1916 - 1969 H.M. Idris I, King of the United Kingdom of Libya, GBE (c 30.4.1954, KBE c 22.12.1946). b. at Jaghbub, 12th March 1889, sixth son of Sayyid Muhammad al-Mahdi bin Sayyid Muhammad al-Sanussi, 2nd Grand Sanussi, by his third wife, Aisha bint Muqarrib al-Barasa, educ. al-Taj, Kufra. Succeeded as Head of the Sanussi Order on the resignation of his uncle, 1916. Became Head of State on the departure of his uncle from Libya, 21st August 1918. Granted the title of Pasha-wiya, 1918. Recognised as head of the Order as SanussiAmir and accorded the style of Highness by the Italian authorities in the Treaty of al-Rajma Italian authorities, 25th October 1920. Installed as AmirofTripolitania, 28th July 1922. Went into exile in Egypt 20th January 1923. Recognised at a brief ceremony at the al-Manar Palace in Benghazi as AmirofCyrenaica and granted a salute of 19-guns, 1st June 1949. Enacted the first constitution 18th September 1949. Chosen as King of Libya by the National Congress 2nd December and received their oath of allegiance, 17th December 1950. Proclaimed the independence of Libya and assumed the title of KingoftheUnitedKingdomofLibya, 24th December 1951. Deposed by a group of army officers while convalescing from an eye operation in Turkey, 1st September 1969. Thus, pre-empting the King’s instrument of abdication in favour of the Crown Prince dated 4th of August and intended to take effect on the 2nd of September. Founded the Orders of Idris I (1947), Independence and Ibn Ali al-Sanussi (1951) and the Parliamentary Service Order. Rcvd: the Imperial Orders of the Osmans (Nishan-i-Osmanieh) 1st class and Nobility (Nishan-i-Majidieh) 2nd class of Turkey (1918), the Collars of the Orders of Hussein bin Ali of Jordan, and Muhammadiya of Morocco, GC of the Orders of the Nile of Egypt, Legion of Honour of France, Independence of Tunisia, Cedars of the Lebanon, Merit of Italy, Redeemer of Greece, etc. m. (first) at Kufra, 1896/1897, his cousin, Sayyida Aisha binti Sayyid Muhammad as-Sharif al-Sanussi (b. at Jaghbub, 1873; d. at Kufra, 1907 or 1905), eldest daughter of Sayyid Muhammad as-Sharif bin Sayyid Muhammad al-Sanussi, by his fourth wife, Fatima, daughter of ‘Umar bin Muhammad al-Ashhab, of Fezzan. m. (second) at Kufra, 1907 (div. 1922), his cousin, Sakina, daughter of Muhammad as-Sharif. m. (third) at Kufra, 1911 (div. 1915), Nafisa (m. second, Muhammad Ahmad Abu Saif; m. third, 1937, ...), daughter of Ahmad Abu al-Qasim al-Isawi. m. (fourth) at Siwa, Egypt, 1931, Sayyida Fatima al-Shi’fa binti Sayyid Ahmad as-Sharif al-Sanussi [H.M. Queen Fatima Idris] (b. at Kufra, 1910; d. at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, 3rd October 2009, bur. al-Bakie Cemetery, Medina, Arabia), fifth daughter of Field Marshal H.H. Sayyid Ahmad as-Sharif Pasha bin Sayyid Muhammad as-Sharif al-Sanussi, 3rd Grand Sanussi, by his second wife, Khadija, daughter of Ahmad al-Rifi. m. (fifth) at the Libyan Embassy, Cairo, 6th June 1955 (div. 20th May 1958), Aliya KhanumEffendi (b. at Guney, Egypt, 1913), daughter of Abdul-Qadir Lamlun Asadi Pasha. He d. at the Sultan Palace, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, 25th May 1983 (bur. al-Baqi Cemetery, Medina, Arabia), having had issue, four sons and one daughter:
1) Sayyid Muhammad Kamil bin Sayyid Muhammad Idris al-Sanussi. b. 1907 (s/o Sayyida Aisha). He d. young.
2) Sayyid Muhammad as-Sharif bin Sayyid Muhammad Idris al-Sanussi (s/o Sakina as-Sharif). He d. young.
3) Sayyid Muhammad bin Sayyid Muhammad Idris al-Sanussi (s/o Nafisa Abu Saif). He d. young.
4) A son. b. at the US Air Force Base Hospital, Wheelus Field, Tripoli, 1st February but d. there, 2nd February 1953.
1) Sayyida Wanisa binti Sayyid Muhammad Idris al-Sanussi (d/o Sakina as-Sharif). She d. young.
King Idris I and Queen Fatima also adopted a daughter:
2) Suleima, educ. The Girls’ Sch, Tobruk. An Algerian refugee from the war against the French. Adopted by King Idris I and Queen Fatima. m. an Egyptian gentleman and lives in Cairo.
1969 - [1992] H.R.H. Crown Prince Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi, Head of the Royal House of Libya. b. 1928, fifth and youngest son of H.R.H. Crown Prince Sayyid Muhammad al-Rida Pasha, by his tenth wife, Imbaraika al-Fallatiyya, educ. al-Taj, Kufra, and al-Azhar Univ, Cairo. Appointed as Heir Apparent with the title of Crown Prince of the United Kingdom of Libya with the style of His Royal Highness, by his paternal uncle, 26th October 1956. Appoined as Regent whn King Idris left for medical treatment in Turkey, June 1969. Succeeded on the abdication of King Idris on 4th August, but deposed by the coup d’etat before the abdication could take effect on 1st September 1969. Imprisoned by Ghadafi and later confined under house arrest 1969-1984, then expelled from his house and forced to find shelter in a shack on the Tripoli beach. Permitted to leave Libya for medical treatment in London after suffering from a stroke, together with his wife and family, 1988. m. at Tripoli, 30th April 1959, H.R.H. Crown Princess Fawzia bint Tahir, daughter of H.E. Shaikh Tahir Bakir, sometime Governor of Tripolitania. He d. from heart failure, at at Westminster, London, 28th April 1992 (bur. beside King Idris, at al-Baqi Cemetery, Medina, Arabia), having had issue, five sons and three daughters:
1) H.R.H. Prince Sayyid al-Mahdi bin Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi. b. at Tripoli, 7th April 1960. He has issue, one son:
a) H.R.H. Prince Sayyid Idris bin Sayyid al-Mahdi al-Sanussi.
2) H.R.H. Crown Prince Sayyid Muhammad al-Rida bin Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Senoussi, Head of the Royal House of Libya - see below.
3) H.R.H. Prince Sayyid Khalid bin Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi. b. 1965.
4) H.R.H. Prince Sayyid Ashraf bin Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi. b. 1966.
5) H.R.H. Prince Sayyid Jalal bin Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi. b. 1976.
1) H.R.H. Princess Sayyida Fatima binti Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi. b. 1961 (twin with her sister Faiza).
2) H.R.H. Princess Sayyida Faiza binti Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi. b. 1961 (twin with her sister Fatima).
3) H.R.H. Princess Sayyida Amal binti Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi.
[1992] H.R.H. Crown Prince Sayyid Muhammad al-Rida bin Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Senoussi, Head of the Royal House of Libya. b. at Tripoli, 20th October 1962, second son of H.R.H. Crown Prince Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi al-Sanussi, Head of the Royal House of Libya, by his wife, H.R.H. Crown Princess Fawzia bint Tahir, educ. in the UK. Nominated by his father in his will and succeeded on his death as Crown Prince and Head of the Royal House of Libya, 18th June 1992.