Talhouni, Bahjat at-

▪ 1995

      Jordanian politician (b. 1913, Ma'an, vilayet of Syria, Ottoman Empire [now Ma'an, Jordan]—d. Jan. 30, 1994), was a loyal monarchist and close personal adviser to King Hussein of Jordan throughout a long career in public service; he was called upon to serve as prime minister four separate times between 1960 and 1970. Talhouni trained as a lawyer at the University of Damascus (LL.B.; 1936). He was appointed a judge in Kerak in 1938 and was elevated to president of the Court of Appeals in 1952. He joined the Cabinet as minister of the interior the next year. As chief of the Royal Diwan (secretariat) from 1954, he was Hussein's chief adviser. Talhouni was named prime minister for the first time in August 1960, after Prime Minister Hazza' al-Majali's assassination, and served until January 1962. He was recalled to office three times (July 1964-February 1965, October 1967-March 1968, and August 1969-June 1970). Each time the self-effacing Talhouni was recalled during a period when Hussein wished to assert control over the Cabinet and present a moderate response to the question of Palestinian guerrillas based in Jordan, and each time he was removed when unpopular measures were deemed necessary. In 1974 Talhouni was named president of the Senate, of which he had been a member since 1962.

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