# Hussein claims the caliphate (March 1924)

URL: https://allhistories.com/saudi/timeline/1924-hussein-claims-the-caliphate
Themes: Key Events

Days after the Turkish republic abolished the Ottoman caliphate in March 1924, King Hussein of the Hejaz accepted proclamation as caliph during a visit to Transjordan. He claimed the title as guardian of Mecca and Medina and a descendant of the Prophet. The claim won little recognition abroad and was widely opposed, including in India and Egypt. In Najd it was denounced, and Ibn Saud convened a council of religious scholars and tribal leaders that approved action against Hussein.

## Why it matters
Hussein's bid for the caliphate provided the immediate pretext for the Saudi conquest of the Hejaz.

Ruler at the Time: [Hussein bin Ali](https://allhistories.com/saudi/rulers/hussein-bin-ali)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Sharifian Caliphate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharifian_Caliphate)
- [Wikipedia — Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussein_bin_Ali,_King_of_Hejaz)
- [Wikipedia — Abolition of the Caliphate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abolition_of_the_Caliphate)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Hussein claims the caliphate](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Hussein+claims+the+caliphate)
- [Wikipedia — Unification of Saudi Arabia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_of_Saudi_Arabia)
- [Wikipedia — History of Saudi Arabia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Saudi_Arabia)