“In 1957, King Hussein sought urgent assistance from King Saud, may God have mercy on them both. King Saud immediately responded and dispatched a Saudi military force to Jordan to save the country from a grave crisis.
Jordan was facing a terrifying political nightmare when Prime Minister Suleiman Al‑Nabulsi, preparing for alignment with Gamal Abdel Nasser, began dismissing officials in the Royal Court, merging the Arab Army with the National Guard—dominated at the time by Palestinian elements—and demanding the resignation of thirty senior officials loyal to the King. Feeling that his throne was in imminent danger, King Hussein attempted to avert the crisis by dismissing three ministers, but the situation deteriorated further.
Al‑Nabulsi’s government, backed by the army under Ali Abu Nuwar, escalated matters by announcing the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. King Hussein’s plan to confront the crisis centered on removing liberal, progressive, and pro‑Nasser elements from both the civil administration and the military, dissolving Al‑Nabulsi’s government, and disbanding parliament. To achieve this, he had no choice but to rely on the Bedouin units of the army loyal to the monarchy—units that needed reinforcement.
Thus, King Hussein took a bold step: he secretly contacted King Saud and requested his help. He asked that the Saudi brigade stationed on the Jordanian border be placed under his command to suppress the rebellion aimed at toppling the throne.
When King Saud heard King Hussein pleading for assistance, he responded immediately, setting aside all historical differences between their two great families. He telephoned the commander of the Saudi brigade and instructed him:
“I order you to place yourself at the disposal of King Hussein and to carry out whatever he commands. You are to receive orders from him directly without referring back to us.”
The Saudi commander obeyed at once, and Saudi forces entered Jordanian territory. Days later, the two monarchs held a secret meeting on the Saudi‑Jordanian border.
When King Hussein returned to Amman, events took a dramatic turn.
The Syrian division stationed in the Ajloun region cut telephone lines between Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Iraqi battalions crossed the border, preparing to enter Amman before the Syrians could. Jordanians were in a state of turmoil, but amid this dangerous situation, the one reassuring factor was King Saud’s unwavering fulfillment of his promise.
Saudi reinforcements continued to arrive, increasing the number of units loyal to the monarchy. After a series of confrontations and developments, stability was restored in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
In April 1957, King Hussein traveled to Jeddah to express his gratitude to King Saud for the assistance he had provided during the crisis. One can only imagine what might have happened had the Saudi reinforcements not arrived in time to save his throne.
During their meeting, the two monarchs drafted a statement to explain to the Arab world the significance of their earlier secret encounter. The statement declared:
- Working to ensure full independence and complete sovereignty for every Arab country.
- Strengthening military cooperation among the four states to defend against any joint aggression.
- Refraining from entering foreign alliances.
- Supporting Arab nations still under colonial rule in attaining their rights and completing their freedom.
The statement affirmed full commitment to the Arab League, its charter, and its principles, and emphasized that deviation from this policy would be a deviation from Arab nationalism. It also affirmed that the events in Jordan were strictly an internal Jordanian matter.
In June 1957, King Saud arrived in Amman, where King Hussein welcomed him with exceptional warmth, and the Jordanian people greeted him enthusiastically. The two monarchs reviewed a military parade of the Jordanian army and exchanged gifts:
King Saud presented King Hussein with three Cadillacs, three Chryslers, and three Packards, while King Hussein gifted his guest a purebred Arabian horse and bestowed upon him the Order of Al‑Nahda. They then issued a joint statement reaffirming previous agreements and commitments between the two nations.
At a banquet held in King Saud’s honor at the Officers’ Club, King Hussein declared:
“My brothers, on this occasion I affirm that my brother, His Majesty King Saud—yes, my brother King Saud—is the one who saved us from the conspiracy carried out against us.”
Upon his departure from Jordan, King Saud addressed the Jordanian people with the following eloquent words:
“As I leave this brotherly nation, I send to the Jordanian people, in all their ranks, my gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming warmth, magnificent reception, and enthusiasm with which I was greeted wherever I went in this Arab land. My heart has been filled with confidence by the spirit of cooperation I witnessed between the Jordanian people, their government, and their army, and their steadfast support for their King in the most difficult of times. I pray that God preserves Jordan’s unity and solidarity.
The dangers facing Jordan cannot be overcome except through cohesion and mutual support during these difficult times the Arab nation is experiencing. It is a source of pride to record the noble stances taken by my brother King Hussein, standing firmly with his army and people in Arabizing the Jordanian army, freeing Jordan from the foreign constraints imposed upon it, and preserving Jordan’s entity and independence. I ask God to safeguard Jordan’s unity under its King.”
King Saud’s regional tour helped calm tensions, and relative stability returned for a time.
It is noted that the United States deployed forces to the region belatedly, but its fleet played no significant role in suppressing the rebellion.
Sources:
- King Saud: Founder of the Modern Saudi State, by Salim Wakim
- King Saud: The East in a Time of Transformation, by Jacques Benoist‑Méchin