Story Highlights
- Historical event:
- 1 September 1969
- The Libyan King Idris was in Turkey for medical treatment, when Gaddafi and his colleagues took power in Libya, abolished the kingdom and proclaimed a republic.
Gaddafi was born among the Bedouins in the desert.
In his youth, he enrolled in the Libyan military academy, and also attended military schools in the UK, didn’t attain the rank of a captain (he held the rank of a lieutenant).
Gaddafi planned a coup with a group of young officers. At the time, the Libyan King Idris was in Turkey for medical treatment, and Gaddafi and his colleagues took power in Libya, abolished the kingdom and proclaimed a republic.
27-year-old Gaddafi proclaimed himself captain on the day of the coup, and soon received the rank of a colonel. Gaddafi ruled Libya for about 42 years.
In comparison, Tito ruled for 36 and half years, Franco – 39 years, Kim Il-sung – 45 years, Chiang Kai-shek – 46 years, and Fidel Castro had the longest reign (49-year rule).
