Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah (1895 – 24 November 1965, Arabic: الشيخ عبد الله الثالث السالم الصباح) was the eleventh ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait from 1950 to 1961 and the first Emir of the State of Kuwait after the country gained its independence from Great Britain on 19 June 1961.

Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
عبد الله السالم الصباح
11th Ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait
1st Emir of the State of Kuwait
Reign29 January 1950 – 18 June 1961
Sheikhdom of Kuwait
19 June 1961 – 24 November 1965
State of Kuwait
Coronation25 February 1950
PredecessorAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
SuccessorSabah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah
Born1895
Sheikhdom of Kuwait
Died24 November 1965(1965-11-24) (aged 69–70)
Kuwait City, Kuwait
HouseSabah
FatherSalim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah
MotherSheikha Mariam bint Jarrah Al-Sabah

Biography

Abdullah was the eldest son of Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. He was the minister of finance from 1939 to 1940.[1] He took power after the death of his cousin Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and also ruled as regent upon the death of his father until the election of Sheikh Ahmad. The anniversary of his coronation, 25 February, serves as Kuwait's national day.[2]

Gamal_Abdel_Nasser_with_Shaikh_Abdullah_III_Al-Salim_Al-Sabah
Abdullah with Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser during a state visit to Cairo in 1962

Unlike his predecessors, Abdullah was more pro-Arab than pro-British. He effectively ended the British "protectorate" status of Kuwait by signing a treaty with the British on 19 June 1961. He is regarded as the founder of modern Kuwait. He introduced the Constitution of Kuwait in 1962, followed by the Parliament in 1963.[3] He is regarded as having been more committed to constitutionalism and parliamentary democracy than successive rulers.[4]

Death

Abdullah Al-Salim died on November 24th 1965 after suffering from a heart attack during the opening session of the National Assembly.

Honours and awards

National
  • Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of National Defense
  • Sovereign Grand Master of the Military Duty Order

References
  1. "وزارة المالية - دولة الكويت". www.mof.gov.kw.
  2. "National and liberation days". Kuwait Times. 26 February 2015. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  3. Crystal, Jill (1994). "Kuwait: Constitution". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Persian Gulf states : country studies (3rd ed.). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 84–86. ISBN 0-8444-0793-3. OCLC 29548413. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  4. Paul Salem (June 2007). "Kuwait: Politics in a Participatory Emirate" (PDF). Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (3): 4. JSTOR resrep12897.
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