Sayyid
''Sayyid'' (, ; ar, سيد ; ; meaning 'sir', 'Lord', 'Master'; Arabic plural: ; feminine: ; ) is a surname of people descending from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, sons of Muhamma ...
a Fatimah el-Sharif ( ar, فاطمة الشريف); after marriage, Fatimah as-Senussi (), 2 April 1911 – 3 October 2009), was
queen consort of
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
by marriage to
King Idris
Muhammad Idris bin Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussi ( ar, إدريس, Idrīs; 13 March 1890 – 25 May 1983) was a Libyan political and religious leader who was King of Libya from 24 December 1951 until his overthrow on 1 September 1969. He ruled o ...
from 1951 until the
1969 Libyan coup d'état
The 1969 Libyan coup d'état, also known as the al-Fateh Revolution or the 1 September Revolution, was carried out by the Free Unionist Officers Movement, a group of military officers led by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, which led to the overthrow of ...
.
Early life
Fatimah el-Sharif was born in
Italian Cyrenaica
Italian Cyrenaica (; ) was an Italian colony, located in present-day eastern Libya, that existed from 1911 to 1934. It was part of the territory conquered from the Ottoman Empire during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911, alongside Italian Tripolitani ...
in 1911 as the fifth daughter of
Ahmed Sharif as-Senussi, the former chief (3rd) of the
Senussi order of
Sufism. Her father was active in resistance against colonial forces. Her mother Khadija, Ahmed Sharif's second wife, was a daughter of general Ahmad al-Rifi (d. on 3 September 1911 in
Kufra
Kufra () is a basinBertarelli (1929), p. 514. and oasis group in the Kufra District of southeastern Cyrenaica in Libya. At the end of nineteenth century Kufra became the centre and holy place of the Senussi order. It also played a minor role in ...
), distinguished elder statesman of the brotherhood and the last surviving personal companion of the Grand Senussi.
In 1929, she was forced to flee on camel to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
from Marshal
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli (; 11 August 1882 – 11 January 1955), was a prominent Italian military officer in the Kingdom of Italy's '' Regio Esercito'' ("Royal Army"), primarily noted for his campaigns in Africa before and durin ...
.
In 1931, she married her cousin
Idris of Libya
Muhammad Idris bin Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussi ( ar, إدريس, Idrīs; 13 March 1890 – 25 May 1983) was a Libyan political and religious leader who was King of Libya from 24 December 1951 until his overthrow on 1 September 1969. He ruled ov ...
, then
Emir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...
of
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica ( ) or Kyrenaika ( ar, برقة, Barqah, grc-koi, Κυρηναϊκή παρχίαKurēnaïkḗ parkhíā}, after the city of Cyrene), is the eastern region of Libya. Cyrenaica includes all of the eastern part of Libya between ...
and her father's successor, in
Siwa Oasis. Their only son died in 1953, aged one day old.
Queenship
Upon her husband's accession as King of Libya in 1951, Fatimah became Queen.
In 1954, her nephew assassinated Idris' advisor Ibrahim al-Shelhi because of a rumour that Shelhi had convinced the King to divorce Fatima in favour of a marriage with his own daughter. Idris then ordered the execution of Fatima's nephew.
Salah Busir
Salah Masoud Busir ( ar, صالح مسعود بويصير, 1925 – February 21, 1973) was a Libyan politician, journalist, and historian. Born into a merchant family, he grew to have a successful career in journalism, politics, and science. He wa ...
, who would later be Libya's foreign minister, sent a letter to
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
asking her to convince Idris to stop the execution, but he was unsuccessful. When Idris decided to obey the demands to remarry in order to have an heir, Fatimah selected two women as prospective brides. He chose neither of them, but instead an Egyptian woman appointed by his premier, Alia Abdel Kader Lamloum, whom he married in 1955. As there was no divorce, Fatimah refused to leave the royal residence in
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near ...
. After a couple of months, she and Idris reconciled.
The relationship between Queen Fatimah and King Idris is described as a mutually happy one. They became foster-parents to several children of relatives. They also became the adoptive parents of their Algerian daughter Suleima, whose father had been killed fighting against
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
in Algeria's war of independence.
[
Fatimah was described as humorous and tactful, with an ability to make people relax, especially children. She also was a most loyal supporter of Idris. As queen, Fatimah also became a role model for the women of Libya in her role as queen.][
In 1954, queen Fatimah was interviewed in her small private palace in Benghazi by the journalist Nel Slis, who described her as an elegant and imposing woman dressed in the fashion of Christian Dior, and who spoke to her with her lady-in-waiting Selma Dajani as interpreter, since she could only understand a little English. Nel Slis noted that queen Fatimah had not lived a secluded life in her youth but been allowed to mix with men and play tennis dressed in shorts, but that as queen, she had been forced to live a life secluded in her private palace in Benghazi, and did not appear in public in Libya:
:"She spoke of the future possibility for the emancipation of Libyan women. Instead of playing tennis in shorts, she is currently obliged by her royal rank to go back many centuries and live the life of seclusion... of 99 percent of Libyan women. Only if she goes abroad does the queen live like a western woman, dressed in European clothes, and then a visit to a fashion show or to the Folies Bergere in Paris - where she has indeed been - fashinates her just as much as any other women in the world. ..Having to dress in the barracan is perhaps harder for her than for all her Libyan sisters, in view of the fact that she knows the freedom of the west."
The queen spoke of her visits to Europe, expressed her wish to visit the United States, and stated that she believed that women would eventually reach a more liberated role in Libya:
:"Queen Fatima however believes that Libyan women will make important progress in the subsequent generation on the road to freedom. They will be able to study and go abroad. .."it will be a slow and gradual process before the Libyan women attain emancipation", she told me, "But the Libyan girls are very much longing to learn and to win their freedom".
]
Post-revolution and death
Fatimah was in Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
with her spouse at the time of Muammar Gaddafi's coup in 1969.
With the help of the Turkish government they returned from the resort town of Borsa to Kanmena Yourla in Greece. On 13 September she wrote to their lifetime friend Eric Armar Vully de Candole, CBE, who held the post of British Resident, Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica ( ) or Kyrenaika ( ar, برقة, Barqah, grc-koi, Κυρηναϊκή παρχίαKurēnaïkḗ parkhíā}, after the city of Cyrene), is the eastern region of Libya. Cyrenaica includes all of the eastern part of Libya between ...
: "We could not answer your cables and letters as I was alone with my husband when the coup took place without any money at all until the Turkish Government came to our help, paid our hotel and arranged our journey to Greece." She wrote to de Candole again on 26 October: "The weather here is cold and Ramadan will soon start and we cannot perform fasting obligations in any European Country. It is the will of God and may it be for the benefits of all. We shall sail next Friday for Alexandria and the same day get to Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...
."
She subsequently lived in Cairo from 3 November 1969 until her death. Fatimah was later tried ''in absentia'' by the 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 tried by this court. This article ...
and sentenced in November 1971 to five years in prison and seizure of her assets. Her house in Tripoli was returned to her in 2007.
Fatimah died on 3 October 2009 in Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...
, aged 98. Her body was flown to Saudi Arabia for burial at Al-Baqi' in Medina beside her husband and her father accompanied by her longtime companions and servants Nafa al-Arabi al-Senussi, his wife Alia Benghalbon, and her longtime friend Amina Darbi.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
denied her family permission to bury her in Al-Baqi'. Her body was finally laid to rest in the Hamza Cemetery near Mount Uhud
Mount Uhud ( ar, جَبَل أُحُد, Jabal Uḥud) is a mountain north of Medina, Saudi Arabia. It is high and 7.5 km long. It was the site of the second battle between Muslim and unbelievers. The Battle of Uhud was fought on 19 March, 625 ...
in Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
on 7 October 2009 after salat al-Janazah
( ar, صلاة الجنازة) is the Islamic funeral prayer; a part of the Islamic funeral ritual. The prayer is performed in congregation to seek pardon for the deceased and all dead Muslims. The is a collective obligation upon Muslims () i. ...
in al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
Gallery
File:Queen Fatima of Libya 002.jpg, Queen Fatima of Libya 002
File:Fatima of Libya and Taheya abd el naser.jpg, left, Queen Fatimah (left) on a visit to Egypt with Tahia Kazem
Tahia Kazem ( ar, تحية كاظم; 1 March 1920 – 25 March 1992) better known as Tahia Abdel Nasser was the First Lady of Egypt from 23 June 1956 to 28 September 1970. She married future President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1944. The couple had fi ...
, First Lady of Egypt
First Lady of Egypt ( ar, سيدة مصر الأولى) is the unofficial title of the wife of the president of Egypt.
History
Naglaa Mahmoud, wife of former president Mohamed Morsi (2012–2013), rejected the title of First Lady, preferring to ...
Ancestry
References
timesonline.co.uk
External links
The Times: Fatima al-Sanussi, Queen of Libya
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharif, Fatimah
Queens of Libya
Senussi dynasty
1911 births
2009 deaths
Libyan expatriates in Egypt
Royalty from Cairo
Libyan people of Algerian descent
Banu Idris
21st-century Libyan women
20th-century Libyan women