Name of Object:

El Sayyid Muhammad Idris al-Mahdi al Senussi (1889–1983), from 1916 Chief of the Senussi Muslim order

Name in original language:

SA l’Emiro Senusso Saied Idris

Location:

Rome, Italy

Holding Institution:

Italian Institute for African and Oriental Studies

Holding Institution (original language):

Istituto italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente

Date of Object:

1920

Description:

El Sayyid (or Sidi) Muhammad Idris al-Mahdi al Senussi (1889-1983), the grandson of the founder of the Senussi Sufi order, became head of the Senussi order in 1916. He took the title of Emir and ruled as King of Libya from 1951 through 1969. In 1920 Italy reached an agreement with him and invited him to Rome, where he met King Victor Emmanuel III. Idris’ relations with the Italian government later deteriorated, and he went into exile in Egypt and encouraged anti-Italian guerrilla from there.

Type of Object

Photograph

Archival or Bibliographical Reference:

Archivio fotografico, Libia, album 25, “Festeggiamenti per l’arrivo di S.A. l’emiro Senussi a Bengasi (1920)”

Citation of this web page:

Giulia Barrera "El Sayyid Muhammad Idris al-Mahdi al Senussi (1889–1983), from 1916 Chief of the Senussi Muslim order" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;it;136;en

Prepared by: Giulia Barrera
Copyedited by: Anne Dowell

MWNF Working Number: IT1 137