Nuri al-Said
-
Who was Nuri al-Said?
Nuri al-Said (1888–1958) was an Iraqi army officer, statesman, and political leader known for his close ties to Great Britain and his advocacy for Arab unity. He served as prime minister of Iraq on 14 occasions and negotiated a treaty with Great Britain in 1930 that granted independence to Iraq while maintaining British influence.
Nuri's pro-British stance and support for the Hashemite dynasty were not shared by younger army officers, leading to conflicts during World War II. In 1941, he and the king were forced into exile after a coup. Nuri returned as prime minister under British sponsorship and advocated for a union of Arab nations. His support for the Baghdad Pact and an Arab union with Jordan led to his assassination during the 1958 revolution.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What role did Nuri al-Said play in the government of Iraq?
Nuri al-Said was an Iraqi statesman and army officer who served as prime minister on 14 occasions. He negotiated a treaty with Great Britain that granted independence to Iraq in 1930, although it maintained British influence. Nuri remained faithful to a pro-British attitude and supported the Hashemite dynasty. As prime minister, Nuri maintained political order, advocated for a union of Arab nations, repressed critics, and eliminated opportunities for army intervention. In 1955, he saw Iraqi membership in the Baghdad Pact as a solution to the Anglo-Iraqi treaty. In February 1958, after Nuri sponsored an Arab union with Jordan, army units overthrew the monarchy, and Nuri was assassinated in July 1958.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
During which years was Nuri al-Said active in Iraqi politics?
Nuri al-Said, born in Baghdad in 1888, was a key figure in Iraqi politics, maintaining close ties with Great Britain and advocating for Arab unity. He was commissioned in the Ottoman army in 1909 and later joined the Sharifian Arab army during World War I.
Al-Said served as prime minister of Iraq on 14 occasions. In 1930, he negotiated a treaty with Great Britain, granting Iraq independence while maintaining British influence. During World War II, he supported the British, but faced opposition from army officers, leading to his exile in 1941. Nuri returned as prime minister under British sponsorship from 1941–44.
In 1955, he supported Iraq's membership in the Baghdad Pact. Nuri's pro-Western stance and Arab union with Jordan in 1958 led to a military coup. He was assassinated in July 1958.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What positions did Nuri al-Said hold multiple times during his career?
Nuri al-Said, an Iraqi statesman, served as prime minister of Iraq on 14 occasions. He was a proponent of close ties with Great Britain and support of the Hashemite dynasty. Nuri's pro-British attitude and support for the Hashemite dynasty were not shared by younger army officers, which led to open conflicts at the beginning of World War II. Nuri advocated for a union of Arab nations into a single state and saw Iraqi membership as a solution to the Anglo-Iraqi treaty.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Nuri al-Said influence Iraq’s relationship with Britain?
Nuri al-Said was a key figure in shaping Iraq's relationship with Britain, particularly during and after the mandate period (1921–1932). As prime minister, Nuri negotiated a treaty with Great Britain in 1930 that granted independence to Iraq while still maintaining British influence.
Nuri, a proponent of close ties with Britain and support for the Hashemite dynasty, served as prime minister on 14 occasions. His pro-British stance faced opposition from younger army officers, especially during World War II, when he advocated for supporting Britain against Germany and Italy. Despite facing challenges from nationalists, Nuri's policies and agreements significantly shaped Iraq's interactions with Britain.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What events led to the end of Nuri al-Said's political career and life?
Nuri al-Said, a prominent Iraqi statesman, faced increasing opposition due to his pro-British stance and support for the Hashemite dynasty. Rising nationalist sentiment and resentment against Western influence undermined his policies, particularly the Baghdad Pact. In July 1958, Iraqi army units, led by ʿAbd al-Karīm Qāsim, overthrew the monarchy, reflecting the failure of the monarchy to gain public support, especially among the younger generation. Following the revolution, al-Said was assassinated by a mob.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Nuri al-Said (born 1888, Baghdad, Ottoman Empire [now in Iraq]—died July 15, 1958, Baghdad) was an Iraqi army officer, statesman, and political leader who maintained close ties with Great Britain during and after the mandate period (1921–32) and worked toward Arab unity.
Nuri was commissioned in the Ottoman army in 1909, when Iraq was a province of the Ottoman Empire. During World War I (1914–18) he participated in Ottoman military operations against the British. He was soon captured by the British, however, and in 1916 he joined the Sharīfian Arab army led by Emir Faisal I, which Great Britain was supporting in a revolt against Ottoman rule in the Arab provinces; Nuri distinguished himself in battle. At the war’s end Faisal established a short-lived Arab state, centred in Damascus, and Nuri served actively in its administration. After the French destroyed this state in 1920, Faisal became the first king of Iraq (1921). Nuri returned to occupy a number of influential positions, including that of prime minister in 1930. In this capacity, Nuri negotiated a 20-year treaty with Great Britain that, although maintaining substantial British influence, granted independence to Iraq.
Nuri served as prime minister on 14 different occasions, remaining faithful to two dominant policies: a pro-British attitude and support of the Hashemite dynasty, which King Faisal represented until his death in 1933. Neither of these beliefs was shared by the rising generation of younger army officers, and at the beginning of World War II open conflicts developed. Nuri wished to support the British by declaring war against Germany and breaking off diplomatic relations with Italy. He was opposed by influential army officers, who in April 1941 supported a coup under the leadership of Rashid Ali. Nuri and the king fled into exile. The British defeated the government of Rashid Ali in open warfare. Nuri then returned to Iraq and served as prime minister under British sponsorship in 1941–44.
Nuri maintained political order in Iraq while advocating a union of several Arab nations into a single state. Iraq became a charter member of the Arab League in 1945. Through tough and effective use of the police and the press, Nuri repressed critics of the Iraqi crown and eliminated opportunities for army intervention.
Violent nationalist feeling in Iraq after World War II precluded renewal of the Anglo-Iraqi treaty, despite Nuri’s ardent support. In 1955 the United States sponsored the Baghdad Pact, a mutual security agreement among Middle Eastern states, and Nuri saw Iraqi membership as a solution to the troublesome problem of the Anglo-Iraqi treaty. He hoped to induce other Arab states to join the pact and then assert leadership of the Arab unity movement and secure popular support in Iraq. Popular resentment against the West, however, had become too widespread for the Baghdad Pact to serve these ends. When Nuri sponsored an Arab union with Jordan in February 1958 (Jordan was closely allied with the West), Iraqi army units, under the leadership of ʿAbd al-Karīm Qāsim, overthrew the monarchy. Nuri was assassinated by a mob following the revolution of July 1958.