraq
Reign	4 April 1939 – 14 July 1958
Regency ended	2 May 1953
Predecessor	Ghazi I
Successor	Monarchy abolished (Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i,President of Iraq) (Zeid bin Husseinas head of Iraqi and Syrian royal family)
Prime Minister	See list Nuri al-Said(7 times) Rashid Ali al-Gaylani(twice) Taha al-Hashimi Jamil al-Midfai(twice) Hamdi al-Pachachi Tawfiq al-Suwaidi(twice) Arshad al-Umari(Twice) Salih Jabr Muhammad as-Sadr Muzahim al-Pachachi Ali Jawdat al-Aiyubi(twice) Mustafa Mahmud al-Umari Nureddin Mahmud Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali Abdul-Wahab Mirjan Ahmad Mukhtar Baban
Regent (1939–1953)	Prince 'Abd al-Ilah
Born	(1935-05-02)2 May 1935 Baghdad,Kingdom of Iraq
Died	14 July 1958(1958-07-14)(aged 23) Baghdad,Arab Federation
Burial	Iraqi Royal Cemetery,Baghdad
Names Faisal bin Ghazi bin Faisal bin Hussein bin Ali
House	Hashemite
Father	Ghazi I
Mother	Aliya of Hejaz
Religion	Sunni Islam

Faisal II(Arabic:الملك فيصل الثاني,romanized:al-Malik Fayṣal al-thānī;2 May 1935 – 14 July 1958) was the lastKing of Iraq.He reigned from 4 April 1939 until July 1958, when he was killed during the14 July Revolution.Thisregicidemarked the end of the thirty-seven-year-oldHashemite monarchyin Iraq, which then became arepublic.

The only son ofKing GhaziandQueen Aliya of Iraq,Faisal acceded to the throne at the age of three after his father was killed in a car crash. A regency was set up under his uncle Prince'Abd al-Ilah.In 1941, apro-Axis coup d'étatoverthrew the regent. The British responded by initiating aninvasion of Iraqa month later and restored 'Abd al-Ilah to power. During theSecond World War,Faisal was evacuated along with his mother to the United Kingdom. There, he attendedHarrow Schoolalongside his cousinHussein,the futureKing of Jordan.The regency ended in May 1953 when Faisal came of age.

Theoverthrow of the Egyptian monarchyin 1953 and the formation of theUnited Arab Republicin February 1958 only provided impetuses to ideas of a revolution. TheHashemite Arab Federationwas formed between Iraq andJordanin February 1958 with Faisal as its head, which did not quell widespread opposition. In July 1958, a group ofRoyal Iraqi Armyofficers led byAbd al-Karim Qasimmounted a coup d'état and overthrew the monarchy. Faisal was executed along with numerous members of his family in the process.

Family and early life

Birth and early years

King Faisal II at the age of 5

Faisal was the only son ofKing Ghazi of Iraqand his wife,Queen Aliya,second daughter of 'Ali bin Hussein,King of theHejazandGrand SharifofMecca.Faisal's father was killed in a mysterious car crash when he was three years old; his father’s first cousin,Prince'Abd al-Ilah,served asregentuntil Faisal came of age in 1953. He also suffered fromasthma.

1941 coup

King Faisal II of Iraqc. 1944

Faisal's childhood coincided with theSecond World War,in which theHashemite Kingdom of Iraqwas formally allied with theBritish Empireand theAllies.In April 1941, his first cousin once removed'Abd al-Ilahwas briefly deposed as Regent by a militarycoup d'étatwhich aimed to align Iraq with theAxis powers.The1941 coup in Iraqsoon led to theAnglo-Iraqi War.Germanaid proved insufficient, and the Regent 'Abd al-Ilah was restored to power by a combined Allied force composed of the mercenary JordanianArab Legion,theRoyal Air Forceand other British units. Iraq resumed its British ties, and at the end of the war joined theUnited Nations.

During his early years, Faisal was tutored at the royal palace with several other Iraqi boys. During the Second World War, he lived for a time with his mother at Grove Lodge atWinkfieldRow inBerkshireinEngland.As a teenager, Faisal attendedHarrow Schoolwith his second cousin Prince Hussein, later to becomeKing Hussein of Jordan.The two boys were close friends, and reportedly planned early on to merge their two realms, to counter what they considered to be the "threat" ofCommunismand left-leaning variants ofpan-Arabnationalism.Recently, 143 drawings drawn by Faisal using either pencil or crayon were put on display at Iraq's National Archives depicting backdrops of the war he lived through. Such as drawings of aircraft, bombs, killer robots, and extreme fighting on both land and sea but some drawings depict more peaceful subjects, including landscapes, birds, and buildings, as well as maps ofEuropeandNorth Africa.These drawings offered a look into his mind during the chaotic time.

1952 United States tour

In 1952, at age 17, Faisal began plans to visit theUnited Statesand its many development projects such as agriculture, power projects, canal systems, and land reclamation schemes. It was of particular interest to the King especially the Irrigation projects as Faisal would later tell the New York press that it was “very much needed in our country."

On the 12th of August, 1952, Faisal began the five-week tour and, along with Regent 'Abd al-Ilah, they first arrived at 11 AM, in theHudson Riveron theRMSQueen Maryand were given a tour around theUnited Nations HeadquartersinManhattan.The next day, Faisal went on a tour of theEmpire State Buildingand after arriving at the City Hall for a reception with MayorVincent R. Impellitteri,he famously went to attend a game held in theEbbets Field.The visit was covered by many news outlets nationwide that many forgot Faisal's original motives for the visit. He would also famously be on the side ofBrooklyn Dodgersbut reportedly couldn't tell the difference between them and the other team, theNew York Giants,in which one of his aides told him that it the team's names are written on their clothes.

In the following days, he would tour theRadio City Music Halland theEsso Oil Company.On the 16th of August, both would depart fromLaGuardia AirportforWashington, D.C.where he met PresidentHarry Truman.Over the following weeks, he would meet other famous Americans such asDean Acheson,the actorJames Mason,andJackie Robinson,among others.

Adulthood

Less than a year after his visit to the United States, Faisal attained hismajorityon 2 May 1953, commencing his active rule with little experience and during a changing Iraqi political and social climate exacerbated by the rapid development of pan-Arab nationalism.Reportedly, his reign was marked by tolerance and co-existence with other faiths and branches of Islam and projects such as an irrigation project, inspired by the US project.Public buildings were built under his reign such asal-Shawy Mosquewhich he visited along with scholars and notables of Baghdad on TV.Faisal initially relied for political advice upon his father’s cousin Prince'Abd al-Ilahand GeneralNuri al-Sa'id,a veteran politician and nationalist who had already served several terms asPrime Minister.However, Faisal's reign simultaneously grew increasingly unstable against a backdrop of economic inequality coupled with the rise of Communism, anti-imperialist sentiment, and mountingPan-Arabnationalism.

Hastening Faisal's demise was the decision taken by his regent (later confirmed by him) to allow the United Kingdom to retain a continued role in Iraqi affairs, throughthe Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1948,and later theBaghdad Pact,signed in 1955. Increasing massive protests greeted news of each of these alliances, contributing to the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators and an increasing deterioration of loyalty to the Iraqi Crown.

Prince Abdullah (holding hat) atMount Vernon,U.S. He was the regent of his nephew Faisal during his infancy. They were both killed during the 1958 coup.

Postage stamp of his 1953 coronation

As oil revenues increased during the 1950s, the king and his advisers chose to invest their wealth in development projects, which some claimed increasingly alienated the rapidly growing middle class and the peasantry. TheIraqi Communist Partyincreased its influence. Though the regime seemed secure, an intense dissatisfaction with Iraq's condition brewed just below the surface. An ever-widening gap between the wealth of the political elites, landowners, and other supporters of the regime on the one hand, and the poverty of workers and peasants on the other, intensified opposition to Faisal's government. Since the upper classes controlled the parliament, reformists increasingly saw revolution as their sole hope for improvement. TheEgyptian Revolution of 1952,led byGamal Abdel Nasser,provided an impetus for a similar undertaking in Iraq.

Plans for Greater Baghdad

Main article:Plan for Greater Baghdad

During his reign, Faisal initiated large-scale plans for the modernization of Greater Baghdad. The goal of this ambitious project was to improve and develop infrastructure and housing, provide essential public buildings, reform the building industries, and train future Iraqi architects to not rely on Western help. The increase in the economy that subsequently enabled the plans for Greater Baghdad to be developed was due to negotiations with the British-controlledIraq Petroleum Companyin 1952 that achieved an equitable share of oil rights and a substantial increase in Iraq's revenue. Faisal also created the semiautonomous Development Board which consisted of six members including a foreign advisor with the goal of improving living conditions and construction. After various negotiations, the board received a percentage of the annual oil revenue and in 1955 it established a six-year plan with a larger budget, a quarter of which was assigned to public buildings. In an effort to secure the authority of King Faisal II and the Royal Family and to thwart possible tensions, funds needed to be invested in urban areas where it was feared the conflict would potentially appear.

Many architects from around the world were invited, among them wereAlvar Aalto,Walter Gropius(who designed the faculty tower and gateway monument toBaghdad University),Le Corbusierand many more. Commissions for public buildings followed and the first ones went to the German architectWerner Marchfor theIraq Museumand the English firm J. Brian Cooper to build the National Parliament and theRoyal Palace.An architect competition was set up for the National Bank which Swiss architectWilliam Dunkelwon. Some of the buildings designed during the plan were built even decades later after Faisal's reign ended underSaddam Husseinsuch as the Baghdad Gymnasium which was designed by Le Corbusier.Frank Lloyd Wrightwas also invited by Faisal to design much of Newer Baghdad, Wright seemed to not regard Iraq as an underdeveloped nation and wanted to preserve its character. Inspired byHarun al-Rashidand theArabian Nights,Wright's plans seemed to echo oldAbbasid architecturein Baghdad such as circular layout and are imbued in greenery to allude to theGarden of Eden.

Despite the contribution to the development of the city, some have criticized Faisal's plans for Greater Baghdad and the many styles that he introduced to be a "Westernization"of Iraq. The plans also acquired international attention as a letter from the British Board of Trade demonstrates that was sent to a number of British architects. Some of the criticism of the plans were used as justification during the14 July Revolution.

The Arab Federation

Main article:Arab Federation

Faisal (left) with his cousinKing HusseinofJordan,in February 1958.

On 1 February 1958, neighboring Syria joined with Nasser's Egypt to form theUnited Arab Republicwhich Iraq did not recognize. This prompted theHashemitekingdoms of Iraq and Jordan to strengthen their ties by establishing a similar alliance. KingHussein bin Talal,King of Jordan, sent his court minister to Baghdad, carrying a message to Faisal inviting him to go with some ministers to Amman, to consider the consequences of the event. On February 11, 1958, the King of Iraq went with some ministers, the Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Chief of the Royal Court. On the next day, Abd al-Ilah joined them, and there the two parties reached, on February 14, 1958, the declaration of theArab Hashemite Union between Iraq and Jordan,also known as the "Arab Federation." Originally,Kuwaitwas to join but Britain was opposed to the unification.

Faisal, as the senior member of the Hashemite family, became its head of state and the head of the Union Government, and in his absence, Hussein would head the Union Government. The Federation was also open to other Arab countries joining it.

Downfall and murder

An opposition forms

Faisal's political situation deteriorated in 1956, withuprisings in the citiesofNajafand Hayy. Meanwhile,Israel'sattack on Egypt,coordinated with Britain andFrancein response to Nasser's nationalization of theSuez Canal,only exacerbated popular revulsion for theBaghdad Pact,and thus Faisal's rule. The opposition began to coordinate its activities; in February 1957, a "Front of National Union" was established, bringing together the National Democrats, Independents, Communists, and theBa'ath Party.An identical process ensued within the Iraqi officer corps with the formation of a "Supreme Committee of Free Officers". Faisal's government endeavored to preserve the military's loyalty through generous benefits, but this proved increasingly ineffective as more and more officers came to sympathize with the nascent pro-republican anti-monarchist movement.

14 July Revolution

Main article:14 July Revolution

In the summer of 1958,King Hussein of Jordanasked for Iraqi military assistance during the escalatingLebanon crisis.Units of theRoyal Iraqi Armyunder the command ofColonelAbd al-Karim Qasim,en routeto Jordan, chose to march on Baghdad instead, where they mounted acoup d'étaton 14 July. During the14 July Revolution,Faisal II ordered the Royal Guard to offer no resistance and surrendered to the insurgents.Around 8 am,CaptainAbdul Sattar Sabaa Al-Ibousi, leading the revolutionary assault group at the Rihab Palace, which was still the principal royal residence in central Baghdad, ordered the King,Crown Prince'Abd al-Ilah,Crown Princess Hiyam('Abd al-Ilah's wife), Princess Nafeesa ('Abd al-Ilah's mother),Princess Abadiya(Faisal's aunt) and several servants to gather in the palace courtyard (the young King had not yet moved into the newly completedRoyal Palace). According to Princess Hiyam's biography page, the royal family and royal staff left the palace through the kitchen. When they passed through the kitchen garden, rebel soldiers opened fire. The King was shot in the head and neck, while Nafeesa and Abadiya were shot in the back. Only Princess Hiyam survived the massacre of the royal family, being wounded in the leg or hip. The group was then taken to cars for transport to the Ministry of Defence. The King reportedly died along the way, and the cars were stopped. The King's body was hanged, while the Crown Prince was defiled and dragged through the streets.

Aftermath

Many years later, when the Iraqi historianSafa Khulusimet Al-Ibousi, who was once one of Khulusi's students, and questioned him on his part in Faisal's death, the former student answered, "all I did was remember Palestine, and the trigger on the machine-gun just set itself off".

During the regime ofSaddam Hussein,Faisal II was reburied under a marble tomb located next to that of his father in the restoredRoyal Cemeteryin Baghdad.

Engagements

Faisal initially asked for the hand of PrincessShahnaz Pahlavi,the eldest daughter of ShahMohammad Reza Pahlavi.However, the offer was rejected by the princess herself.

In January 1957, Faisal became engaged to Princess Kiymet Hanım, a descendant of theMamluk dynastyof Iraq. However, the engagement was broken three months later.

At the time of his death, the king was scheduled to marry to PrincessSabiha Fazile Hanımsultan(engagement in September 1957), the only daughter of Prince Muhammad 'Ali Ibrahim of Egypt and Ottoman princessZahra Hanzade Sultan.

Notable published works

Faisal II was the author ofWays to Defend Yourself(1951), an Arabic book onjudoand self-defense, and he printed 50 copies of it and gave it to other kings and leaders on top of them his uncleKing Abdullahof Jordan. He also gave a copy of it to theLeague of Arab Nationshoping to reprint it and distribute it for free to the youth in Arab countries, but that never happened.

In pop culture

• It has been suggested before that Belgian comic creator,Hergé,used young Faisal as the inspiration for the Character ofPrince Abdullah of Khemedin the fifteenth volume ofThe Adventures of Tintin:Land of Black Gold.It's even suggested that the portrait of Prince Abdullah in the same storyline was inspired by the young King's portrait.
• Footage of Faisal along with Abd al-Ilah was shown inThe Rock 'n' Roll Yearsepisode "1958" in which the events of the 14 July coup were also talked about.

Military ranks

Faisal held the following ranks:

• Admiral of the Fleet,Royal Iraqi Navy.
• Field Marshal,Royal Iraqi Army.
• Marshal of the Royal Iraqi Air Force.
• Air Vice-Marshal(honorary),Royal Air Force.

Gallery

• 
  Faisal II stamp from 1949
• 
  Faisal II stamp from 1953
• 
  Faisal II with his uncle, Regent Abd al-ilah
• 
  Faisal II with his cousin, Hussein of Jordan and Uncle, Abd al-ilah
• 
  Jackie Robinsoninterviews Faisal II during his visit to the United States, 1952
• 
  Faisal II at the Imama Reza Shrine, 1957
• 
  Faisal II in ceremonial uniform
• 
  Faisal II with his uncle, Abd al-ilah, and other officers in the Iraqi army and behind them on the right appears Pasha Nuri al-Said
• 
  King Faisal II and Abd al-ilah at Mosul Airport with Rafik Aref, Chief of Staff of the Army, on the right of the picture, and Khalil Jassim al-Dabbagh, the commander of the Mosul site, on the left
• 
  The Grave of Faisal II in the Royal Cemetery located in Baghdad

Namesakes

Martyr Faisal II College (Kolleyet Al-Shahid Faisal Al-Thani) is a military school inJordanthat was named after him.

See also

• The lateSharif Ali bin al-Hussein– The cousin of King Faisal II who lived in Iraq and had a political platform to establish aconstitutional monarchyin Iraq.
• Prince Ra'ad,head of the royal house of Iraq.
• Nuri al-Said– ThePrime Ministerof theHashemite Kingdom of Iraqwho was also executed by supporters ofColonelAbdul Karim Qassim.
• Arab Federation,the short-lived union between Jordan and Iraq where Faisal became its head of state.
• History of Iraq.

External links

• "Young King".Time.17 April 1939. Archived fromthe originalon 14 December 2008.Retrieved24 November2017.
• "Revolt in Baghdad".Time.21 July 1958.Retrieved24 November2017.
• "In One Swift Hour".Time.28 July 1958. Archived fromthe originalon 16 March 2007.Retrieved24 November2017.

Further reading

• Khadduri, Majid.Independent Iraq, 1932–1958.2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 1960.
• Lawrence, T. E.Seven Pillars of Wisdom.Retrieved 14 July 2008
• Longrigg, Stephen H.Iraq, 1900 to 1950.Oxford University Press, 1953.
• Morris, James.The Hashemite Kings.London, 1959.
• De Gaury, Gerald.Three kings in Baghdad, 1921-1958(Hutchinson, 1961).