Hosni Mubarak
Egyptian president who resigned after the 2011 revolution.
Hosni Mubarak, an Egyptian politician and military officer, became the fourth president of Egypt in 1981 following the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. Before entering politics, Mubarak was a career officer in the Egyptian Air Force, rising to the rank of air chief marshal and serving as its commander from 1972 to 1975. He had previously served as vice president under Sadat from 1975 and briefly as prime minister from 1981 to 1982. Mubarak assumed the presidency through a single-candidate referendum and renewed his terms via similar referendums in 1987, 1993, and 1999. Under international pressure, he allowed Egypt’s first multi-party election in 2005, which he won. His foreign policy was marked by a supportive stance on the Israeli–Palestinian peace process and a role in the Gulf War. In 1989, he restored Egypt’s membership in the Arab League, which had been suspended since the Camp David Accords, and returned its headquarters to Cairo. Domestically, his long rule provided stability and some economic growth but was also repressive. A state of emergency, in place since 1967, stifled political opposition, security forces became known for brutality, and corruption was widespread. Mubarak resigned in February 2011 after 18 days of demonstrations during the Egyptian revolution, transferring power to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. He was later tried in an ordinary court, the first Arab leader to face such proceedings in his own country, on charges of ordering the killing of peaceful protesters. Initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012, that verdict was overturned on appeal, leading to a retrial. In 2015, he and his sons were convicted of corruption and given prison sentences; Mubarak was detained in a military hospital. He was acquitted in 2017 and released. Mubarak died on 25 February 2020 at age 91, receiving a military funeral and burial at a family plot outside Cairo. His presidency, lasting nearly thirty years, made him Egypt’s longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali Pasha.
- field
- Politician, military officer
- nationality
- Egyptian
- known_for
- Fourth president of Egypt (1981–2011); longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali
Verified Timeline
Quick Facts
- Honorific Prefix
- His Excellency
- Native Name Lang
- ar
- Birth Name
- Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak
- Order
- 4th
- Office
- President of Egypt
- Prime Minister
- title=See list · Himself · Ahmad Fuad Mohieddin · Kamal Hassan Ali · Aly Lotfy Mahmoud · Atef Sedky · Kamal Ganzouri · Atef Ebeid · Ahmed Nazif · Ahmed Shafik
- Vice President
- Vacant / (1981–2011) / Omar Suleiman / (Jan–Feb 2011)
- Term Start
- 14 October 1981
- Term End
- 11 February 2011
- Predecessor
- Anwar Sadat / Sufi Abu Taleb (acting)
- Successor
- Mohamed Hussein Tantawy (interim)aaa · a / Mohamed Morsi
- Order1
- 41st
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Some sources credit him for Egypt's initial performance, though others dispute his role, with claims that he altered documents to take credit from others. After Sadat's assassination in 1981, Mubarak assumed the presidency via a single-candidate referendum. pressure held Egypt's first multi-party election in 2005, which he won. He resigned during the 2011 Egyptian revolution after 18 days of demonstrations, transferring power to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. He was later tried for killing peaceful protesters, sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012, but that sentence was overturned in 2013.
Reader's Guide
His tenure was marked by stability and some economic growth, but also by repression, including a continuous state of emergency, brutal security services, and widespread corruption. However, his rule ended with the 2011 Egyptian revolution, and he became the first Arab leader tried in his own country in an ordinary court. Mubarak’s presidency lasted nearly thirty years, making him the longest-serving Egyptian ruler since Muhammad Ali Pasha. He assumed office after the assassination of Anwar Sadat, winning a single-candidate referendum, and renewed his term through similar referendums in 1987, 1993, and 1999. Under United States pressure, he held Egypt’s first multi-party election in 2005, which he won. In 1989, he restored Egypt’s membership in the Arab League, which had been suspended since the Camp David Accords, and returned the League’s headquarters to Cairo. He was known for supporting the Israeli–Palestinian peace process and for his role in the Gulf War. Despite providing stability and economic growth, his rule was repressive: the state of emergency, in place since 1967, stifled political opposition, security services became known for brutality, and corruption was widespread. He resigned during the 2011 revolution after 18 days of protests, transferring power to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. He was later tried for killing peaceful protesters, sentenced to life imprisonment, but that sentence was overturned on appeal. After a retrial, he and his sons were convicted of corruption and given prison sentences; Mubarak was detained in a military hospital while his sons were later freed. He was ultimately acquitted and released in 2017. Mubarak died in 2020 at age 91, receiving a military funeral and burial at a family plot outside Cairo.
Did You Know?
- He was the first president to gain power solely through an election via popular vote? No, that was Mohamed Morsi in 2012; Mubarak was elected by plebiscite.
- Mubarak transferred presidential powers to his recently appointed vice president, Omar Suleiman, on 10 February 2011, one day before his resignation.
- He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 for killing peaceful protesters, but that sentence was overturned in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hosni Mubarak?
Hosni Mubarak was an Egyptian politician and military officer born on 4 May 1928 in Monufia Governorate. He served as Egypt's fourth president from 1981 until 2011, making him the country's longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali Pasha.
What was Hosni Mubarak's role and how long did he hold power?
He held the top executive office in Egypt as president, having previously served as the seventh vice president under Anwar Sadat and as the 41st prime minister. His tenure of nearly thirty years made him the most long-serving leader in modern Egyptian history.
How does Hosni Mubarak's story end?
Mubarak was compelled to step down in 2011 in the wake of the Egyptian revolution that toppled his government. He later died on 25 February 2020 at the age of 91.
Why is Hosni Mubarak considered important in post-colonial African history?
His three-decade rule defined the political trajectory of modern Egypt, and his overthrow became a landmark moment in the broader Arab Spring. He is also credited with reinstating Egypt into the Arab League and for his notable role in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
What military background did Hosni Mubarak have before becoming president?
Mubarak built his career as a military officer before transitioning into politics. He is especially remembered for his involvement in the Yom Kippur War, which bolstered his public standing and helped launch his political ascent.
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