Abdullah I of Jordan

Lore & Background

Abdullah was born in Mecca as the second son of Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca. During the First World War, he allied with Britain and played a key role in secret negotiations leading to the Arab Revolt, personally leading guerrilla raids on Ottoman garrisons. He commanded the Arab Eastern Army and laid siege to Ta'if and Medina, ambushed an Ottoman convoy, and worked with French Captain Muhammand Ould Ali Raho to sabotage the Hejaz Railway. His relations with British Captain T. E. Lawrence were not good. Following French capture of Damascus and expulsion of his brother Faisal, Abdullah moved forces into Transjordan. He ruled as an autocrat with an advisory legislative council, and built the Arab Legion with British help. During World War II, he remained a faithful British ally, helping suppress a pro-Axis uprising in Iraq. He held secret meetings with the Jewish Agency, including with future Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, discussing partition and a possible Hashemite-Zionist accommodation.

Reader's Guide

Abdullah I's significance lies in his foundational role in creating the modern state of Jordan and his complex position within the Arab-Israeli conflict. As a moderate among Arab leaders of his generation, he was willing to negotiate with Zionist representatives and supported partition plans, which set him apart from other Arab states. His expansionist aspirations for a Greater Syria under Hashemite rule created distrust among neighboring Arab countries. Abdullah's legacy includes the establishment of the Hashemite monarchy in Jordan, which continues to rule, and his pragmatic, often secret diplomacy that sought to balance British interests, Zionist ambitions, and Arab nationalism.

Did You Know?

• Abdullah was a 38th-generation direct descendant of Muhammad.
• He was assassinated while attending Friday prayers at the entrance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.