Faisal II became king of Iraq at a turbulent time in his nation's history. Although he began his reign with good intentions, his political support soon declined and Faisal's government was over thrown in a 1958 military coup.

Faisal was born on May 2, 1935 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was the only child of King Ghazi and Queen Aliya. When the boy was three years old, his father was killed in an automobile accident. Although Faisal was heir to the Iraqi throne, his uncle, Abdul Ilah acted as regent until the new king came of age. In April 1941, Abdul Ilah escaped a military revolt that apparently aimed to kill him and lead Iraq to join the Axis powers. Abdul Ilah fled to Jordan (ruled by his uncle Abdullah), while the young Faisal and his mother sought refuge outside Baghdad. However, the promised German aid did not arrive, and within a month the Royal Air Force, the (Jordanian) Arab Legion, and a small British force had defeated the Iraqi military. Abdul Ilah re-assumed his regency of Iraq, and Faisal returned to the palace. Iraq resumed the British alliance, and joined the United Nations. Cabinets in Baghdad continued to rise and fall in rapid succession.

As a child, Faisal was tutored at the palace with several Iraqi boys. After World War II the young king began his education in Britain, finishing at Harrow in 1952. The next year, on his 18th birthday, he ascended the throne as Faisal II. Faisal II began his reign with good intentions and a seriousness of purpose that his father had lacked.

For guidance, he continued to rely on Abdul Ilah and the veteran politician and nationalist, General Nuri al-Sa'id. With oil production now providing large revenues, the government determined to devote 70% of the wealth to development projects—sound economic sense, but one that reduced political support. More seriously, the political system of Iraq began to fracture