Abdul-Karim Qasim

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Abdul-Karim Qasim

Role / Field:

Iraqi military officer who led the country as Prime Minister from 1958 to 1963.

Born:

1914-11-21

Died:

1963-02-09

Century / Era:

1914s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Abdul Karim Qasim Mohammed Bakr Al-Qaraghuli Al-Zubaidi (Arabic: عبد الكريم قاسم ʿAbd al-Karīm Qāsim [ʕabdulkariːm qɑːsɪm]; 21 November 1914 – 9 February 1963) was an Iraqi military officer and statesman who served as the Prime Minister and de facto leader of Iraq from 1958 until his overthrow in 1963. Qasim came to power in 1958 when the Iraqi monarchy was overthrown during the 14 July Revolution. He ruled the country as the prime minister until his downfall and execution during the 1963 Ramadan Revolution. He led a military regime in Iraq. Relations with Iran and the West deteriorated significantly under Qasim's leadership.

Career & Major Achievements

He actively opposed the presence of foreign troops in Iraq and spoke out against it. Relations with Iran were strained due to his call for Arab territory within Iran to be annexed to Iraq, and Iran continued to actively fund and facilitate Kurdish rebels in the north of Iraq. Relations with the Pan-Arab Nasserist factions such as the Arab Struggle Party caused tensions with the United Arab Republic, and as a result it aided Kurdish rebellions in the Kurdistan Region against the government. During his rule, Qasim was popularly known as az-Zaʿīm (الزعيم), or "The Leader". Abd al-Karim's father, Qasim Mohammed Bakr Al-Qaraghuli Al-Zubaidi was a farmer from southern Baghdad who died during the First World War, shortly after his son's birth.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Qasim's mother, Kayfia Hassan Yakub Al-Sakini was also from Baghdad. Abd al-Karim Qasim claimed to be of full Arab descent, with official data published during his rule claiming he was born to a Qahtani father and an Adnani mother. However, his opponents often denied his Arab origins and accused him of having a Turkmen father and a Kurdish mother, while other sources claimed his father was a Sunni Arab and his mother was a Shia Kurd. He was described as being "in a class of his own". Qasim was born in Mahdiyya, a lower-income district of Baghdad on the left side of the river, now known as Karkh, on 21 November 1914, the youngest of three sons.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1914 (1914-11-21): Birth of Abdul-Karim Qasim — Iraqi military officer who led the country as Prime Minister from 1958 to 1963.
2. 1958: 1958 Milestone — Qasim came to power in 1958 when the Iraqi monarchy was overthrown during the 14 July Revolution.
3. 1963 (1963-02-09): Passing & Historical Legacy — Abdul-Karim Qasim passed away on 1963-02-09, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Abdul-Karim Qasim

True or False: “Abdul-Karim Qasim was immediately recognized by all political factions as a purely Sunni Arab leader from his early career.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): His opponents often denied his pure Arab origins, suggesting mixed ancestry involving Turkmen and Kurdish heritage.

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• 1914 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1914
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Frequently Asked Questions about Abdul-Karim Qasim