A member of the Hashemite family, he was sharif of Mecca and leader of the 1916 Arab revolt. In 1916 he assumed the title of King of the Arab Countries, but the Allies only recognized him as King of the Hejaz territory. As ruler of the Hejaz (1916–24) he came into conflict in 1919 with Ibn Saud, the Emir of Najd. He abdicated in favour of his son Ali in October 1924. His son Abdullah became ruler of TransJordan, and another son, Faisal I, founded the royal line of Iraq.