Hashemite

Quick Facts: Who was Hashemite?

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Hashemite

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The royal family of Jordan, ruling since 1921, with deep historical roots in Mecca.

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Origins & Early Life

The Hashemites (Arabic: الهاشميون, romanized: al-Hāshimiyyūn), officially the House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921–1958). The family had ruled the city of Mecca continuously from the 10th century, frequently as vassals of outside powers, and ruled the thrones of the Hejaz, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan following their World War I alliance with the British Empire. The family belongs to the Dhawu Awn, one of the branches of the Ḥasanid Sharifs of Mecca, also referred to as Hashemites. Their eponymous ancestor is traditionally considered to be Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Another claimed ancestor is Ali ibn Abi Talib.The Ḥasanid Sharifs of Mecca (from whom the Hashemite royal family is directly descended), including the Hashemites' ancestor Qatadah ibn Idris, were Zaydī Shīʿas until the late Mamluk or early Ottoman period, when they became followers of the Shāfiʿī school of Sunnī Islam.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The current dynasty was founded by Sharif Hussein ibn Ali, who was appointed as Sharif and Emir of Mecca by the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1908, then in 1916—after concluding a secret agreement with the British Empire—was proclaimed King of Arab countries (but only recognized as King of the Hejaz) after initiating the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. His sons Abdullah and Faisal assumed the thrones of Jordan and Iraq in 1921, and his first son Ali succeeded him in the Hejaz in 1924. This arrangement became known as the "Sharifian solution". Abdullah was assassinated in 1951, but his descendants continue to rule Jordan today. The other two branches of the dynasty did not survive; Ali was ousted by Ibn Saud after the British withdrew their support from Hussein in 1924–1925, and Faisal's grandson Faisal II was executed in the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

According to historians Ibn Khaldun and Ibn Hazm, in c. 968 Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Hasani came from Medina and conquered Mecca in the name of the Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz, after the latter had conquered Egypt from the Ikhshidids. Jafar was from the wider Banu Hashim clan, albeit a different branch to the modern dynasty. The Banu Hashim claim to trace their ancestry from Hashim ibn Abd Manaf (died c. 497 AD), the great-grandfather of Muhammad, although the definition today mainly refers to the descendants of Fatimah bint Asad and her son Ali ibn Abi Talib. Control of Mecca remained with the clan; when the Ottoman Turks took control of Egypt in 1517 AD, Sharif Barakat quickly recognized the change in sovereignty, sending his son Abu Numayy II to the Ottoman sultan Selim I in Cairo, bearing the keys to the holy cities and other gifts. The Ottoman sultan confirmed Barakat and Abu Numayy in their positions as co-rulers of the Hejaz.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1517: 1517 Milestone — Control of Mecca remained with the clan; when the Ottoman Turks took control of Egypt in 1517 AD, Sharif Barakat quickly recognized the change in sovereignty, sending his son Abu Numayy II to the Ottoman sultan Selim I in Cairo, bearing the keys to the holy cities and other gifts.
2. 1908: 1908 Milestone — The current dynasty was founded by Sharif Hussein ibn Ali, who was appointed as Sharif and Emir of Mecca by the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1908, then in 1916—after concluding a secret agreement with the British Empire—was proclaimed King of Arab countries (but only recognized as King of the Hejaz) after initiating the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.
3. 1921: 1921 Milestone — The Hashemites (Arabic: الهاشميون, romanized: al-Hāshimiyyūn), officially the House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921–1958).
4. 1924: 1924 Milestone — The other two branches of the dynasty did not survive; Ali was ousted by Ibn Saud after the British withdrew their support from Hussein in 1924–1925, and Faisal's grandson Faisal II was executed in the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état.
5. 1951: 1951 Milestone — Abdullah was assassinated in 1951, but his descendants continue to rule Jordan today.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Hashemite

True or False: “Did the Hashemites rule over all of the Arabian Peninsula immediately after World War I?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The British agreement recognized Arab independence over a much more limited area than what Sharif Hussein initially aspired to.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aaron Beck — Historical peer (Born in 1921) (1921): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• ʻAbdu'l-Bahá — Historical peer (Died in 1921) (1921): Successor to Baháʼu'lláh and guiding light of the Baháʼí Faith.
• Adriana Caselotti — Historical peer (Born in 1916) (1916): American actress and singer, famed for voicing Snow White in the first Disney feature.
• Ahmed Ben Bella — Historical peer (Born in 1916) (1916): Algerian revolutionary and politician who served as the first President of Algeria.
• Albert Bandura — Historical peer (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering psychologist known for Social Cognitive Theory and self-efficacy.
• Alexander Shulgin — Historical peer (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering biochemist known for synthesizing and exploring over 200 psychoactive compounds.
• Abraham Kuyper — Historical peer (Died in 1920) (1920): Influential neo-Calvinist pastor, journalist, and Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani — Historical peer (Born in 1920) (1920): Emir of Qatar (1960–1972) whose reign oversaw the nation's oil boom and independence.
• Abhijeet Bhattacharya — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Veteran Indian playback singer known for Hindi, Bengali, and diverse regional music.
• Alec Baldwin — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Versatile American actor known for dramatic depth and comedic timing.

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