Profile: Aqil I, Feisal I, Aqil II
Kings of Mesopotamia
Aqil I (1879 - 1959)
Aqil ibn Hussein was born to future sultan of Arabia and caliph Hussein ibn Ali in Mecca in 1879. Him had older brother whom became later sultan of Arabia and caliph. Like his big brother Aqil too became familiar with Arab nationalism on young age. In 1905 he was elected to city council of Jeddah. When Arab Revolt break out on 1908 Aqil ibn Hussein begun led Arab coalition. He too acted as important advisor for European allies of Arabs. On June 1909 Arab rebels captured Jeddah and Aqil became mayor of the city.
After the Great War Aqil demanded that Mesopotamia should make its own kingdom under Hashemites when it was clear that they can't unite all Arab lands of Ottoman Empire. Brits agreed and they put Aqil to Mesopotamian throne but the country was only semi-independent and Brits had much of power in the new kingdom.
Aqil I got very troublesome nation. The country was poor and very underdeveloped. Mesopotamians were Shia majority who were long time been opressed by Sunnis and they lacked any kind of nationalist feelings and so they even didn't care about existence of the kingdom and speciality king who was Sunni. So first acts of new king was give constitution which gave full religion liberty and made all religions equal and created soem kind of parliament altough it allowed for king much of political power. And regarding religion government and military forces were dominated by Sunnis which caused much of problems. Another important act was to call teachers, engineers and military advisors from other nations. During 1910's and 1920's the country begun to develope. Asphalt roads, railroads, and new buildings were constructed, many big cities got electric lights, and education level increased. But developing was slow and the country had still several problems. Shias and Sunnis hated each others and Shias disliked idea that they are ruled by Sunni monarch who is puppet of Brits. National border didn't mean much if anything for goat shepherds of border regions. They passed border from and to Kurdistan, Ottoman Empire and Arabia like there wouldn't had been border all. With Arabia was easy to deal problem but this caused some small problems with Ottomans and Kurdistan.
On 1930's Shia militarism was rising and there was many serious violent incidents in southern cities. Aqil I needed help of Arabia and United Kingdom to put these down. On 1950's Mesopotamia was still pretty poor but on much better condition as it was during last years of Ottoman regime and early years of the kingdom. Brits too begun to give more independence for local government. King Aqil I died in Baghdad in 1959 at age of 80 and was succeeded by his oldest son, Feisal I.
Feisal I (1904 - 1970)
Feisal ibn Aqil was oldest son of Aqil ibn Hussein, future king of Mesopotamia. On his early childhood he lived under Ottoman regime and witnessed Arab Revolt. At age of seven him became crown prince of new-founded Kingdom of Mesopotamia. In 1924 he was sent to United Kingdom where he educated law, administration and joined to British infranty and served in Indo-Afghan border region on 1930's. Finally he got rank of major in 1942 and returned to his home country where he helped put Shia and Wahhabist militansts down. In 1945 him became war minister of Mesopotamia.
In 1959 king Aqil I died at age of 80 and Feisal became king of Mesopotamia. Feisal tried continue his father's politics but Mesopotamia was very divided between different factions and during his reign Faisal faced several problems caused by extremist Shias, extremist Sunnis, Arab nationalists, which was too very divided faction. Corpocratism too got some influence in the country. Nationalists and several conservative groups too hated Feisal's close relationships with Brits. On 1960's Shias begun demand larger autonomy for southern provinces and more rights. There was several violent incidents speciality in Basra and Karbala. In 1970 against advise of his ministers the king went to Karbala where he gave speech where he stated that Mesopotamia is unitary nation under Sunni monarch and any Shia resistance will be crushed. His pretty pro-Sunni speech caused frustration. When the king was leaving Karbala on August 8, several Shia militants attacked against the king and his bodyguards. Shia militants shot the king with assault rifles.
Aqil II (1928 - 1988)
Aqil was born to future king Feisal I in 1928 in Baghdad. Like his father, he too got his education in United Kingdom. When he was crown prince, he served in several different offices around Mesopotamia. Prince life before kingship was quiet uneventful altough he participated crushing of some Shia revolts in Southern Mesopotamia.
In 1970 Aqil's father Feisal I was assassinated in Karbala by Shia militants and Aqil became king. Aqil II, who was already pretty anti-Shia, got good excuse send army to south crush any Shia revolt. One of his first acts was too dissolution of parliament and suspendre constituiton. He quickly took all power to his hands. But despite such backsteps, he continued several other reforms on social and educational issues. He too continued several building projects. He too supported European and American archaeologist excavations on ruins of ancient cities. But on 1970's relationships with Persia were too worsening. When Persia declared war to India in 1978, Aqil II pondered invading of Persia but his advisors stated that it would be very unwise and they would be against Brits too.
During 1980's situation in Mesopotamia was worsening. Shias were very oppressed and there was much of bad blood between two major religious groups. There were too some border incidents with Persia which almost led to war. Royal Security Police led by king's brother prince Khalid (1929 - 1988) arrested, tortured, and sometimes killed several Shia leaders and many of notable liberal/anti-monarchist Sunni politicians. Situation was worsening and in 1987 around of Mesopotamia was serious riots. Some international experts even warned that Mesopotamia might be slipping to civil war. In 1988 February happened military coup and Aqil II and several of other members of his family and members of his government were ousted and arrested. This caused chaos in Mesopotamia causing spiking of oil prices and leading to world wide recession. The king, prince Khalid and some other high-ranked officials were executed couple weeks after the coup and so ended 77 years lasted monarchy in Mesopotamia. Many of Mesopotamian Hashemites fled to Jeddah.
Aqil I (1879 - 1959)
Aqil ibn Hussein was born to future sultan of Arabia and caliph Hussein ibn Ali in Mecca in 1879. Him had older brother whom became later sultan of Arabia and caliph. Like his big brother Aqil too became familiar with Arab nationalism on young age. In 1905 he was elected to city council of Jeddah. When Arab Revolt break out on 1908 Aqil ibn Hussein begun led Arab coalition. He too acted as important advisor for European allies of Arabs. On June 1909 Arab rebels captured Jeddah and Aqil became mayor of the city.
After the Great War Aqil demanded that Mesopotamia should make its own kingdom under Hashemites when it was clear that they can't unite all Arab lands of Ottoman Empire. Brits agreed and they put Aqil to Mesopotamian throne but the country was only semi-independent and Brits had much of power in the new kingdom.
Aqil I got very troublesome nation. The country was poor and very underdeveloped. Mesopotamians were Shia majority who were long time been opressed by Sunnis and they lacked any kind of nationalist feelings and so they even didn't care about existence of the kingdom and speciality king who was Sunni. So first acts of new king was give constitution which gave full religion liberty and made all religions equal and created soem kind of parliament altough it allowed for king much of political power. And regarding religion government and military forces were dominated by Sunnis which caused much of problems. Another important act was to call teachers, engineers and military advisors from other nations. During 1910's and 1920's the country begun to develope. Asphalt roads, railroads, and new buildings were constructed, many big cities got electric lights, and education level increased. But developing was slow and the country had still several problems. Shias and Sunnis hated each others and Shias disliked idea that they are ruled by Sunni monarch who is puppet of Brits. National border didn't mean much if anything for goat shepherds of border regions. They passed border from and to Kurdistan, Ottoman Empire and Arabia like there wouldn't had been border all. With Arabia was easy to deal problem but this caused some small problems with Ottomans and Kurdistan.
On 1930's Shia militarism was rising and there was many serious violent incidents in southern cities. Aqil I needed help of Arabia and United Kingdom to put these down. On 1950's Mesopotamia was still pretty poor but on much better condition as it was during last years of Ottoman regime and early years of the kingdom. Brits too begun to give more independence for local government. King Aqil I died in Baghdad in 1959 at age of 80 and was succeeded by his oldest son, Feisal I.
Feisal I (1904 - 1970)
Feisal ibn Aqil was oldest son of Aqil ibn Hussein, future king of Mesopotamia. On his early childhood he lived under Ottoman regime and witnessed Arab Revolt. At age of seven him became crown prince of new-founded Kingdom of Mesopotamia. In 1924 he was sent to United Kingdom where he educated law, administration and joined to British infranty and served in Indo-Afghan border region on 1930's. Finally he got rank of major in 1942 and returned to his home country where he helped put Shia and Wahhabist militansts down. In 1945 him became war minister of Mesopotamia.
In 1959 king Aqil I died at age of 80 and Feisal became king of Mesopotamia. Feisal tried continue his father's politics but Mesopotamia was very divided between different factions and during his reign Faisal faced several problems caused by extremist Shias, extremist Sunnis, Arab nationalists, which was too very divided faction. Corpocratism too got some influence in the country. Nationalists and several conservative groups too hated Feisal's close relationships with Brits. On 1960's Shias begun demand larger autonomy for southern provinces and more rights. There was several violent incidents speciality in Basra and Karbala. In 1970 against advise of his ministers the king went to Karbala where he gave speech where he stated that Mesopotamia is unitary nation under Sunni monarch and any Shia resistance will be crushed. His pretty pro-Sunni speech caused frustration. When the king was leaving Karbala on August 8, several Shia militants attacked against the king and his bodyguards. Shia militants shot the king with assault rifles.
Aqil II (1928 - 1988)
Aqil was born to future king Feisal I in 1928 in Baghdad. Like his father, he too got his education in United Kingdom. When he was crown prince, he served in several different offices around Mesopotamia. Prince life before kingship was quiet uneventful altough he participated crushing of some Shia revolts in Southern Mesopotamia.
In 1970 Aqil's father Feisal I was assassinated in Karbala by Shia militants and Aqil became king. Aqil II, who was already pretty anti-Shia, got good excuse send army to south crush any Shia revolt. One of his first acts was too dissolution of parliament and suspendre constituiton. He quickly took all power to his hands. But despite such backsteps, he continued several other reforms on social and educational issues. He too continued several building projects. He too supported European and American archaeologist excavations on ruins of ancient cities. But on 1970's relationships with Persia were too worsening. When Persia declared war to India in 1978, Aqil II pondered invading of Persia but his advisors stated that it would be very unwise and they would be against Brits too.
During 1980's situation in Mesopotamia was worsening. Shias were very oppressed and there was much of bad blood between two major religious groups. There were too some border incidents with Persia which almost led to war. Royal Security Police led by king's brother prince Khalid (1929 - 1988) arrested, tortured, and sometimes killed several Shia leaders and many of notable liberal/anti-monarchist Sunni politicians. Situation was worsening and in 1987 around of Mesopotamia was serious riots. Some international experts even warned that Mesopotamia might be slipping to civil war. In 1988 February happened military coup and Aqil II and several of other members of his family and members of his government were ousted and arrested. This caused chaos in Mesopotamia causing spiking of oil prices and leading to world wide recession. The king, prince Khalid and some other high-ranked officials were executed couple weeks after the coup and so ended 77 years lasted monarchy in Mesopotamia. Many of Mesopotamian Hashemites fled to Jeddah.
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