Hussein Refki Pasha (; 1876–1950) was an Egyptian military general and politician who served as Egypt's Minister of War and Marine.
Early life and career
Hussein Refki ibn Ahmed Hafez ibn Mohammed Hafez was born in Cairo, Egypt, to an aristocratic Turco-Egyptian family of statesmen and military officers. Refki's father and brother also both served as career officers in the Egyptian Army.
Refki was commissioned as an Egyptian infantry officer after graduating from the Royal Military School. He spent the first part of his military career in Sudan, including staff officer postings in Kordofan, Khartoum, and Port Sudan. He participated in the later part of the Mahdist War, seeing action in several battles, including the Battle of Hafir in 1896 and the Battle of Omdurman in 1898. He remained stationed in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan through World War I and up until the mid-1920s, steadily rising through the infantry ranks until his transfer to the King's military household.The Egyptian Directory 1924 L'Annuaire Egyptian (Egypte et Soudan). 1923. Cairo: Societie Orientale de Publicité.The Egyptian Directory 1908 L'Annuaire Egyptian du Commerce de L'Industrie, L'Administration et la Magistrature de L'Egypte et du Soudan. 1908. Cairo: The Egyptian Directory & Advertising Cy., Ltd.The Egyptian Directory 1913 L'Annuaire Egyptian L'Annuaire Egyptien et L'Indicateur Egyptien. 1913. Cairo: Societie Orientale de Publicité.
Later career and political roles
Refki transferred to the Egyptian Royal Guard and ultimately became its commander in the late-1920s.The Egyptian Directory 1929. Cairo: Ghurfah al-Tijārīyah lil-Qāhirah. He was later promoted to Chief Aide-de-Camp (; Kebeer-al-Yawaran) to both Kings Fuad and Farouk, in which capacity he commanded the King's Military Household (predecessor to the Republican Guard of Egypt), which included the royal guard, palace police, and other elite military units directly responsible for protecting the monarchy.Soria, L. Blattner, E.J. Le Mondain Egyptien (The Egyptian Who's Who): L'Annuaire De L'Elite D'Egypte. 1936. Cairo: Thuilot Vincent & Cie.
Refki was appointed Egypt's Minister of War and Marine in December 1937, during the early reign of King Farouk of Egypt.Preston, Paul. Partridge, Michael. Woodward, Peter. British Documents on Foreign Affairs: Reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print. 1999. Great Britain. Foreign Office. King Farouk appointed Refki to the Egyptian Senate (; Majlis-al-Shuyukh), the upper-house of the Egyptian Parliament, in 1939.Soria, L. Blattner, E.J. Le Mondain Egyptien (The Egyptian Who's Who): L'Annuaire De L'Elite D'Egypte. 1941. Cairo: [s.n.]
A street is named for Refki in the Sarayat El-Quba neighbourhood of Heliopolis, Cairo.El-Lewa Hussein Refki Street. Sarayat El Koba, Cairo, Egypt. Map of El-Koba, Cairo. 2009. Google Maps.
Personal life and family
Refki's only child, Chancellor Hafez Refky, was Vice-President of Egypt's Court of Cassation (; Mahkamat-al-Naqd), Egypt's highest appellate court, and a member of Egypt's Supreme Judicial Council (; Majlis al-Qada' al-A'la). Refki's nephew, Chancellor Fouad Hafez, was President of the Egyptian Court of Appeals in Cairo (; Mahkamat Isti'naf al-Qahirah).
Hussein Refki Pasha is related to the Muhammad Ali dynasty of Egypt through his mother, who is directly descended from the dynasty's founder, Muhammad Ali of Egypt. Since the 1930s Refki and his patrilineal descendants have used the surname "Refky" or "Refki."
Awards and honours
Grand Cordon Order of Ismail Grand Cordon Order of the Nile Knight Grand Cross Order of the Crown of Italy Knight Grand Cross Order of the Star of Ethiopia Honour Medal of Syrian Merit, First Class Honour Medal of Lebanese Merit, First Class Grand Officer Order of Leopold II Order of the Medjidie British War Medal Victory Medal (United Kingdom) 1914-1915 Star Queen's Sudan Medal Khedive's Sudan Medal (1897) Chief ADC to King Fuad I of Egypt Chief ADC to King Farouk of Egypt
References