marking 66th anniversary of Iraq's monarchy end
Baghdad residents commemorate King Faisal II at royal cemetery
BAGHDAD – A diverse group of Baghdad residents gathered at the Al-Malikiyah cemetery in Adhamiyah, north of Baghdad, for a solemn ceremony. They recited the Quran, as per Islamic tradition, for the soul of King Faisal II and his family, coinciding with the 66th anniversary of the end of the monarchy and the establishment of the republic in Iraq. Some attendees expressed a desire to make this an annual tradition.
On July 14, 1958, Iraq’s monarchy was abolished following a coup by Abdulkarim Qassim and his fellow officers. The event remains controversial among Iraqis, with some calling it a “revolution” and others a “violent bloody coup.” Until last year, July 14 was an official public holiday in Iraq, though it is no longer recognized as such.
The commemorative event took place on Saturday evening at the Al-Malikiyah, or royal cemetery, in collaboration with Baghdad’s Sunni Endowment. A significant number of mourners from Adhamiyah, other parts of Baghdad, and beyond attended, including intellectuals, religious leaders, tribal sheikhs, and other notable figures.
Faisal II was the last king of Iraq, ruling from 1939 until his killing on July 14, 1958. He is buried in the royal cemetery in Baghdad along with his family members.
The event featured a dialogue session. Sheikh Aref Mukhaybar Al-Alwani, a participant, told 964media, “We came here to … reflect on what is happening to Iraq, which is being slaughtered every day.” Many Iraqis believe the country deteriorated after the monarchy’s overthrow.
On July 14, 1958, what began as an ordinary day for Iraqis turned extraordinary when the broadcast of “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest) and the revolutionary anthem on the radio stunned the nation. Iraqis tuned in to their radios to understand what had happened. They heard a stern voice announcing that Brigadier General Abdul Salam Arif was reading “the first proclamation of the revolution.”
The proclamation, delivered by Arif in the name of the General Commander of the Armed Forces, declared the change of the system of rule in Iraq and the plans for electing a president. The military formally assumed control of Iraq, announcing the end of King Faisal II’s reign and the monarchical regime.
Al-Alwani further stated that on July 14, 1958, the rule of law and institutions ended, and military rule began in Iraq. Reflecting on the royal family’s fate, he said, “History does not prevent us from apologizing to that noble and pure Hashemite family who came to this country with integrity and left with integrity.”
After the monarchy was abolished and the first republic of Iraq declared, Abdul Karim Qasim became the Prime Minister of Iraq. However, in 1963, the Ba’ath Party overthrew him, and Abdul Salam Arif assumed the presidency.
Iraq was bogged down in a decade of coups until the Ba’ath Party came to power in 1968. Ba’ath’s Saddam Hussein officially became Iraq’s president in 1979 and maintained control until 2003, when the U.S. and its allies brought down his regime.
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