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Ali Rida Pasha Ar-RikabiSyrian and Jordanian military and statesman, Prime Minister of Syria
Date of Birth: 01.01.1864
Country:  Syria |
Content:
- Early Life and Military Career
- Governor of Jerusalem and Medina
- Governor of Basra
- Mayor of Damascus and Syrian Premier
- Prime Minister of Jordan
- Support for Syrian Revolt
- Later Life and Death
Early Life and Military Career
Ali Rida Pasha al-Rikabi was a Syrian and Jordanian military and political leader. He was born in Hama, Syria, in 1864. He graduated from the Ottoman Military Academy in Istanbul and served in Medina as governor and army commander. Subsequently, he traveled to Iraq, where he commanded troops in Baghdad and Basra.
Governor of Jerusalem and Medina
In 1901, al-Rikabi attained the rank of general and received the honorary title of pasha. He became deputy military governor of Jerusalem and then military governor and administrator of Medina in 1908.
Governor of Basra
During World War I, al-Rikabi served as commander of Turkish forces in Baghdad and governor of Basra. He advocated for Ottoman neutrality and opposed the alliance with Germany, leading to accusations of defeatism and his dismissal from the army.
Mayor of Damascus and Syrian Premier
After the Great Arab Revolt, al-Rikabi became mayor of Damascus under the administration of Ahmed Djemal Pasha. In 1918, King Faisal I appointed him as Syria's first prime minister. However, his tenure was marked by chaos and French pressure to establish a mandate over Syria. Al-Rikabi resigned and fled to Jordan after the French occupied Latakia.
Prime Minister of Jordan
From 1922 to 1924, al-Rikabi served as prime minister of Jordan. He purged the army of anti-colonialist officers and negotiated with Britain for parliamentary independence and the exclusion of Jordan from the Balfour Declaration. He resigned following objections from Prince Abdullah to certain terms of the agreement.
Support for Syrian Revolt
In March 1924, al-Rikabi returned to office as prime minister of Jordan. He secretly supported the Syrian revolt against French rule, with King Faisal of Iraq providing aid to the rebels. After the French suppressed the revolt, al-Rikabi resigned.
Later Life and Death
Al-Rikabi resided in Jerusalem and Haifa as a private citizen for several years. The French authorities banned his return to Syria until 1928, when he founded a monarchist party and ran for president. Following the death of King Faisal I in 1933, al-Rikabi retired from politics. He spent the last decade of his life in seclusion, facing harassment from French agents. He died in Damascus on May 25, 1942, after a long illness.
