Fuad I of Egypt

Fuad I was the first king of Egypt and Sudan after the British recognition of Egyptian independence in 1922. He was the ninth ruler of Egypt and Sudan from the Muhammad Ali dynasty, and the son of Ismail Pasha, the former khedive of Egypt. He became the sultan of Egypt in 1917, succeeding his elder brother Hussein Kamel, who had declared himself sultan after the deposition of Abbas II by the British. Fuad played a major role in the establishment of Cairo University, and was its first rector from 1908 to 1913. He also attempted to secure the throne of Albania for himself in 1913, but was unsuccessful. Fuad faced a strong nationalist movement led by the Wafd party, which demanded complete independence from Britain and a constitutional monarchy. Fuad tried to balance between the British interests and the Egyptian aspirations, and promulgated a constitution in 1923 that granted him considerable powers. He also tried to influence the formation of the governments, and often clashed with the Wafd leaders, especially Saad Zaghloul and Mustafa el-Nahhas. Fuad supported the development of education, culture, and public works in Egypt, and patronized many intellectuals and artists. He died of a heart attack in 1936, and was succeeded by his son Farouk I.