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Ismail Chirine
Ismail Chirine
Ismail Chirine
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Ismail Hussein Chirine (Arabic: إسماعيل شيرين; 17 October 1919 – 14 June 1994) was an Egyptian royal diplomat. He served very briefly as Egypt's Minister of War in July 1952. His mother, Princess Amina Bahruz Fazil, was a member of the Muhammad Ali dynasty.[1]

Key Information

Early life and education

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Chirine was born in Alexandria on 17 October 1919 to Hussein Chirine Pasha (died 1934) and Princess Amineh Bahrouz Fazil (1886–1947), a member of a cadet branch of the Egyptian royal family.[2] After their divorce, his mother married Ali Rateb, from Alexandria, and his father married Gulsun Hanem Aflaton. His uncle and guardian was the governor of Cairo.[3] From the age of 12, Chirine preferred to live with his aunt Zeinab Chirine, wife of Haidar Pasha.

He was educated at Victoria College in Alexandria, Great Chesterfield College and Trinity College, Cambridge.[2][4]

Career

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Chirine assumed different public posts in Egypt. When Chirine returned from the United Kingdom he firstly worked for the Bank El Ahly El Masry. Later he became an officer in the army, where his proficiency in the English language was useful during negotiations in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, together with Rahmani Bey who later became ambassador to Czechoslovakia. Chirine became colonel in the army. He was a member of Egypt's delegation to the 1949 Armistice Agreements in Rhodes. In 1948, he served as secretary of Egyptian delegation to the United Nations.[5] Then he acted as aide-de-champ of King Farouk.[6] In 1949 he served as the press officer for the cabinet.[3] He was appointed Defense Minister of during the reign of King Farouk, Chirine was the last Defense Minister of Kingdom of Egypt.[2] In 1940s Chirine became the first to hold the position of Vice President of Zamalek SC.

Personal life

[edit]

Chirine married Princess Fawzia, the sister of King Farouk, in March 1949, five months after the Princess's divorce from the Shah of Iran.[5][7] The wedding ceremony was held in Koubba Palace.[8] Following the wedding they lived in an estate owned by the Princess in Maadi.[8] They also resided in a villa in Smouha.[9]

They had two children, Nadia (19 December 1950[6] – October 2009) and Hussein (born 1955 – died 2016).[citation needed] Their daughter, Nadia, married firstly Egyptian actor Yusuf Shabaan[9] and secondly Mustafa Rashid.

He lived the rest of his life in Alexandria, tending his property in the South of Egypt and spending summers in Switzerland, to allow his wife to meet her eldest daughter, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi.

Death

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Chirine died at the military hospital in Alexandria on 14 June 1994 at the age of 74.[citation needed] He was buried in Cairo.[10]

References

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Ismail Chirine

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from Grokipedia
Ismail Hussein Chirine (17 October 1919 – 14 June 1994) was an Egyptian diplomat and military officer of royal descent, best known for his marriage to Princess Fawzia of Egypt and his brief tenure as of the Egyptian Armed Forces. Born in to landowner Hussein Chirine Bey and Princess Amina Bahrooz Ibrahim Rashid, he pursued a military career, rising to the rank of colonel and participating in Egypt's delegation to the in . In March 1949, Chirine married Princess Fawzia, the former Queen of and sister of King Farouk, in a ceremony at Koubba Palace in ; the union, described as a love match, lasted until his death and produced two children. Following the resignation of Mohamed Haidar , Chirine was appointed Minister of War and briefly led the Egyptian army in July 1952, just before the Free Officers Movement's revolution overthrew the . After the revolution, he transitioned to diplomatic roles, maintaining ties to Egypt's pre-revolutionary elite. He died in at age 74.

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Upbringing

Ismail Chirine was born on 17 October 1919 in , , to Hussein Chirine Pasha (died 1934), a landowner and prominent figure in Egyptian society, and Princess Amina Bahrouz Fadel (1886–1947), whose heritage combined Albanian-Egyptian and Turkish Circassian ancestry. His parents divorced during his early years, prompting his mother to remarry Ali Rateb, a notable resident of , while his father wed Gulsun Hanem Aflaton. Following his father's death in 1934, Chirine was placed under the guardianship of his uncle, who held the position of governor of . From around age 12, he chose to live primarily with his aunt Zeinab Chirine, the wife of , reflecting a preference for that familial environment amid the disruptions of parental separation and remarriages. His mother perished in an airplane crash near in 1947, further marking the instability of his upbringing within Egypt's elite circles.

Formal Education and Early Influences

Ismail Chirine was born on 17 October 1919 in , , into an aristocratic family of Albanian-Egyptian descent. His father, Chirine Pasha, died in 1934, while his mother, Princess Amina Bahrouz Fadel (1886–1947), was half Albanian-Egyptian and half Turkish Circassian; the couple later divorced, with his mother remarrying Ali Rateb Pasha. Chirine's early upbringing occurred amid Egypt's monarchical elite, where familial ties to pashas and governors provided exposure to administrative and political circles, fostering an orientation toward . From around age 12, following family changes, he resided primarily with relatives connected to high-ranking officials, including an uncle who served as governor of , which likely reinforced his familiarity with structures. His formal education began at Victoria College in , a British-style institution renowned for instructing the offspring of Egyptian royalty, nobility, and international figures, emphasizing classical and modern subjects in a multilingual environment. He continued studies at Great Chesterfield College, followed by , where he pursued in the , gaining exposure to British intellectual traditions and international networks that would inform his later diplomatic and military pursuits. Alternative accounts include attendance at Madrasa al-Masriyyah in , a preparatory school with ties to Egyptian administrative training. These institutions collectively shaped his worldview, blending Eastern aristocratic heritage with Western , predisposing him to roles in Egypt's military and foreign affairs establishments.

Military and Diplomatic Career

Entry into the Military and Initial Roles

Ismail Chirine pursued a career in the Army during the Kingdom of Egypt era, attaining the rank of . His initial roles encompassed diplomatic-military responsibilities, including serving as secretary of the delegation to the in 1948. He subsequently participated as a member of Egypt's delegation to the negotiations in , which concluded the [1948 Arab–Israeli War](/page/1948_Arab–Israeli War) hostilities with . Chirine also acted as to King Farouk I. These positions highlighted his blend of operational and representational duties early in his service.

Diplomatic Assignments and Armistice Involvement

Chirine, holding the rank of in the Egyptian Army, participated in Egypt's diplomatic efforts amid the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, blending military and representational duties. In 1948, he served as secretary to an Egyptian delegation, though specifics on its composition and mandate remain limited in primary records. His roles positioned him within the royal diplomatic apparatus, leveraging family ties to King Farouk—whose sister he would later marry—to facilitate sensitive negotiations. Chirine's most documented diplomatic engagement occurred during the armistice phase of the conflict. As a political advisor and member of Egypt's delegation to the United Nations-mediated talks in , , he contributed to negotiations culminating in the Egypt-Israel General Armistice Agreement signed on February 24, 1949. These talks, hosted under UN Security Council Resolution 62 of November 16, 1948, aimed to demarcate cease-fire lines and establish mechanisms for demilitarization, with Chirine advising on political aspects amid Egypt's military setbacks. Post-agreement, Chirine assumed the role of principal Egyptian officer on the Egyptian-Israeli Mixed Armistice Commission, responsible for implementing and monitoring the truce terms, including complaint resolutions and border patrols. In this capacity, documented in U.S. diplomatic correspondence from 1950, he engaged with counterparts on issues like territorial adjustments and refugee returns, reflecting Egypt's insistence on linking armistice stability to broader political settlements. His involvement underscored the Egyptian monarchy's reliance on royal-affiliated officers for high-stakes diplomacy, though the commission's efficacy was hampered by mutual distrust and recurring violations.

Leadership Positions and 1952 Crisis

Ismail Chirine advanced through the ranks of the Egyptian military, achieving the position of by the late 1940s. Following the dismissal of Mohamed Haidar as of the Egyptian Armed Forces in mid-July 1952, Chirine was appointed to succeed him in this role, marking a brief tenure at the apex of military command under the monarchy. This promotion occurred amid intensifying political instability, including widespread discontent over the 1948 Arab-Israeli War defeat and domestic unrest exemplified by the Black Saturday riots on January 26, 1952, which destroyed parts of and accelerated the erosion of King Farouk's authority. On July 22, 1952, Chirine was further elevated to Minister of War and the Navy in the second cabinet of Ahmad Najib al-Hilali, a short-lived formed in response to ongoing crises and cabinet reshuffles. This appointment, lasting only until July 23, positioned him as the final defense minister of the Kingdom of before the overthrow of the . The Hilali cabinet's formation aimed to stabilize the amid mounting pressure from reformist officers and public demands for change, but it failed to avert the impending coup. The 1952 crisis culminated in the early hours of July 23, 1952, when the Free Officers Movement, a clandestine group of mid-level army officers led by and Muhammad Naguib, initiated a bloodless . Forces loyal to the plotters seized key military installations and arrested senior officials, including cabinet members and royal associates. Chirine's positions as both and Minister placed him directly in the path of the revolutionaries, though specific details of his immediate response or arrest remain sparse in historical records. The coup rapidly dismantled the monarchical government, forcing King Farouk's on July 26, 1952, and ending Chirine's military leadership roles, after which he joined the royal family in exile.

Personal Life

Marriage to Princess Fawzia

Ismail Chirine married Princess Fawzia Fuad of Egypt on 28 March 1949 at Koubba Palace in Cairo. This union followed Fawzia's divorce from Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, which was finalized in November 1948 after an Egyptian court granted the dissolution in 1945, though Iranian recognition was delayed. At the time, Chirine held the rank of colonel in the Egyptian military and was the son of Husain Chirine Bey, a prominent Egyptian figure. The marriage was described in contemporary accounts as a love match, contrasting with Fawzia's politically arranged first union. The couple's wedding occurred amid the waning years of the Egyptian monarchy under King Farouk, Fawzia's brother, and just before the 1952 revolution that would upend the royal family. Unlike Fawzia's previous , which produced one raised in , her partnership with Chirine endured without dissolution until his death in 1994. Reports indicate the relationship was stable and affectionate, with the pair maintaining a low public profile compared to Fawzia's earlier royal status.

Family and Children

Chirine and Princess Fawzia had two children from their marriage. Their daughter, Nadia Ismail Chirine, was born on 19 December 1950 and died in October 2009. Their son, Hussein Ismail Chirine, was born in 1955 and died in 2016. The family remained together through the political upheavals following the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, with Chirine prioritizing their stability in exile.

Exile and Later Years

Post-Revolution Life

Following the 1952 Egyptian Revolution on July 23, which deposed King Farouk and ended the monarchy, Ismail Chirine was removed from his brief tenure as Minister of War and of the Armed Forces, a position he had assumed only a week prior. He thereafter withdrew from public life and military service, transitioning to a private existence in alongside his wife, Princess Fawzia—who had been divested of her royal titles but granted permission to retain residence in a confiscated family property in . The couple, married since March 28, 1949, raised their two children, daughter and son (born 1955), within during this period, maintaining a low profile amid the new republican regime's suppression of monarchical associations. No records indicate Chirine's involvement in political opposition or exile abroad; instead, he resided domestically until his death. Chirine died on June 14, 1994, at age 74 in a in , , and was interred in .

Death and Legacy

Ismail Chirine died on 14 June 1994 at the in , , at the age of 74. Chirine's legacy centers on his pre-revolutionary military and diplomatic service in , where he briefly held the position of of the Egyptian army following Mohamed Haidar , prior to the 23 July 1952 revolution. His marriage to Princess Fawzia in 1949 further embedded him within the dynasty's elite circles, though the couple's prominence waned after the monarchy's abolition. Post-revolution, he maintained a low profile, with his later life reflecting the exile and diminished status of former royal associates, yet he spent his final years in .
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