Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Hafez al-Assad

Role / Field:

Syrian politician and military officer who served as President of Syria from 1971 to 2000.

Born:

1930-10-06

Died:

2000-06-10

Century / Era:

1930s Historical Era

Database Source:

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

Origins & Early Life

Hafez al-Assad (6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was a Syrian politician and military officer who served as the president of Syria from 1971 until his death in 2000. He was previously the prime minister from 1970 to 1971 as well as the regional secretary of the regional command of the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party and secretary general of the National Command of the Ba'ath Party from 1970 until his death. Assad was a key participant in the 1963 Syrian coup d'état, which brought the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party to power. The party ruled for over six decades until it was overthrown in 2024, under the leadership of his son Bashar al-Assad.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After the 1963 coup, the new leadership appointed Assad as the commander of the Syrian Arab Air Force. In February 1966, Assad participated in a second coup, which toppled the leaders of the Ba'ath Party. Assad was appointed defense minister by the new government. Four years later Assad initiated a third coup, which ousted the quasi-Marxist regime of Salah Jadid, and appointed himself as leader of Syria. Assad imposed various changes to the Ba'athist foreign policy after seizing power, such as abandoning...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adolf Wölfli — Contemporary (Died in 1930) (1930): Swiss outsider artist known for meticulous, symbolic, and autobiographical works.
• Adonis (poet) — Contemporary (Born in 1930) (1930): Pioneering Syrian poet, essayist, and translator who revolutionized modern Arabic verse.
• Alfred von Tirpitz — Contemporary (Died in 1930) (1930): Architect of the modern German battle fleet and naval expansionist.
• A. D. Hope — Contemporary (Died in 2000) (2000): Australian poet and essayist celebrated for his satirical wit and academic career.
• A. E. van Vogt — Contemporary (Died in 2000) (2000): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• Abraham Pais — Contemporary (Died in 2000) (2000): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• Alfred, Lord Tennyson — Shared historical date (10-06 · Died) (1892): Victorian Poet Laureate known for lyrical verse and mythological themes.
• Anwar Sadat — Shared historical date (10-06 · Died) (1981): Egyptian President who spearheaded economic reform and the peace treaty with Israel.
• Adolph Zukor — Shared historical date (06-10 · Died) (1976): Pioneering Hungarian-American film producer, co-founder of Paramount Pictures.
• Alessandro Algardi — Shared historical date (06-10 · Died) (1654): Master of High-Baroque Sculpture, renowned for his portrait busts in Rome.
• 1930 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1930
• October 6 (10-06) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 6
• 2000 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2000
• June 10 (06-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 10

Frequently Asked Questions about Hafez al-Assad