Talal bin Abdullah (February 26, 1909 – July 7, 1972) is King of Jordan from the assassination of his father, King Abdullah I, on July 20, 1951, until he is forced to abdicate on August 11, 1952.

As a member of the Hashemite dynasty, the royal family of Jordan since 1921, Talal claims to be a 39th-generation direct descendant of Muhammad.

Talal was born in Mecca as the eldest child of Abdullah and his wife Musbah bint Nasser.

Abdullah is a son of Hussein bin Ali, the Sharif of Mecca, who leads the Great Arab Revolt during the First World War against the Ottoman Empire in 1916.

After removing Ottoman rule, Abdullah establishes the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921, which becomes a British Protectorate, and rules as its Emir.

During Abdullah's absence, Talal spends his early years alone with his mother.

Talal receives private education in Amman, later joining Transjordan's Arab Legion as second lieutenant in 1927.

He next becomes aide to his grandfather Sharif Hussein, the ousted King of the Hejaz, during his exile in Cyprus.

By 1948, Talal has become a general in the Arab Legion.

Abdullah seeks independence in 1946, and the Emirate becomes the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Talal becomes Crown Prince upon his father's designation as King of Jordan.

Abdullah is assassinated in Jerusalem in 1951, and Talal becomes King.

Talal's most revered achievement as King is the establishment of Jordan's modern constitution in 1952, rendering his kingdom as a constitutional monarchy.

He rules for less than thirteen months until he is forced to abdicate by Parliament due to mental illness—reported as schizophrenia.

Talal spends the rest of his life at a sanatorium in Istanbul and dies there on July 7, 1972.

He was succeeded by his oldest son Hussein.[1]