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Faisal II
(1935—1958)
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(b. 2 May 1935, d. 14 July 1958).
King of Iraq 1939–58 The grandson of Faisal I, he succeeded his father, King Ghazi, at the age of 4, though he did not take up formal power from his regent, Abd al‐Ilah, until 1953. Educated in England with his cousin Hussein of Jordan, in February 1958 he became head of the Arab Federation of Jordan and Iraq, which was formed in response to the United Arab Republic of Syria and Egypt. Devoid of the political instinct or the charisma of his cousin Hussein, he was ousted in a pro‐Nasser military coup, when he and his uncle were murdered and the Republic of Iraq was proclaimed.
