Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Hussein of Jordan

Role / Field:

King of Jordan, a Hashemite monarch who ruled from 1952 until his death in 1999.

Born:

1935-11-14

Died:

1999-02-07

Century / Era:

1935s Historical Era

Database Source:

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

Origins & Early Life

Hussein (né Hussein bin Talal al-Hashimi; Arabic: الحسين بن طلال; 14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was King of Jordan from 1952 until his death in 1999. A member of the Hashemite dynasty, he is regarded as a 40th-generation descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hussein was born in Amman as the eldest child of Talal bin Abdullah and Zein al-Sharaf bint Jamil. Talal was at that time the heir to his own father, King Abdullah I.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Hussein began his schooling in Amman, continuing his education abroad. After Talal became king in 1951, Hussein was named heir apparent. The Jordanian Parliament forced Talal to abdicate a year later due to his mental illness, and a regency council was appointed until Hussein came of age. He was enthroned at the age of 17 in 1953. Hussein was married four separate times and fathered eleven children.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Hussein, a constitutional monarch, started his rule by allowing the formation of the only democratically elected government in Jordan's history in 1956, which he forced to resign a few months later, declaring martial law and banning political parties. Under Hussein, Jordan fought three wars with Israel, including the 1967 Six-Day War, which ended in Jordan...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• 14th Dalai Lama — Contemporary (Born in 1935) (1935): Spiritual leader of Tibet and head of Tibetan Buddhism since 1940.
• A. J. Foyt — Contemporary (Born in 1935) (1935): Legendary American racing driver, known for winning the Indy 500 four times.
• Abraham Isaac Kook — Contemporary (Died in 1935) (1935): Pioneering Orthodox Rabbi and Father of Religious Zionism.
• Akhtar Hameed Khan — Contemporary (Died in 1999) (1999): Pioneering Pakistani social scientist and development practitioner.
• Akio Morita — Contemporary (Died in 1999) (1999): Visionary Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony.
• Alf Ramsey — Contemporary (Died in 1999) (1999): Legendary English footballer and manager, best known for the 1966 World Cup victory.
• A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — Shared historical date (11-14 · Died) (1977): Pioneering global spread of Krishna consciousness teachings and the Hare Krishna mantra.
• Aaron Copland — Shared historical date (11-14 · Born) (1900): Pioneering American composer, conductor, and critic, known as the "Dean of American Music".
• Adolphe Sax — Shared historical date (02-07 · Died) (1894): Belgian inventor who created the saxophone and revolutionized wind instruments.
• Albert Finney — Shared historical date (02-07 · Died) (2019): Esteemed English actor celebrated for his versatile stage and screen performances.
• 1935 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1935
• November 14 (11-14) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 14
• 1999 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1999
• February 7 (02-07) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on February 7

Frequently Asked Questions about Hussein of Jordan