Re-reading the History of the Last King of Egypt

By Aya Kordy

"His Majesty Farouk I, by the grace of God, King of Egypt and Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, Kordofan and Darfur" was the last King in the house of Muhammad Ali Pasha. He became king when he was only sixteen due to the sudden death of his father, King Ahmed Fuad I. King Farouk was born on February 11, 1920, at the Abidin Palace in Cairo.

Later generations were taught to detest King Farouk. Everything they knew about him was from schoolbooks, published during Gamal Abd El Nasser's reign. Yet after more than fifty years, people are re-reading his history due to a series that has been released this Ramadan called "King Farouk". Its author, Dr.Lamis Gaber, spent about fifteen years researching and writing the script, which showed us a totally different reality. History books taught later generations that King Farouk was a megalomaniac who loved nothing but women, power, and alcohol. He was a king only in name, they stated, and that the real ruler of Egypt was Great Britain. King Farouk I was overthrown in the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and was forced to abdicate his throne to his infant son King Ahmed Fuad II.
Approximately fifty five years ago democracy and freedom of speech were aspects that King Farouk I tried to implement, allowing people to "raise their voice" and ask for their rights and privileges. Ironically, the biggest proof of this was that during King Farouk's reign, a group of young revolutionaries known as the “Free Officers" called secretly for independence and for an end to the monarchy. Unquestionably King Farouk knew everything about them, yet he still granted them the freedom they wished for. On the other hand, if we look at Egypt in this present day, both democracy and freedom are minimal. Many people are against the current government. However, establishing a group like the “Free Officers" nowadays is a very remote possibility.
After re-reading history, people now know how much they have been deluded by Gamal Abd El Nasser. He appointed Muhammad Naguib as Prime Minister and Regent of the then one-year old King Ahmed Fouad II. Nevertheless, the Free Officers decided they had no need of a monarchy. They then appointed Muhammad Naguib as President of Egypt, only to be dismissed from his office and placed under house arrest very soon afterwards.
Gamal Abd El Nasser was loved by millions of people. His funeral stands as one of the largest funerals people have ever attended in the world. The question is "Were all these people deluded by Gamal Abd El Nasser?" If I were to answer just one month ago, I would have totally disagreed and said he was a gracious man. If I were to answer you now, my answer would be yes. In addition, it seems that the Egyptian people including King Farouk I and Gamal Abd El Nasser and his companions were deceived by British power.
Just before King Farouk was ordered to leave Egypt and abdicate his thrown to his one-year old son King Ahmed Fuad II, he met one of his private secretaries,
Dr .Hussein Hosny and told him, "I know they'll say a lot of horrible things about me, but please if one day you are able to write, write about the truth that you have seen with me, the good and the bad." Dr. Hosny has in fact written a book called "Years with King Farouk". However, during Abd El Nasser's time democracy and freedom of writing were non-existent, particularly after the Ministry of Education had released history books based on the history made up by Gamal Abd El Nasser and his companions. Other books were buried along with Karim Thabet's book called "My Diaries of King Farouk".
The truth was buried, and King Farouk left Egypt and eventually died without being given the respect and love he deserved. He died in a restaurant called "Ile de France" in Rome while he was eating. Some people even say he was poisoned. His body was flown to Egypt in the middle of the night in a coffin, and he was buried secretly in Muhammad Aly's burial site. He was buried as a stranger in the middle of the night in a country that he once ruled. Freedom and democracy were buried that night and until now Egyptians are digging and searching for them.
After revealing the truth of this episode of Egyptian history, will the Egyptians ever stand up to defend their history that has been misused? Will Egypt ever become a Kingdom once again if the Egyptians choose it? Or will it always remain a republic, with its rights lost? The answer is definitely inside every Egyptian. It is hard to answer since freedom and democracy were buried fifty-five years ago. Imagine. If King Farouk I were still alive till today, what would we possibly tell him after we have discovered the truth? Do you think he would ever forgive us?