Evening star., 1951-07-20
Jordan King Abdu|Iah
Assassinated as He
Enters Mosque 10 Pray
Continued From First Page }


clared in Jordan. Radio Amman
said the border line, section of
Israeli-held Jerusalem and the
Jordan-held Old City was imme-
diately closed. The broadcast said
the court would go into mourning
for three months. Legations and
embassies abroad will mourn for
q full week.
Abdullah'S death was a SYM
tom OF serious wave of unrest
sweeping the oil-rich Middle East.
1t began with the assassination
Of Prime Minister Ali Razmara of
Iran, also slain at a mosque en-
trance. That act plunged Iran
into her oil naturalization crisis.
His Majesty IBN Hussein Alb
dullah, ruler of the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan, was the Sec
ond son of the late Hussein, Sheriff
(ruler) of Hejaz. His elder BROTH
er was Feisal. King Of Syria, de-
posed by the French. The two
were comrades in arms with Law
renee Of Arabia in the Arab re-
volt against the Turks. Before
the French left Syria Abdullah
was intent upon armed invasion
OF that country to restore his
brother to the throne, but this
never came off.
Men who knew him described
him as an indolent, aesthetic,
chess = playing. crafty oriental
monarch, sharp despite his age.
Abdullah learned his diplomacy
and military science from the
Turks. From the age of II, he
was reared in the court of the
Turkish tyrant Abdul Hamid in
Constantinople as a hostage for
the good behavior of his father.
There he learned languages, in
addition to military science and
diplomacy. He spoke Arabic of
Koranic purity, and Turkish, and
understood French and English.
A taste developed for Arabic
poetry, and he gained a skill in
chess and a gourmet's taste in
food.
Aided Secret Societies.
While he worked with the
Turks by day, by night he took
part in secret anti-Turkish So
cieties which fostered Arab ma
tionalism. Even then, his zeal
for Arab power and an increase in
the domain of the Hashemites
was great.
He had a great personal charm
and an intense personal courage.
He demonstrated both when he
stood alone in the palace court
yard in July of 1916 and quieted
a mob of 1000 civilians protesting
a new Palestine truce. He was
armed only with his silver dagger.
All his life. Abdullah lived hard.
Even as he neared the age of 70.
he could ride horse all day if
necessary. He loved horses and
his verdict on an animal was au-
thoritative.
Sent Horses to Princesses.
To mark victory In Europe, he
sent two of his superb purebred
Arab chestnut mares to London
rs gifts for Princesses Elizabeth
and Margaret.
When he flew to London in 1916
to sign the treaty of independent
with Britain, he took with him a
compass, his own soap and his
famous 200 year old dagger
reputed to be worth $500. BY the
compass he turned toward Mecca
while the plane was in fight and
made his devotions. The soap was
to wash himself according to
Moslem rites.
A correspondent of the AS
sociated Press. who interviewed
Abdullah in 1943, wrote:
"As his religion requires. he
lives in complete abstinence from
alcoholic drink. He does not
smoke and, although in hospitality
he might have a servant offer a
round of cigarettes, the tactful
and forewarned guest will de-
cline"
Dreamed of Greater Syria" "
Abdullah long dreamed of a
Greater Syria" made up of the
so-called Fertile Crescent of the
Middle East, which would join
territories Of Jordan, Hashemite-
ruled 1raq and Syria. Other Arab
nations. excepting Iraq, opposed
and distrusted him.
When the Ottoman Empire
crumbled with the end of World
War I, the Hashemite family
sought domination over a lions
share of Arab territories. But the
British, acting on the advice OF
Lawrence of Arabia, who did not
wholly trust Abdullah, placed his
brother Feisal on the throne OF
Syria.
The French took over domina-
ton in Syria under a League of
Nations mandate, and in 1921
they ousted Feisal. Abdullah, in
Mecca at the time, set out with
the intention of invading Syria
and reached Amman in the newly
created TranSjordan territory
which was under British mandate
from the League of Nations
Cheered by vast crowds of Arabs
Abdullah decided to stop there
and proclaim himself emir OF
Transjordan.
Abdullah went across the Jor.
dan to Jerusalem to see Winston
Churchill. colonial secretary at tht
time. He persuaded Abdullah t.
cali off his march against thu
French in Syria, promising Britain
would recognize his rule in Trans
jordan.
Financed by Britain.
Abdullah saw the wisdom o
such a course. Britain begal
financing him at the rate of e.,
100000 year, and continued thi
even after giving UP the League O
Nations mandate in 1OdH on,