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King Idris I of Libya

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description King Idris I of Libya Overview

Idris I was the first and only king of Libya, ruling from the country's independence in 1951 until a military coup removed him in 1969. Born in 1889, he was a leader of the Senussi order and had previously served as Emir of Cyrenaica. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's Free Officers Movement overthrew the monarchy while Idris was abroad, and he later lived in exile in Egypt until his death in 1983.

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Why is Idris I called Libya's first and only king?

Idris became king when Libya gained independence on December 24, 1951, creating the United Kingdom of Libya. He remained the country's only monarch until the 1969 coup ended the monarchy. [Kingdom of Libya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Libya)

What was Idris I's role before he became king?

He was a leader of the Senussi religious and political order and had served as Emir of Cyrenaica in eastern Libya. That role gave him a base of authority before the independent Libyan state was formed. [Idris of Libya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idris_of_Libya)

Who overthrew King Idris I?

A group of Libyan army officers led by Muammar Gaddafi removed Idris in a bloodless coup on September 1, 1969. The officers called themselves the Free Officers Movement, and the coup replaced the monarchy with a republic. [TIME](https://time.com/3207127/gaddafi-1969/)

What happened to Idris after the 1969 coup?

Idris went into exile in Egypt and did not return to rule Libya. He died in Cairo in 1983, more than a decade after Gaddafi's takeover. [Idris of Libya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idris_of_Libya)

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