Abdullah II of Jordan – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Posted By admin on July 16, 2015
Abdullah II bin al-Hussein (Arabic: , Abdullh a-n ibn al-usayn; born 30 January 1962) has been the King of Jordan since he ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 upon the death of his father King Hussein. He is a member of the Hashemite family, which has ruled Jordan since 1946 and claims to be descended from the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[2]
Abdullah was born to Hussein and his second wife, the British-born Princess Muna al-Hussein. He was named crown prince shortly after his birth. King Hussein transferred the title to his own brother, Hassan, in 1965, only to return it to Abdullah in 1999. He is married to Queen Rania, who is of Palestinian origin. In 1993, he assumed command of Jordan's special forces and became a Major General in May 1998.[1][3]
Abdullah was born in Amman to King Hussein during his marriage to British-born Princess Muna al-Hussein (born Antoinette Avril Gardiner). He was the king's eldest son[1] and as such he was heir apparent to the throne of Jordan under the 1952 constitution. However, due to unstable times in the 1960s, King Hussein decided to appoint his brother, Prince Hassan bin Talal, as his heir.[1][4]
Abdullah began his schooling at the Islamic Educational College in Amman. He then attended St Edmund's School, Hindhead, in England, before continuing his education in the United States at Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. In 1980 he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, was commissioned into the British Army as a Second Lieutenant, and served for a year as a troop commander in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars.[1][5] In 1982, Abdullah was admitted to Pembroke College, Oxford, where he completed a one-year Special Studies course in Middle Eastern Affairs. Upon returning home, he joined the Royal Jordanian Army, serving as an officer in the 40th Armored Brigade, and undergoing a parachuting and freefall course. In 1985, he attended the Armored Officer's Advanced Course at Fort Knox, and in 1986, he became commander of a tank company in the 91st Armored Brigade, holding the rank of Captain.[6] He also served with the Royal Jordanian Air Force in its Anti-Tank Wing, where he was trained to fly Cobra attack helicopters.[7]
In 1987, he attended the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.[8]
In 1993, he assumed command of Jordan's special forces and became a Major General in May 1998.
In the 1960s, King Hussein had arranged for the throne to pass to his brother and then to his son Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, but he later decided to change his mind. He seriously considered appointing one of his nephews as heir, but on his deathbed, on 25 January 1999, he named Abdullah as his heir.[9]
Abdullah became king on 7 February 1999, upon the death of his father King Hussein. Hussein had recently named him crown prince on 24 January, changing the constitution and replacing Hussein's brother Hassan, who had served many years in the position (nearly 34 years, from 1965 to 1999). His namesake is King Abdullah I, his great grandfather who founded modern Jordan.[10]
A few hours after the announcement of his father's death, Abdullah went before an emergency session of the Jordanian National Assembly. Wearing a red-and-white Keffiyeh, Abdullah entered the parliament to quiet applause from senators and assemblymen, some weeping. Hussein's two brothers, Hassan and Mohammed, walked ahead of him. Abdullah stood in front of a portrait of Hussein at-attention, drawing more applause. He then spoke in Arabic the oath taken by Hussein almost fifty years before; "I swear by Almighty Allah to uphold the constitution and to be faithful to the nation". Zaid al-Rifai, speaker of the House of Notables (Senate), opened the session with Al-Fatiha, the opening Sura (chapter) of the Quran. His voice cracked with emotion as he led the recitation. "Allah, save his majesty," "Allah, give him advice and take care of him."[11]
King Abdullah II is the head of a constitutional monarchy in which the king retains substantial power. In 2010, he was chosen as the fourth most influential Muslim in the world.[12]
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Abdullah II of Jordan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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