Royalty of Libya


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I wanted to trace back the Senussi family tree and find ways to contact the family. all help is appreciated.

I'd like to add by saying that someone should help by posting what they know of the family history. I only know of stories that were passed down and told to my mother.
 
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The Senussi religious order became a dominant force in Cyrenaica, eastern Libya, and when Libya became an independent kingdom, Idris I became King. After his overthrow in 1969, Idris was exiled and died in 1983. He had no children, so his nephew became head of the house.

Unlike the royal families of Iraq, Tunisia and Egypt, the Libyan royals are actively involved with the opposition. The Kingdom flag is the flag of the demonstrators now, and the royals may yet have a role in post-Gaddafi Libya. We'll see.
 
a genealogy can be found at: libya2 and subsequant pages
 
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The King of Libya (Idris I between 1951 and 1969) was previously the Emir of Cyrenaica (1919-1951). He was also offered the thrones of Tripolitania and Fezzan in 1951 (Emirate and Sultanate respectively).

King Idris (al-Senussi) was deposed in 1969 by Colonel Gadaffi and the "Revolutionary Command Council". He was overseas at the time and it was his nephew - Crown Prince Hassan - who bore the brunt of the revolution being imprisoned for several years and then made to live in a shed on the beach until 1988 when he was able to leave Libya and go into exile in England. Hassan died in 1992 and designated his second son Muhammed as his successor.

A rival claim is promoted by "Prince" Idris bin Abdullah al-Senussi but this is not widely supported and is based on a very tenuous claim - he is merely the great-grandson of the 1st Grand Senussi, a distinction held by many.
 
I personally believe that Libya is the country most likely to re-adopt a monarchy. The situation in Libya is similar to that found in Cambodia at the end of the communist regime when former king Sihanouk was asked to return to the throne.

Things to note regarding the uprising in Libya are:

1) The revolt is centred in the eastern region - known as Cyrenaica - and it is in this region that King Idris was originally from and ruled first as Emir.

2) The Senussi Monarchy of King Idris ruled from a palace in Benghazi. The tombs of their ancestors are also located in Cyrenaica near the Egyptian border.

3) The old flag of the United Kingdom of Libya has been adopted by the protesters. Old photographs of King Idris have been seen at demonstrations.

4) The tribal structure of Libya and a desire for continuity and a constitutional order makes the prospect of a restored monarchy likely. The old constitution of the former kingdom of Libya advocated a liberal constitutional monarchy.
 
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A very recent television interview by Crown Prince Muhammed with Al-Jazeera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjdUS36_-oE

Some pictures:

Mohammed%2Bes-Senoussi.jpg

01.jpg


One final thing - regarding contacting the family - Crown Prince Muhammed (above) lives in Mayfair in London and is represented by Bell Pottinger (Public Relations firm)
 
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Very interesting. I wonder if Muhammed is in communication with the forces in Cyrenaica.

Should he go there? Should he resurrect the claim 'Emir of Cyrenaica' and offer himself as a rallying point, until he can claim kingship? Can he embody a 'Crowned Democracy'?
 
Keystone said:
Very interesting. I wonder if Muhammed is in communication with the forces in Cyrenaica.

Should he go there? Should he resurrect the claim 'Emir of Cyrenaica' and offer himself as a rallying point, until he can claim kingship? Can he embody a 'Crowned Democracy'?
Click to expand...

As said before, the royals have been involved in the opposition coalition in exile, which is supporting and you can say directing the uprisings from afar. Prince Muhammad has said himself the first priority is to stop the violence and remove Gaddafi before anything is considered.
 
frank22 said:
The Queen is from Spain
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As far as I remember, Princess Ana Maria's husband Prince Idris has lost his case about the clame to the headship of Libyan RF in the British court to his distant relative the Crown Prince Muhammad al-Senoussi (see post #1 in this thread).
Thus she is not a Queen, but a princess. A stunning princess! And a distant relative to the current Countess of Paris (nee Micaela Cousiño Quiñones de León), I suppose.
**Princess Ana Maria al-Senoussi nee Quiñones de León with her husband Prince Idris** - credits Marcellino Radogna
 
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Descendants of the deposed royal family in Libya have ended up as asylum seekers in an apartment in the small village of Totebo, southern Sweden. Prince Al Senussi Zouber Al Senussi managed to flee with his family shortly before the revolt in February and came to Sweden via Turkey.
"This is the place where we can feel safe," said his wife Sohere to the local newspaper Västervik-Tidningen. The royal family Senussi was overthrown by Gaddafi in 1969.- Stockholm News
 
A 2005 article which states "some in the opposition [to Gadhafi]" want to restore monarchy. The pretender Mohammed al-Senousi states that he would promote democratic elections and advocates the restoration of the prior constitution.
 
Here is another compelling article analyzing just who make up the rebels: "Youth, Tribes, Monarchists, Regime Castoffs and Oil"

The author observes that the late King Idris "had banned all political parties, signed 20-year leases for American and British military bases, constantly reshuffled administrative regions to destabilize tribal challenges, and was generally considered a puppet of British and American oil companies."

It’s senseless to overthrow one authoritarian regime for another. For the people of Libya, let us hope that any "new king" will institute liberal democratic institutions with protection for minority rights.
 
To be fair, that was no different than many others of his time, or today, and by no means the worst either.
 
After the fall of Geddafi regime the flag of the Kingdom of Libya is everwhere.Any real chances for the restoration of Monarchy?
 
Why do you say that?
 
Watch CNN, and you will learn more.
 
I don't think so Cory Libya royalty was not involved in the revolution in anyway...would the ppl there call for the monarchy back?
maybe even if I don't see that happening.
 
I pesonally do hope and want that Libya re-instate the monarchy. It's not just "figures" or persons it's the history the country has.
I do hope the follow the example of Spain, they re-instated the monarchy after a dictator and Juan Carlos is the prime example of it being possible.
 
I also hope the same Komtesse Rosaire not because I am royalist but as you said because of the history the country and heritage,it's so sad how Ghaddafi has spoiled off all the work of the King Idriss what ever was the King regime was a way much better it's just like Ghaddafi has take 42 years from the history of Libya and throw it away bringing them 40 years back not a head IMO.
 
What would be the legal process for restoring the monarchy?
 
Danishla said:
What would be the legal process for restoring the monarchy?
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There are more than 2000 tribes and clans in Libya, including the berbers of Sakhara.
When the civil war in Libya stops (the war is going on now, and will continue for some time, according to the press reports) -- well, when the war stops -- the leaders of all tribes and clans will gather at the meeting and choose if they want a monarchy.
In this case it's not clear if they will choose the descendants of King Idris. As the King was a head of religious Senussi Muslim order, not popular among all the tribes and clans.
There are other candidates possible for the King.:)
 
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