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Abd al-Ilah ibn Ali ibn Hussein

Source:
A Dictionary of Contemporary World History
Author(s):

Jan Palmowski

Abd al-Ilah ibn Ali ibn Hussein 

(b. 1912, d. 14 July 1958).

Regent of Iraq Born in Hejaz as the grandson of Hussein ibn Ali, he became regent of Iraq for his 4-year-old cousin Faisal II, after the death of his brother-in-law, King Ghazi. Strongly pro-British throughout his life, in 1941 he was expelled by a group of pro-German officers. He was reinstated by the British, since when he was regarded as a pawn of Britain and the USA. After the war, he attempted to democratize the political system, but failed to create democratic stability. He relinquished office in 1953 but continued as chief adviser to King Faisal until both were killed in the Iraqi Revolution of 1958.