This article deals with the exile of Husayn ibn Ali, ex-sharif of Mecca and ex-king of the Hijaz, in Cyprus (19251930). It was not politics, but the adversities of everyday life that shaped the ex-kings stay in the British colony. Loss of prestige, estrangement, uncertainty about the future, lawsuits, financial problems and the death of his wife contributed to failing health which ultimately led to his relocation to Amman. A special, perhaps unique feature of Husayns enforced residence in the island is that the power which exiled him also granted him asylum. This article examines his living conditions, experience with and image in the local community, relations with his sons as well as his dealings with British authorities. In this way the progressive isolation and marginalization of an ex-monarch in exile becomes evident. © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Husayn ibn Ali Hijaz Hashemites Great Britain Asylum Exile Cyprus

United Kingdom political history Cyprus colonialism asylum seeker social history