born May 20, 1885, Mecca, Hejaz, Arabian Peninsula
died Sept. 8, 1933, Bern, Switz.
Arab statesman and king of Iraq (192133).
Son of Sharif Husayn ibn Al 012B; , he helped his father plot Arab nationalist rebellion against the Ottoman Empire during World War I (191418). When the Arab revolt was declared in 1916, he played an important part in anti-Ottoman military campaigns. In 1918 an Arab military force occupied Damascus, and Fay 1E63; al was declared king of Syria. Two years later France invaded Syria, and he went into exile in London. The British sponsored him as king of Iraq, in anticipation of a treaty providing for Iraqi independence; he was crowned in 1921, and Iraq became independent in 1932.