6. The Kingdom of Egypt and its monarch were formally abolished following the Free Officers Movement
Established following the Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence by the United Kingdom in 1922, the Kingdom of Egypt was an independent state only in the legal sense. Although established under the Muhammad Ali Dynasty who reigned as its monarchs, until 1936 Britain retained control over much of the government and would continue to do so, albeit to a lesser extent, between 1936 and 1952. Enduring a persistent political struggle under his reign, Faud I contested with the Wafd Party – a nationalist political organization opposed to British domination of the Middle Eastern nation – as well as the Muslim Brotherhood following its foundation in 1928.
Succeeded by Farouk I in 1936, although negotiating a withdrawal of the majority of British troops, Farouk’s reign was deeply unpopular. Plagued by corruption and ineffective government, defeat for the nation in the Arab-Israeli War culminated in the Egyptian Revolution in 1952. Led by the Free Officers Movement, the palace was surrounded, with Farouk ordered on July 26 to abdicate and go into exile or be executed. Replaced as a formality by his infant son, Faud II, the following year the Egyptian monarchy was legally abolished and replaced by the Republic of Egypt under President Muhammad Naguib.
