Independence Day is the National Holiday of Jordan
and is celebrated annually on May 25th.
Known as 'Eid al-Istiklaal', the holiday marks the independence of Jordan on May 25th 1946 when British control ended and Jordan was declared a Kingdom.
History of Jordanian Independence Day
After the end of the first world war, the emirate of Transjordan was officially formed from the British Mandate of Palestine in 1922 and was officially recognised by the Council of the League of Nations in 1922. As-Sayyid Abdullah bin al-Husayn was nominated as Emir, but many aspects of the rule of the country remained under British control.
Following the second world war, the British pushed for an end to their mandate in the region and on May 25th 1946, the United Nations approved the end to the British Mandate and Jordan became an independent sovereign state officially known as The Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan.
The Transjordanian Parliament declared as-Sayyid Abdullah bin al-Husayn as King Abdullah I, the first monarch of the Hashemite Empire.
After capturing parts of
Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, King Abdullah I
took the title King of Jordan. The name of the state was changed to The
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on December 1st 1948.
