Abdullah II of Jordan
| Royal styles of Abdullah II of Jordan | |
|---|---|
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| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Sir |
His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein (Arabic: عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين) (born January 30, 1962), is the current King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He has reigned since the death of his father, King Hussein on February 7, 1999.
Birth and education
Born in Amman to King Hussein and Antoinette Avril Gardiner, the king as a young man attended the Islamic Educational College in the Jordanian capital for his primary education, later attending St. Edmund's School (Hindhead) in Surrey, England. Abdullah subsequently attended Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy in the United States of America for his secondary education.
Military career
In 1980, he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK as a cadet. He joined the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) upon commission as a Second Lieutenant the following year. King Abdullah retains close links with the British Army and is the Colonel-in-Chief of The Light Dragoons, a tank regiment and the successor to the 13th/18th Royal Hussars. He attended the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University where he completed an advanced studies and research program as a mid-career fellow in the Master of Science in Foreign Service program in 1987.
Marriage and children
Abdullah is married to a Kuwait-born, Jordan-bred Palestinian, Rania Al-Yassin (now Queen Rania al-Abdullah), who is as praised for her philanthropic work as she is criticized for her frequent interviews to the Western press and her fondness for haute couture. They have four children:
- Hussein (born June 28, 1994)
- Iman (born September 27, 1996)
- Salma (born September 26, 2000)
- Prince Hashem (born January 30, 2005)
King of Jordan
Abdullah became king on February 7, 1999 upon the death of his father King Hussein. Hussein had recently named him Crown Prince on January 24, replacing Hussein's brother Hassan who had served many years in the position. It was not a universally popular decision. Abdullah's mother, Antoinette Avril Gardiner (commonly referred to as Toni Avril Gardiner), was British by birth and many people in Jordan thus considered it unfitting that Abdullah should be an heir to the Hashemite throne, which traces its descent directly from the Prophet Muhammad. (King Abdullah is a 43rd generation descendant of the prophet).
Politics as King
Abdullah, having amended the Jordanian Penal Code to punish dissidents, has been sharply criticised for restricting freedom of speech. Current Jordanian law bans all kinds of public criticism of the king and his policies and accords one-to-three year imprisonment and fines up to 5,000 Jordanian dinars (about US$7,000) for violating these regulations. Many editors, journalists and union workers who have criticized King Abdullah have been jailed and detained for long periods of time [1]. Human rights organizations have also criticized Abdullah and his regime for several human rights violations and acts of torture committed against Islamic radicalists and those who express dissent and criticism over his policies.
Jordan's economy has improved under King Abdullah II, and he has been credited with increasing foreign investment, attending meetings between public and private sectors, and providing the foundation for Aqaba's freezone.
Successor
On November 28, 2004, Abdullah removed the title of Crown Prince from his half-brother, Hamzah, (whom he had appointed on February 7th, 1999 in accordance with their late father's wishes). In a letter from Abdullah to Hamzah, read on Jordanian state television, he said, "Your holding this symbolic position has restrained your freedom and hindered our entrusting you with certain responsibilities that you are fully qualified to undertake." No successor to the title was named, but some analysts [2] believe it probable that Abdullah intends to name his own son, Prince Hussein, to succeed him at some point in the future.
Trivia
King Abdullah is an acknowledged fan of Star Trek. In 1995, while he was still Prince, he appeared as an extra in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager (#36: "Investigations").
See also
External links
- Interview with King Abduallah II: "Iraq is the Battleground- the West against Iran, Middle East Quarterly, Jordan tries to build stability in a rough neighborhood.
- King Abdullah II official website
- Looksmart - King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein directory category
- Committee to Protect Journalists's letter directed at Jordanian dissent rule
- Abdullah's regime cracks down on dissent and anti-government sentiments.
- Jordan Suspects Claim They Were Tortured
- In-depth report of the violation of human rights in Jordan committed by Abdullah's regime Amnesty International document.