King Abdullah II - Photo 8 - Pictures - CBS News King Abdullah II King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania, right, wave from a motorcade during an official celebration of the 10th anniversary of the King's accession to the throne in Amman, Jordan, Tuesday, June 9, 2009. Credit: AP Jordan's King Hussein, his second wife, English-born Princess Muna and their son Prince Abdullah attend Go-Kart races at Amman Airport, April 26, 1963. Over more than four decades as king, Hussein became a key force for stability in the turbulent Middle East. Credit: AP King Hussein, center, and his fourth wife, American-born Queen Noor, sit among the king's 12 children in 1995. Prince Abdullah is in the far right, second row. His younger brother, Prince Hamza, is in the top left corner. Hamza, one of the king's four children with Noor, was considered a strong candidate to replace the king, but ultimately Abdullah was named Crown Prince, just a month before his father's death.

Credit: AP King Hussein, left, embraces his eldest son, Abdullah, in March 1998. Hussein was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1992. In 1999, the king deposed his brother Hassan as successor to the Jordanian throne, reportedly because of disappointment in his leadership during the monarch's lengthy illness. Credit: AP Appointed to replace his uncle as Crown Prince, Abdullah kisses his father's shoulder after receiving the Crownship by royal decree at the king's palace in Amman, Jan. 26, 1999. Credit: AP King Hussein died of complications from cancer on Feb. 7, 1999. In a final homage to a much-loved monarch, the following day his flag-draped coffin was driven through the streets of his capital, while hundreds of thousands of compatriots wept and pelted the motorcade with flowers. Credit: AP King Abdullah II has a moment to himself immediately following his swearing in ceremony at the Jordanian parliament, Feb. 7, 1999. His father had ruled the strategically-located nation for 47 years.

Credit: AP Queen Noor, right, stands with Princess Rania, King Abdullah's wife, in front of the late King Hussein's grave at the royal cemetery in Amman, March 18, 1999. King Abdullah later gave his wife Rania the title of queen, but allowed his father's widow to retain the same title, with fewer privileges. Credit: AP King Abdullah and Queen Rania wave to members of the crowd as their motorcade drives through the streets of Amman, June 9, 1999. The king married his Palestinian-born wife on June 10, 1993. Credit: AP King Abdullah, third left, and Queen Rania, left, along with other members of the royal family, nervously anticipate Jordan's second soccer goal against Iraq at Amman stadium, August 25, 1999. Jordan defeated Iraq 2-1 during the Pan Arab Games. Credit: AP Pope John Paul II, left, looks on as King Abdullah kisses a copy of the Koran before handing it over as a present to the pontiff in Amman, March 20, 2000. Queen Rania is in the background.

The pope was on a weeklong tour of the Holy Land. Credit: AP King Abdullah donates blood for the Palestinians injured in the clashes of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Oct. 3, 2000. Palestinians make up the majority of Jordan's population. Credit: AP King Abdullah, far right, attends the Middle East Summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheik, on Oct. 17, 2000. Pictured from left to right: Palestinian advisor Nabil Shaath, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Credit: AP Queen Rania holds her three-month-old baby girl, Princess Salma, as her children Prince Hussein, 6, right, and Princess Iman, 4, left, sit beside their mother at the royal couple's private residence of al-Barakeh ("Blessing") Palace on the outskirts of Amman. The November 2000 photo was the first public appearance of the queen with the new baby.

Credit: AP Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, left, greets Jordan's King Abdullah at Tripoli Airport, February 11, 2001. King Abdullah was on a short visit to Libya for talks with Gadhafi. Credit: AP King Abdullah, left, greets U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell at the Royal Palace in Amman, February 25, 2001. U.S. Ambassador to Jordan William Burns is between the men. Powell was touring the region to push forward the Mideast peace process. Credit: AP King Abdullah, right, is greeted by Britian's Prime Minister Tony Blair on the doorstep of his official London residence, 10 Downing Street, March 14, 2002. Credit: AP King Abdullah carries a box of aid donated by Jordanians and Jordanian organizations to a helicopter bound for Palestinian occupied territories, as Queen Rania, left, waits her turn, at a military airport in Amman, April 11, 2002. Jordan was the only country allowed by the Israeli authorities to dispatch relief aid to the West Bank.

Credit: AP A poster of King Abdullah decorates the entrance of an empty refugee camp, set up for possible refugees from Iraq, near the far eastern Jordanian town of Al- Ruweishid, near the Jordanian-Iraqi border, March 24, 2003. The refugee camp was ready to receive thousands of fleeing Iraqis because of the U.S.-led strike against Saddam Hussein's regime, but hadn't seen a single one. Credit: AP King Abdullah speaks with his wife, Queen Rania, before opening Parliament in November of 2008. Credit: AP Photo Jordan: King Abdullah II and Queen Rania | The World's Royalty | XFINITY Send to Friend Jordan: King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Abdullah II, king of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, ascended the throne in 1999 and proclaimed his wife, Rania Al Abdullah, queen. The couple have four children: Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Princess Abdullah. Queen Rania, often considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, is a staunch advocate for global education.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. More from this Slideshow The World's Roya... Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George Prince William, second in line to inherit the British throne, wife Kate Middleton and son Prince George have dominated headlines over the past couple of years, but they aren't the only captivating monarchs in power today. Keep clicking to check out more members of Great Britain's storied royal family, and other fascinating rulers from around the world. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Great Britain: S... Prince Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, is mother to his two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. After their divorce in 1996, Sarah wrote an autobipgraphy about her time in the royal family and became a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers. She also struggled with alcohol addiction and came under fire in 2010 for offering access to Prince Andrew to an undercover reporter for $500,000.

Princess Beatrice of York, who is currently sixth in line to inherit the throne, graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London with a degree in history. Her younger sister Eugenie, seventh in line to the throne, graduated from Newcastle University in 2012 with a degree in English literature. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Great Britain: Q... Queen Elizabeth II claimed the British throne in 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI, and has ruled ever since. She met her future husband, Prince Phillip, in 1939 at the extremely young age of 13. After a controversial engagement due to their age difference and the fact that Phillip was born in Greece, the pair wed eight years later. They have four children together â Prince Charles (heir apparent to the British throne), Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Great Britain: P...

Charles, Prince of Wales, is first in line to inherit the British throne. The oldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in the early 1980s. The tumultuous pair welcomed two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, before divorcing in 1996 â allegedly due to Charles' affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, his current wife. Charles and Camilla wed in a civil ceremony in 2005. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Great Britain: P... Prince Harry, the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, is fourth in line to succeed the throne. After studying at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Harry served on the front line in the Afghan War in 2007. He recently came under fire after nude photographs of the prince were published after a trip to Las Vegas. Harry is reportedly dating British socialite Cressida Bonas. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Great Britain: P... Princess Anne, currently eleventh in the line of succession for the British throne, is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. She wed retired naval officer Timothy Laurence in 1992 after a failed marriage to Mark Phillips, with whom she has two children â Peter and Zara. Anne, a skilled equestrian, is the first member of the British royal family to ever participate on the country's Olympic team. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Great Britain: P... Prince Andrew is the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. He was married to Sarah Ferguson from 1986-1996 and has two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, from the marriage. Andrew served as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment in the United Kingdrom until July 2011. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Monaco: Prince A...

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Victoria gave birth to a daughter, Princess Estelle, Duchess of ÃstergÃ¶tland, in March of last year. Princess Estelle is now second-in-line to the Swedish throne. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Sweden: Princess... Princess Victoria's younger sister, Princess Madeleine, Duchess of HÃ¤lsingland and GÃ¤strikland married businessman Christopher O'Neill at the Royal Palace chapel in Stockholm this past June. She is currently fourth in line of succession to the throne. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Ragnar Singsaas/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Brunei: Crown Pr... Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, the oldest son of Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Queen consort Saleha Mohamed Alam, is the current heir to the throne of Brunei.

He wed a then-17-year-old Pengiran Anak Sarah in 2004 and the pair welcomed their first son, the future heir to the throne, Pengiran Muda 'Abdul Muntaqim, in 2007. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Belgium: King Ph... King Philippe inherited the crown of Belgium on July 21, 2013 after his father abdicated due to health reasons. Philippe has four children with his wife, Queen Mathilde, the daughter of a Walloon Count of Belgian noble family. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Mark Renders/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Morocco: King Mo... King Mohammed VI has ruled the Moroccan throne since 1999. He married Salma Bennani, now known as Princess Lalla Salma, in 2002. The royal couple have two children: Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Princess Lalla Khadija.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (AP Photo/Abdelhak Senna) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Japan: Emperor A... Akihito, the reigning Emperor of Japan, is the 125th emperor of his line. He ascended the throne in 1989 and is often referred to as "His Imperial Majesty." Akihito wed Empress Michiko in 1959, making her the first commoner to ever marry into the Japanese Imperial Family. They have three children: Crown Prince Naruhito, Prince Akishino and Princess Nori. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Japan: Crown Pri... Crown Prince Naruhito, the oldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, is the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Gakushuin University.

Naruhito wed Masako Owada in 1993, making her official title Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess of Japan. They have one daughter: Aiko, Princess Toshi. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Japan: Prince Ak... Prince Akishino, the second son of the Emperor Akihito, married Kawashima "Kiki" Kiko in 1990. The couple first met as undergraduates at Gakushuin. They and have three children together: Princess Mako, Princess Kako and Prince Hisahito. Akishino is currently second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Netherlands: Kin... Willem-Alexander, the oldest son of Queen Beatrix, took over the crown when she abdicated in April 2013.

He married MÃ¡xima Zorreguieta Cerruti in 2002. They have three young daughters together. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michel Porro/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Netherlands: Pri... Princess Beatrix ruled the Kingdom of the Netherlands as Queen from 1980 to 2013. She abdicated the throne in April 2013 in favor of her oldest son, Willem-Alexander. Of her decision to abdicate, Beatrix said, "[It is time to] place the responsibility for the country in the hands of a new generation." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michel Porro/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. King Abdullah II Biography (Royalty) Birthplace: Amman, Jordan Best known as: King of Jordan, 1999-present King Abdullah II has ruled Jordan since the 1999 death of his father, King Hussein I .

As king, Abdullah has continued his father's policy of making Jordan a moderate voice in the Middle East, with ties to Arabs, Palestinians, and the West. Abdullah went to prep schools in England and America, then attended the Sandhurst Military Academy in England and began a career in the Jordanian army. He had become commander of all Jordanian special forces when his father, shortly before his death, named Abdullah to replace the presumptive heir, Hussein's brother Prince Hassan. Abdullah became king on 7 February 1999. He married Rania Al Yassin , now Queen Rania, in 1993. They have four children: Hussein (b. 1994), Iman (b. 1996), Salma (b. 2000), and Hashem (b. 2005). Extra credit: King Abdullah II is the oldest son of King Hussein and his wife, Princess Muna Al Hussein… King Abdullah’s clan, the Hashemites, traces its family tree back to the prophet Muhammad .

According to his official site, Abdullah’s generation is the 43rd since Muhammad… Also according to the king’s official site, “He is a qualified frogman, pilot and a free-fall parachutist”… Odd but true: King Abdullah is a fan of Star Trek and had a small non-speaking role on “Investigations,” a 1995 episode of the TV series Star Trek: Voyager. Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved. King Abdullah II Biography (Royalty) Birthplace: Amman, Jordan Best known as: King of Jordan, 1999-present King Abdullah II has ruled Jordan since the 1999 death of his father, King Hussein I . As king, Abdullah has continued his father's policy of making Jordan a moderate voice in the Middle East, with ties to Arabs, Palestinians, and the West. Abdullah went to prep schools in England and America, then attended the Sandhurst Military Academy in England and began a career in the Jordanian army.

He had become commander of all Jordanian special forces when his father, shortly before his death, named Abdullah to replace the presumptive heir, Hussein's brother Prince Hassan. Abdullah became king on 7 February 1999. He married Rania Al Yassin , now Queen Rania, in 1993. They have four children: Hussein (b. 1994), Iman (b. 1996), Salma (b. 2000), and Hashem (b. 2005). Extra credit: King Abdullah II is the oldest son of King Hussein and his wife, Princess Muna Al Hussein… King Abdullah’s clan, the Hashemites, traces its family tree back to the prophet Muhammad . According to his official site, Abdullah’s generation is the 43rd since Muhammad… Also according to the king’s official site, “He is a qualified frogman, pilot and a free-fall parachutist”… Odd but true: King Abdullah is a fan of Star Trek and had a small non-speaking role on “Investigations,” a 1995 episode of the TV series Star Trek: Voyager.

Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved. Advertisement Advertisement Queen Rania Biography (Royalty) Best known as: Queen of Jordan, 1999-present Name at birth: Rania Al-Yassin Rania Al Abdullah has been the queen of Jordan since 1999, when her husband, Abdullah II , became king. Born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, Rania graduated from the American University in Cairo in 1991. She worked briefly for Apple Computer in Amman, Jordan before meeting Prince Abdullah at a dinner there in 1993. They were married later that year, on 10 June 1993. Upon the death of his father King Hussein in 1999, Abdullah became king and Rania became queen of Jordan. As queen she has been an advocate for Jordan's children and especially for its women, saying "The best advertisement for empowering women is an empowered woman." She also created the Children's Museum of Jordan, which opened in 2007. Her poise, fashion sense, and public works have made her a popular figure in Jordan and around the world.

Extra credit: he royal couple have four children: Hussein (b. 1994), Iman (b. 1996), Salma (b. 2000), and Hashem (b. 2005)... King Hussein of Jordan and his family are no relation to Saddam Hussein of Iraq... Rania's degree from the American University is in business administration. Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved. Milestones of HM King Abdullah II of Jordan | Sleepless in Amman Milestones of HM King Abdullah II of Jordan No Comments 1585 Today marks the 51st birthday of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, who ascended the Jordanian Throne on the 7th of Feb, 1999 after the death of his late Majesty King Hussein. On occasion of His Majesty’s birthday I’m writing this quick biographical blogpost to highlight the milestones of His Majesty Life. Born in Amman, HM’s mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein (born Antoinette Avril Gardiner).

His Majesty attended St Edmund’s School and Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, before joining the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1980. His Majesty completed a one year program in Middle East Affairs at Oxford University, and later on served in the Jordanian Forces to become MAJOR GENERAL in May of 1998. When he was off-duty he showed compassion and interest in land, sea, and airports, including speed driving and free-fall parachuting. In 1993, he met Rania Al Yassin, and they married on June 10th of 1993. As a princess, Queen Rania started her journey of social work, women empowerment and advocacy, which continues to this day as Queen. King Abdullah and Queen Rania, following His Majesty’s speech to the nation on the occasion of the Kingdom’s 62nd anniversary of Independence Day Amman, 25 May 2008 In February of 1999, King Abdullah was appointed King of Jordan. In 2004, he worked with leading Islamic scholars to release the Amman Message, reaching a global audience with Islam’s guiding principles of peace, tolerance and dialogue among faiths.

Later on in 2010, he was named the fourth most influential Muslim in the world. Following the leadership and legacy of the Late King Hussein, King Abdullah made the welfare of the Jordanian Citizens a priority; his main concern for the future of Jordan puts the Youth’s engagement, education, and opportunity on top of his Agenda. HM also provided a foundation of building the Aqaba Free Zone, and has a direct impact on flourishing Jordan’s ICT Sector. Five other economic zones were created in Irbid, Ajloun, Mafraq, Ma’an, and the Dead Sea, and it is because of these Economic Reforms that Jordan’s Economic Growth has doubled to 6%. King Abdullah II and Queen Rania with their children, Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem. Amman, 2008 Because Jordan’s pressing economic needs require a real solution, His Majesty worked to bring both public and private sectors together, locally and globally through joint initiatives that hope to create opportunity to the Jordanian young population.

It was because of the Kings Efforts that Jordan became the 1st Arab Country to sign a free trade agreement with the United States and has forged new bilateral and multilateral economic alliances with countries from Asia to Latin America. Here’s a quick video by Comedian Russel Peters telling a story on the Lopez Tonight Show on how he was pranked by HM. Share and Enjoy Netty Royal uploaded: 1 January 2013 / last modified: 3 January 2014 The country The state is known as Al-'Urdunn in its national language. This means the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country is being reigned by the Hashemite dynasty. Sovereign The current sovereign is Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of Jordan. He was born at Amman, Jordan, on 30 January 1962. He was Crown Prince of Jordan from his birth to 1965, and again as of 25 January 1999. He is the son of King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan (1935-1999) and his second wife Antoinette Gardiner (1941- ), who was known as Princess Muna.

Abdullah II succeeded his father upon his death on 7 February 1999. Abdullah II was sworn in at the Parliament in Amman, Jordan, on 7 February 1999. The coronation took place at the Throne Hall, Raghadan Palace, Amman, on 9 June 1999. The King is a Muslim (Sunni). Marriage and descendants King Abdullah II is married to Rania Al Yassin (born 1970) since 1993. The couple has two sons, Crown Prince Hussein (born 1994) and Prince Hashem (born 2005), and two daughters Princess Iman (born 1996) and Princess Salma (born 2000). Heir to the throne Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah of Jordan was born in Amman, Jordan, on 28 June 1994. Hussein has been Crown Prince since 2 July 2009.

The previous Crown Prince, from 7 February 1999 to 28 November 2004 was Abdullah II's halfbrother Prince Hamzah (born 1980). Succession Jordan is nowadays a constitutional monarchy with representative government. The King is the head of state. He is the supreme commander of the land, naval and air forces. According to the Constitution of Jordan the throne is hereditary in a direct male line. The title of King shall pass from the holder of the throne to his eldest son. In case the eldest son dies before he has succeeded to the throne, his eldest son will inherit the throne. The King however may select one of his brothers as heir apparent, in which case the throne will pass to him. If the king dies without a male heir, the throne will pass to his eldest brother. In case there are no brothers, the throne will pass to the eldest son of the eldest brother. If the eldest brother has no son, the throne will pass to the eldest son of the other brothers according to seniority in age. In absence of brothers or nephews the throne will pass to uncles and their descendants.

In case the king dies without any heir the throne will devolve upon the person selected by the National Assembly among the descendants of the late King Hussein ibn Ali, founder of the Arab Revolt. A king or heir can only succeed to the throne when he is a Muslim, mentally sound and born by a legitimate wife and of Muslim parents. Persons can be excluded from succession by a Royal Decree on the ground of unsuitability, which has to be signed by the reigning King, the Prime Minister and four ministers (including the ones of Interior and Justice). This doesn't include the descendants of this person. A King reaches his majority upon the completion of his 18th year. In case someone who succceeds the throne hasn't reached majority yet, the powers of the King will be exercised by a regent or council of regency, that is appointed by a Royal Decree by the reigning king. If there is no king to make a nomination, the council of ministers will appoint the regent or council of regency. In case a King is unable to exercise his powers due to illness, the powers will be exercised by a vice-regent or council of vice-regents, that are appointed by Royal Decree.

If a King leaves the country he has to appoint a vice-regent or a council of vice-regents by Royal Decree before his departure. A regent, vice-regent or member of the council of regency have to take an oath before the council of ministers before assuming office. They at least have to be 30 years old. However any male relative of the King who is 18 years old or older can be appointed. If a King is incapable because of a mental illness, the council of ministers has to convene the National Assembly immediately after the illness has been confirmed. The National Assembly in that case can depose the King by resolution. The throne will then go to the first person in line of succession. Upon succession the King has to take an oath before the National Assembly. Titles The King is styled His Majesty and is by the help of God, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. His wife, the Queen, is styled Her Majesty. The Crown Prince (Wali al-Ahd) is styled His Royal Highness. Male descendants in male line are Prince and His Royal Highness. Female descendants in male line are Princess and Her Royal Highness. The King can grant personal titles to more remote relatives and connections.

Their title is Amir and they are styled His Highness, Prince ... The female form is Amira. Royal residences The royal palaces and offices of the Jordan royal family are established at the Maqar (headquarters). This is the place where the armies of the Arab revolt camped when they liberated Amman in 1918. King Abdullah I in the early 1920s took residence in central Amman, but that area wasn't regarded as very suitable. In 1925 the reconstruction of the present site was started on a hill in the old sector of Amman. The Raghadan Palace was built in 1926. The roof was destroyed in a fire in 1983 and was renovated afterwards. The palace also contains the Throne Hall. The building is now used for official engagements like visits of heads of state and dignitaries, audiences and working meetings. Among the palaces in the Royal Court compound is the Basman Palace, which was built in 1950. The palace contains the offices of the King and some other members of the royal family. Queen Rania's office is situated at the Al-Qasr Al-Sagheer Palace.

Queen Dowager Noor lives at the Bab As-Salaam palace, where she also lived with her husband King Hussein. Her offices are at the Qasr Al-Ma'wa palace. The Nadwa Palace is used as guest palace. The former British residence at the compound is the home of Prince El Hassan and Princess Sarvath of Jordan. The royal cemetery is also located in the Royal Court compound. Since 2005 King Abdullah II and Queen Rania live at the Beit al-Urdun residence outside Amman. They previously lived at the Beit al-Baraka residence. The family also have a house in Aqaba, called Beit al-Bahr. History The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan long before BC existed of several kingdoms. The most prominent ones were the ones of Ammon (Amman), Moab and Edom. While the other kingdoms on Jordanian soil were conquered by the Assyrian empire, the Kingdom of Ammon remained independent. The Nabatean Kingdom of Petra rose in southern Jordan in the time of Alexander the Great, but was sieged by the Roman Empire in 103 AD.

Jordan became part of the Umayyad Empire in the 7th and 8th century, and afterwards from 750 to 1258 was occupied by the Abbasids. After the Abbasids the country was ruled by among others the Mongols, Crusaders, Ayyubids, Mamlukes and Ottomans (around 1517). After the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I the Middle East was divided in a French and a British Mandate. More than 70% of the British Mandate of Palestine was situated east of the Jordan river and known as Transjordan. In 1925 Transjordan was created a successor state of the Ottoman Emmpire, as established by the Council of the League of Nations. The mandate over Transjordan ended on 22 May 1946. The Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan became independent on 25 May 1945, and was in 1950 renamed the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The first king, Abdullah I, was shot in Jerusalem on 20 July 1951 while visiting the Al Aqsa Mosque.

His grandson Prince Hussein bin Talal survived the attack. King Talal bin Abdullah succeeded his father, but was deposed in 1952 because he was mentally ill. Therefore in 1953, on his 18th birthday, Hussein bin Talal became King of Jordan. Only two weeks before his death, on January 25th, 1999, King Hussein appointed his eldest son Abdullah as Crown Prince. Abdullah became King of Jordan after the death of his father. King Abdullah II is reportedly the 43th generation direct descendant of the prophet Mohammed. The Kings of Jordan Jordan's Abdullah II: the king who vowed to crush IS Jordan's Abdullah II: the king who vowed to crush IS Mussa Hattar Share View photos King Abdullah II of Jordan listens after a meeting at the White House December 5, 2014 in Washington, DC (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski) More Amman (AFP) - King Abdullah II of Jordan, a member of the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group, faces the toughest challenge of his 16-year reign after IS murdered a downed pilot.

One of Washington's closest allies in the region, Abdullah was catapulted into the forefront of the conflict with the jihadists after IS burned the captured Jordanian airman alive. The British- and US-educated Abdullah became king in 1999 following the death of his father Hussein, a seasoned statesman who had weathered many challenges of his own. On Wednesday, the day after IS released a video purporting to show F-16 pilot Maaz Kassasbeh being burned alive, Jordan executed two Iraqi jihadists, including would-be suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi. She had been on death row for her role in 2005 triple hotel bombings in Jordan that killed 60 people, and the jihadists had demanded her release. On Thursday, dozens of Jordanian warplanes raided IS targets, with the military vowing that the campaign to avenge Kassasbeh had just begun. Analysts say Abdullah, who celebrated his 53rd birthday on January 30, was decisive in his response. "King Abdullah is very realistic when faced with crises," said Mohammad Abu Rummaneh, a researcher at Jordan University Center for Strategic Studies.

Robert Danin, a senior fellow at the US-based Middle East Studies Council on Foreign Relations, agreed. "King Abdullah has been clear-minded in seeing IS as a threat both to the kingdom and to the regional order in the Middle East," he said. - 'Quick and decisive' - "King Abdullah was quick and decisive to act. First in ordering the execution of the two convicted terrorists, and then in intensifying the military campaign against IS," Danin said. "This is important because it signals that the threat posed by IS is real and unacceptable." Abdullah, a military man who was thrust into the limelight of politics following his father's death, cut short a visit to Washington and vowed a harsh revenge for the execution of Kassasbeh. The king attended Britain's prestigious Sandhurst Military Academy like his father, earned his wings as a Cobra attack helicopter pilot and also commanded Jordan's Special Forces before becoming monarch. He is married to Queen Rania, 44-year-old Kuwait-born Palestinian, an asset in a country where almost half the population of seven million is of Palestinian origin. They have four children -- Crown Prince Hussein, Princesses Iman and Salma and Prince Hashem. Jordan's constitution gives Abdullah extensive powers.

He appoints governments, approves legislation and can dissolve parliament. He has solid ties with tribes that form the backbone of the Hashemite kingdom. Abdullah has described Jordan as a country wedged between "a rock and a hard place" -- a reference to its location between war-wracked Iraq and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. - 'Delicate balancing act' - The war that has raged for nearly four years in neighbouring Syria has added to the challenges facing Jordan and the brutal rise of IS has put the country further on edge. In September, Jordan joined the US-led coalition of Arab and Western countries, launching air strikes on jihadist targets in Syria where IS has set up a "caliphate" that also straddles areas it holds in Iraq. Nadim Shehadi, director of the US-based Fares Centre for Eastern Mediterranean Studies, said "Daesh", the Arabic acronym for IS, poses a clear threat to both Jordan and coalition partner Saudi Arabia. "One should not underestimate the danger that Daesh presents for both Jordan and Saudi Arabia as opposed to the danger it poses to Iran and (Syrian President Bashar al-) Assad," he said.

"For Iran and Assad, fighting Daesh gives them legitimacy and serves their interests; for Jordan and Saudi Arabia, fighting Daesh is a very delicate balancing act and one with potentially grave results. "Daesh challenges them on their own ground, so Daesh is a much greater threat to them," he said. Danin said the battle against IS was "thrust" on Jordan and other regional states, describing it as "a war of self-defence". He also underlined the strength of US-Jordanian relations, noting that in just two months Abdullah had met President Barack Obama twice at the White House. "It is clear that the United States is looking to Jordan as a model of stability and moderation in an extremely turbulent region," Danin said. Reblog

Question: In 1999, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania became the rulers of which country?
Answer: Jordan