Egyptian Revolution of 1952
On 23 July 1952 the Free Officers Movement overthrew King Farouk, abolishing the Egyptian monarchy and bringing Gamal Abdel Nasser to power.
Overview
Defeat in the 1948 Arab Israeli War, British military presence in the Suez Canal zone, and royal corruption discredited the monarchy. A clandestine group of army officers led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, with General Muhammad Naguib as its public face, seized power in a nearly bloodless coup. King Farouk abdicated and left for exile. The monarchy was abolished and a republic declared in 1953, with Naguib as president until Nasser sidelined him in 1954. The new regime carried out land reform, nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956, and promoted Arab nationalism. The revolution inspired similar military takeovers across the Arab world.
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