Abdullah II (born 1962)succeeded his father, the late King Hussein, as king of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on February 7, 1999. Little known outside Jordan before becoming king, Abdullah has surprised many observers by displaying a natural flair for a job many said he could never handle.

Abdullah's ascension to the throne was a surprise to almost everyone. In the final months of King Hussein's life, he had entrusted power to his brother, Crown Prince Hassan, heir apparent to the Jordanian throne. Less than two weeks before his death, some feuding within the royal family angered Hussein and caused him to announce that Abdullah was now next in line for the throne. It was an announcement that shocked and worried many in Jordan. Abdullah, Hussein's eldest son by his second wife, Princess Mona, was known as a competent military leader, serving as a major general in charge of Jordan's...