Marais na Viongozi Duniani: Muammar Gaddafi

Muammar Gaddafi commonly known as Colonel Gaddafi was a Libyan revolutionary and politician, and the de facto ruler of Libya for 42 years. Taking power in a 1969 coup, he ruled as Revolutionary Chairman of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then as the "Brother Leader" of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011, when he was ousted in the Libyan civil war. Muammar Gaddafi served as Chairperson of the African Union from 2009 to 2010.

Muammar Gaddafi was born in a tent near Qasr Abu Hadi a rural area outside the town of Sirte in the deserts of western Libya. His family came from a small, relatively un-influential tribal group called the Qadhadhfa, who were Arabizer Berber in heritage. His father Mohammad Abdul Salam bin Hamed bin Mohammad, was known as Abu Meniar and he died in 1985, and his mother was named Aisha and she died in 1978. Muammar Gaddafi's father Abu Meniar earned a meager subsistence as a goat and camel herder.

Muammar Gaddafi's family was a part of a predominantly desert - dwelling Arabian group (Bedouin), they were illiterate and kept no birth records. As such, Gaddafi's date of birth is not known with certainty, and sources have set it in 1942 or in the Spring of 1943, although biographers Blundy and Lycett noted it could have been pre - 1940.

Muammar Gaddafi became involved in politics while at school in Sabha. He was his parents' only surviving son, he had three older sisters. He married his first wife, Fatiha al - Nuri in 1969. She was the daughter of General Khalid, a senior figure in King Idris' administration, and was from a middle - class background. Their relationship was strained, and they divorced in 1970. Muammar Gaddafi and Fatiha al - Nuri had a son, Mohammad Gaddafi who was born in 1970. His second wife was Safia Farkash a former nurse from Obeidat tribe, born in Bayda. Muammar Gaddafi and Safia got married in 1970. The couple remained married until his death. Together they had seven biological children, Saif al - Islam Gaddafi (born 1972), Al - Saadi Gaddafi (born 1973), Mutassim Gaddafi (born 1974 and died 2011), Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi (born 1975), Aisha Gaddafi (born 1976), Saif al - Arab Gaddafi (born 1982 and died 2011) and Khamis Gaddafi (born 1983 and died 2011).

He also adopted two children Hanna Gaddafi and Milad Gaddafi.

Muammar Gaddafi

Muammar Gaddafi's female Bodyguards, This battalion of female guards were often called his 'Amazon Guard's or at times - the 'Revolutionary Nuns'

Whether he was under siege or on the offensive, Muammar Gaddafi was always surrounded by his female Bodyguards

Muammar Gaddafi's Family

Muammar Gaddafi's family with the former president of South Africa and his wife in Cape Town South Africa, 1999. Left to right: Gaddafi's daughter Aisha Gaddafi, Nelson Mandela, Gaddafi's adopted daughter Hana Gaddafi, Nelson Mandela's wife Graca Machel and Gaddafi's wife Safia Farkash