Introduction

Abdullah I was the founder of the modern Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He assumed the throne of the Amirate of Transjordan in 1921 and took the title of King after his country achieved independence from Britain in 1946. Mentor to his grandson, Hussein bin Talal, Abdullah was assassinated in 1951.

Early Life

He was born in 1882, the second son of Hussein bin Ali (Amir of Makkah from 1908–16 and king of the Hejaz 1916–24). Under the Hashemite banner, Abdullah fought in the Arab revolt against Turkish occupation during the First World War. Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Britain received a mandate over the Amirate of Transjordan (as well as the territory of Palestine and Kingdom of Iraq). Abdullah was made ruler (and his brother Faisal assumed the throne of Iraq).

Career Peak

Over the next 25 years he sought to develop centralized governmental authority over a mostly tribal and nomadic society. He promulgated the first constitution in 1928 and held elections for the first parliament in 1929. He also presided over a series of Anglo-Transjordanian treaties culminating in Britain’s recognition of his country’s full sovereign independence in March 1946. Transjordan became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The latter part of his reign witnessed the creation of the neighbouring Jewish State of Israel and the first Arab-Israeli War of 1948–49. Jordanian troops fought in the conflict in the defence of Jerusalem and parts of Palestine. After the war Abdullah concluded an armistice directly with Israel. On 20 July 1951 he was shot outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The gunman was a Palestinian opposed to any dealings with Israel.