Talal Ibn Abdullah (1909–1972; King of Jordan, 1951–1952)

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TALAL IBN ABDULLAH (1909–1972; King of Jordan, 1951–1952)

Talal was the son of King Abdullah I ibn Hussein of Jordan, and acceded to power when Abdullah was assassinated in July 1951. During his brief reign he promulgated a constitution for Jordan that provided for a partly-elected legislature and restrictions on the power of the monarch. Diagnosed as a schizophrenic, he was deposed in August 1952 (with his acquiescence) in favor of his 17-year-old son Hussein ibn Talal, who had been groomed for the throne by his grandfather. Talal lived out the remainder of his life in a sanatorium in Turkey.

SEE ALSO Abdullah I ibn Hussein;Hussein ibn Talal.