Faisal I bin Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi (Arabic: ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ????????, Fay?al al-Awwal ibn al-?usayn ibn ‘Ali al-Hashimi; 20 May 1885 – 8 September 1933) was King of the Arab Kingdom of Syria or Greater Syria in 1920, and was King of Iraq from 23 August 1921 to 1933.
He was the third son of Hussein bin Ali, the Grand Sharif of Mecca, who had proclaimed himself King of the Arab lands in October 1916.
Faisal fostered unity between Sunni and Shiite Muslims to encourage common loyalty and promote pan-Arabism in the goal of creating an Arab state that would include Iraq, Syria and the rest of the Fertile Crescent.
While in power, Faisal tried to diversify his administration by including different ethnic and religious groups in offices.
However, Faisal's attempt at pan-Arab nationalism may have contributed to the isolation of certain religious groups.