WI: The Royal Wedding of King Faisal II of Iraq and Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi of Iran, October 1955

ASUKIRIK

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if things goes too good for them, we would have United Kingdom of Mesopotamia-Persia-Syria-Jordan-Egypt... Bringing back the old Achaemenid territories (except Israel) but with secular government.

the Saudi Arabia at their south would be screeching in rage though.
 

raharris1973

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That brings up a question-

Were Jordanian Hashemites ever in the line of succession for the Iraqi throne, and were Iraqi Hashemites ever in the line of succession for the Jordanian throne?

Would a "personal union" have ever been possible?
 
That brings up a question-

Were Jordanian Hashemites ever in the line of succession for the Iraqi throne, and were Iraqi Hashemites ever in the line of succession for the Jordanian throne?

Would a "personal union" have ever been possible?
I think so, but I am not sure.
 
According to various vague sources throughout the internet King Faisal II of Iraq was briefly betrothed to the daughter of the Shah, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi of Iran, with the marriage scheduled for October 1955.


The marriage would have symbolically united both branches of Islam (Shia and Sunni) and may have also potentially resulted in a personal union once the Shah died presuming that the marriage resulted in a male heir and the Shah's eldest son dies early and his youngest is never born.


In OTL, allegedly, the Princess respectfully asked for a cancellation of the betrothal but remained friendly with Faisal II until his untimely death. As you know Iraq and Jordan entered into the 'Arab Federation' in 1958, and young King Faisal II would be overthrown and executed that same year.


But suppose in TTL King Faisal II of Iraq and Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi of Iran are married in October of 1955, Iraq still enters the Arab Federation in 1958, and butterflies somehow prevent the success of that year's coup.


There will be opposition, I know, perhaps even more than in OTL, but assuming it can be survived how does the history of the region most likely progress from 1955 until now?


I'm keeping this rather open ended to encourage the most possible discussion.
Wonder how the Shah will feel when the King of Iraq and his daughter the Queen of Iraq are executed during the 14 July Revolution of 1958
 
I imagine Nasser would likely join the war directly at somepoint should the Shah try to invade Iraq rather then just border skirmishes.
 

raharris1973

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Does Iran even have the strength to invade Iraq in 1958? Even if they did , I doubt they can make to Baghdad. Should they restore the monarchy somehow they would face a massive guerrilla war.

It would be like CENTO's own version of the Hungarian invasion. :perservingface:
 
Yep, the timeline going somewhat like OTL until the 14 July Revolution of 1958, the Shah of Iran gets pissed and the Iraq-Iran War of 1958 begins.

If Iran does try to invade after Kassem’s bloody coup, look for the Jordanians to intervene from the West as well. Both King Hussein and the Shah would be equally pissed at seeing their relatives get butchered by the Iraqi Army and then torn apart by mobs. In OTL, King Hussein was too weak to intervene on his own, but with the help of Imperial Iran, he might be emboldened to avenge his Hashemite relations.
 
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