Sayyid Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi as-Sanussi
Encyclopedia
Sayyid
Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi as-Senussi (1928 – April 28, 1992) was the crown prince of the Kingdom of Libya
from 26 October 1956 to 1 September 1969, when the monarchy was abolished.
, Idris of Libya) and his tenth wife Imbaraika al-Fallatiyya. He was educated at Al-Taj
, Kufra
and Al-Azhar University
in Cairo
, Egypt
.
On December 24, 1951, Libya became independent. Following the death of his father, he was nominated Crown Prince
by his uncle King Idris I
on October 26, 1956.
. As Crown Prince, Hasan was first in line succeed to the Libyan throne. The ailing Idris presented a signed document on 4 August 1969 to the President of the Libyan Senate, whereby Idris was to abdicate in favour of the Crown Prince. The instrument of abdication specified September 2, the date when the King
undertook formally to stand down. Indeed, the Crown Prince was already exercising regal powers in the name of King Idris, in the run up to September 2. However, on 1 September, while Idris was out of the country undergoing medical treatment, a group of Libyan army officers, among them Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi
, staged a rebellion and announced that King Idris
was deposed. Since King Idris I was unable to complete the term of his reign as envisaged by his instrument of abdication Hasan never actually became king. His legacy, however, was in his role of Crown Prince, exercised between 1956 and 1969, towards the end of which he was the de facto
ruler of Libya. As Crown Prince, he repeatedly undertook official trips abroad, notably to negotiate the purchase of U.S.
-built jet fighters from the Kennedy
Administration for the Libyan Air Force
.
in Libya, tried in the Libyan People's Court
and sentenced to three years in prison in November 1971.
In 1984, the Crown Prince and his family were thrown out of their house, which was then burnt down, and forced to move into cabins on one of Tripoli's public beaches. It was in these cabins that the Crown Prince suffered a stroke in 1986. In 1988, the Crown Prince was permitted by Colonel Qaddafi to travel for medical treatment to London
, where he died in 1992. The Crown Prince was buried beside his uncle King Idris at Al-Baqi Cemetery in Medina
, Saudi Arabia
.
Prior to his death in 1992, he appointed his second son, Muhammad as-Senussi (born 1962), to succeed him as head of the Royal House of Libya
.
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi as-Senussi (1928 – April 28, 1992) was the crown prince of the Kingdom of Libya
Kingdom of Libya
The Kingdom of Libya, originally called the United Libyan Kingdom came into existence upon independence on 24 December 1951 and lasted until a coup d'état led by Muammar Gaddafi on 1 September 1969 overthrew King Idris of Libya and established the Libyan Arab Republic.- Constitution :Under the...
from 26 October 1956 to 1 September 1969, when the monarchy was abolished.
Biography
Hasan was born in 1928 the fifth son of Muhammad ar-Ride as-Senussi (1890–1955, the brother of the then emir of CyrenaicaCyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
, Idris of Libya) and his tenth wife Imbaraika al-Fallatiyya. He was educated at Al-Taj
El Tag
El Tag is a village and holy site in the Kufra Oasis, within the Libyan Desert subregion of the Sahara. It is in the Kufra District in the southern Cyrenaica region of southeastern Libya. The Arabic el tag translates as "crown" in English, and derives from the position above the Kufra basin...
, Kufra
Kufra
Kufra is a basin and oasis group in Al Kufrah District, southeastern Cyrenaica in Libya. Kufra is historically important above all because at the end of nineteenth century it became the center and holy place of the Senussi order...
and Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
On December 24, 1951, Libya became independent. Following the death of his father, he was nominated Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
by his uncle King Idris I
Idris I of Libya
Idris, GBE , , was the first and only king of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969, and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.- Early life :...
on October 26, 1956.
1969 revolution
The events of September, 1969, proved to be pivotal both for Crown Prince Hasan and for LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. As Crown Prince, Hasan was first in line succeed to the Libyan throne. The ailing Idris presented a signed document on 4 August 1969 to the President of the Libyan Senate, whereby Idris was to abdicate in favour of the Crown Prince. The instrument of abdication specified September 2, the date when the King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
undertook formally to stand down. Indeed, the Crown Prince was already exercising regal powers in the name of King Idris, in the run up to September 2. However, on 1 September, while Idris was out of the country undergoing medical treatment, a group of Libyan army officers, among them Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
, staged a rebellion and announced that King Idris
Idris I of Libya
Idris, GBE , , was the first and only king of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969, and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.- Early life :...
was deposed. Since King Idris I was unable to complete the term of his reign as envisaged by his instrument of abdication Hasan never actually became king. His legacy, however, was in his role of Crown Prince, exercised between 1956 and 1969, towards the end of which he was the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
ruler of Libya. As Crown Prince, he repeatedly undertook official trips abroad, notably to negotiate the purchase of U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-built jet fighters from the Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
Administration for the Libyan Air Force
Libyan Air Force
The Libyan Air Force is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the 2011 Libyan civil war, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000, with an inventory of 374 combat capable aircraft operating from 13 military airbases in...
.
House arrest and death
Following the revolution, Hasan was kept under house arrestHouse arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
in Libya, tried in the Libyan People's Court
Libyan People's Court
The Libyan People's Court is an emergency tribunal founded in Libya after the "revolution" of 1 September 1969. Although its initial purpose was to try the officials of the overthrown Kingdom, many others also were trialed by this court...
and sentenced to three years in prison in November 1971.
In 1984, the Crown Prince and his family were thrown out of their house, which was then burnt down, and forced to move into cabins on one of Tripoli's public beaches. It was in these cabins that the Crown Prince suffered a stroke in 1986. In 1988, the Crown Prince was permitted by Colonel Qaddafi to travel for medical treatment to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he died in 1992. The Crown Prince was buried beside his uncle King Idris at Al-Baqi Cemetery in Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Prior to his death in 1992, he appointed his second son, Muhammad as-Senussi (born 1962), to succeed him as head of the Royal House of Libya
Senussi
The Senussi or Sanussi refers to a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and the Sudan region founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi, Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Senussi was concerned with both the decline of Islamic thought and spirituality and the weakening of Muslim political...
.