Hussein I of Jordan
1935 – 1999King of Jordan for 47 years (1952-1999), he survived multiple assassination attempts and wars while establishing Jordan as a stable monarchy in a turbulent region.
Famous People from Jordan
41 notable historical figures from Jordan, including leaders, artists, scientists, and other influential people.
Jordan's database lists 41 notable historical figures who have influenced politics, diplomacy, and intellectual life. Most of these figures are politicians (19) and diplomats (8), which is indicative of Jordan's role in Middle Eastern geopolitics and international relations. The Hashemite royal family is well-represented, including monarchs like Abdullah II of Jordan, the current king born in 1962, his father Hussein I of Jordan who was born in 1935, and the kingdom's founder Abdullah I of Jordan born in 1882. The database includes university teachers (4) and theologians (2), reflecting the country's contributions to education and religious scholarship. Internationally recognized figures include controversial individuals like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and Sirhan Sirhan, along with political leaders such as Khaled Mashal and current Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah. Former Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh and Saleh al-Arouri are also listed, showing the range of Jordanians who have influenced both regional and global affairs in the modern era.
politician (16)diplomat (8)monarch (3)association football player (2)mujahid (1)military leader (1)terrorist (1)theologian (1)activist (1)groom (1)
Abdullah II of Jordan
1962 – PresentKing of Jordan since 1999, known for modernization efforts and promoting peace in the Middle East while navigating regional conflicts.
Abdullah I of Jordan
1882 – 1951Founding ruler of Transjordan and later Jordan (1921-1951), he established the Hashemite Kingdom and led the Arab Legion during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
1966 – 2006Jordanian-born jihadist who founded al-Qaeda in Iraq and became one of the most wanted terrorists before being killed by a U.S. airstrike in 2006.
Saleh al-Arouri
1966 – 2024Deputy chairman of Hamas's political bureau who was killed in an Israeli drone strike in Beirut in January 2024.
Abu Qatada
1960 – PresentRadical Islamic cleric and alleged al-Qaeda spiritual leader who was deported from the UK to Jordan in 2013 and later acquitted of terrorism charges.
Abdullah Yusuf Azzam
1941 – 1989Palestinian Islamic scholar and mujahideen leader who mentored Osama bin Laden and was assassinated in Pakistan in 1989.
Khaled Mashal
1956 – PresentFormer political leader of Hamas (2006-2017) who spent decades in exile directing the organization's political strategy from Qatar and other countries.
Sirhan Sirhan
1944 – PresentPalestinian-Jordanian who assassinated U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968.
Nahed Hattar
1960 – 2016Journalist and political activist who was assassinated in 2016 outside an Amman courthouse after posting a satirical cartoon about ISIS.
Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad
1964 – PresentJordanian prince and diplomat who served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2014-2018.
Rana Dajani
2000 – PresentMolecular biologist and associate professor at the University of Jordan known for her research in genetics and stem cell biology.
Wasfi Tal
1919 – 1971Three-time Prime Minister of Jordan who was assassinated in Cairo in 1971 by Palestinian militants for his role in Black September.
Yazan Al-Naimat
1999 – PresentProfessional footballer who plays as a midfielder for clubs in the Jordanian Pro League.
Ahmed Qurei
1937 – 2023Palestinian politician who served as Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority from 2003 to 2006 and was a key figure in peace negotiations with Israel.
Princess Haya bint Al-Hussein of Jordan
1974 – PresentOlympic equestrian athlete who competed for Jordan in show jumping and served as president of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports.
Ahmad Shukeiri
1908 – 1980Palestinian diplomat and politician who founded and led the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1964 to 1967.
Muath Al-Kasasbeh
1988 – 2015Royal Jordanian Air Force pilot who was captured and burned alive by ISIS in 2015, becoming a symbol of resistance against terrorism.
Bisher Al-Khasawneh
1969 – PresentPrime Minister of Jordan since 2020, previously served as chief of the Royal Hashemite Court and ambassador to France.
Abdelsalam al-Majali
1925 – 2023Physician and politician who served as Prime Minister of Jordan twice (1993-1995, 1997-1998) and was instrumental in Jordan's peace treaty with Israel.
Fayez al-Tarawneh
1949 – 2021Jordanian politician and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Jordan from 1998-1999 and held various ministerial positions throughout his career.
Marouf al-Bakhit
1947 – 2023Jordanian general and politician who served as Prime Minister twice (2005-2007, 2011-2012) during periods of political unrest.
Rami Hamdallah
1958 – PresentPalestinian academic and politician who served as Prime Minister of Palestine from 2013 to 2019.
Talal I of Jordan
1909 – 1972King of Jordan for only 11 months (1951-1952) before being declared mentally unfit to rule and forced to abdicate in favor of his son Hussein.
Hani al-Mulki
1951 – PresentCareer diplomat and politician who served as Prime Minister of Jordan from 2016-2018 and held various ambassadorial roles.
Ahmad Abughaush
1996 – PresentTaekwondo athlete who won Jordan's first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the men's 68kg division.
Hussein bin Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan
1994 – PresentCrown Prince of Jordan since 2009 and eldest son of King Abdullah II, being groomed as the future monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom.
Amer Shafia
1982 – PresentProfessional goalkeeper who played for the Jordan national football team and various clubs in the Jordanian Pro League.
Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh
1950 – PresentInternational Court of Justice judge who served as Prime Minister of Jordan from 2011 to 2012 during the Arab Spring protests.
Abdullah Ensour
1939 – PresentEconomist who served as Prime Minister of Jordan from 2012 to 2016, implementing economic reforms during a challenging period.
Omar Razzaz
1961 – PresentEconomist and former World Bank official who served as Prime Minister of Jordan from 2018 to 2020.
Princess Dina bint Abdul-Hamid Hashem
1929 – 2019Academic and first wife of King Hussein of Jordan, serving as Queen from 1955-1957 before their divorce.
Nader al-Dahabi
1946 – PresentFormer military officer and politician who served as Prime Minister of Jordan from 2007-2009 during the global financial crisis.
Fouad Twal
1940 – PresentJordanian Catholic prelate who served as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from 2008 to 2016, overseeing Christians in the Holy Land.
Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein of Jordan
1975 – PresentJordanian prince and former FIFA vice president who ran unsuccessfully for FIFA president in 2015 and founded the West Asian Football Federation.
Hamzah bin Al-Hussein
1980 – PresentPrince of Jordan and former Crown Prince (1999-2004), son of King Hussein and half-brother of King Abdullah II.
Zein al-Sharaf Talal
1916 – 1994Turkish-born Queen of Jordan (1934-1951) as the second wife of King Abdullah I and mother of King Talal.
Samir Rifai
1966 – PresentEconomist and politician who served as Prime Minister of Jordan from 2009-2011, resigning amid Arab Spring protests.
Princess Muna Al-Hussein
1941 – PresentFormer Queen of Jordan from 1972-1999 and mother of King Abdullah II, born Princess Antoinette Avril Gardiner before converting to Islam.
Suha Arafat
1963 – PresentPalestinian engineer who married PLO leader Yasser Arafat in 1990 and became First Lady of Palestine until his death in 2004.
Princess Iman bint Abdullah of Jordan
1996 – PresentPrincess of Jordan, eldest daughter of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania.
Related Data
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current king of Jordan?
Abdullah II of Jordan is the current king. He has been ruling since 1999 after succeeding his father, Hussein I of Jordan, who was king for nearly 47 years until his death.
What famous assassination was carried out by a Jordanian?
Sirhan Sirhan, a Jordanian-born Palestinian, assassinated U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles in 1968. He shot Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel after Kennedy's victory in the California Democratic presidential primary.
Who are some notable political leaders from Jordan?
Jordan has several prominent political figures, including three generations of monarchs: Abdullah I of Jordan, Hussein I of Jordan, and the current king, Abdullah II of Jordan. Other notable figures include current Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh and Palestinian political leader Khaled Mashal.