22 Facts About Shukri al-Quwatli

Shukri al-Quwatli was the first president of post-independence Syria.

Shukri al-Quwatli began his career as a dissident working towards the independence and unity of the Ottoman Empire's Arab territories and was consequently imprisoned and tortured for his activism.

Shukri al-Quwatli used these connections to help finance the Great Syrian Revolt.

Shukri al-Quwatli was elected president of Syria in 1943 and oversaw the country's independence three years later.

Shukri al-Quwatli subsequently went into exile in Egypt, returning to Syria in 1955 to participate in the presidential election, which he won.

Shukri al-Quwatli entered Syria into a defense arrangement with Egypt and Saudi Arabia to confront the influence of the Baghdad Pact.

Shukri al-Quwatli backed Syria's secession in 1961, but plans for him to complete his presidential term afterward did not materialize.

In 1928, Shukri al-Quwatli married Bahira al-Dalati, the 19-year-old daughter of nationalist Said al-Dalati, whom Quwatli met while in jail in 1916.

Shukri al-Quwatli received his elementary education at a Jesuit school in the city, then studied at the preparatory high school of Maktab Anbar in the Jewish quarter of Damascus.

Shukri al-Quwatli then moved to Istanbul where he studied political science and public administration.

Shukri al-Quwatli returned to Damascus in 1913 after receiving his diploma, and started working for the Ottoman civil service.

Shukri al-Quwatli was bailed out of prison a few days later through his family's connections, but he lost his job at the civil service.

Shukri al-Quwatli spent four more months in jail, before being released on bail by his relative, Shafiq al-Quwatli, who served as a deputy at the Ottoman Parliament, on 28 January 1917.

Shukri al-Quwatli appointed Rida al-Rikabi as prime minister, and Quwatli's friend, Nasib al-Bakri became a personal adviser to the Emir.

Shukri al-Quwatli became the chief link between Arab nationalist activists in Europe and in the Arab world.

Shukri al-Quwatli developed close ties with Ibn Saud, who by 1925 ruled much of Arabia, having overrun the Hashemites in the Hejaz.

Shukri al-Quwatli sought to steer it towards a more determined nationalist course and worked to expand his support base, relying on his relationships with residents in some of Damascus' traditionally nationalist neighborhoods and among the city's merchant and emerging industrialist classes.

Shukri al-Quwatli worked to draw support from the staunch pan-Arabists of the League of National Action beginning in 1933.

Shukri al-Quwatli was Minister of Finance from 1936 to 1938.

Shukri al-Quwatli was confident that the National Bloc would win the elections regardless of French support.

Shukri al-Quwatli was further pressured by the Arab nationalist members of the delegation, including al-Bitar, who alluded to an impending communist takeover and urgently appealed to him not to "abandon" Syria.

Shukri al-Quwatli was personally affronted that his son-in-law Fayez al-Ujl had much of his property seized by the government as part of the socialist measures.