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al-Gaddafi, Gianni Letta, and Silvio Berlusconi – Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Libya Leader Muammar al-Gaddafi Attend a Photo Exhibit Opening at the Libyan Academy in Rome on August 30, 2010 – Libyan Academy – Rome, Italy – Keywords: Orientation: Landscape Face Count: 1 – 0 – Photo Credit: Insidefoto / PR Photos
Birth Name: Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi
Date of Birth: c. 1942
Place of Birth: Qasr Abu Hadi, Sirte, Italian Libya (now Libya)
Date of Death: 20 October, 2011
Place of Death: Sirte, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (now Libya)
Ethnicity: Libyan
Muammar Gaddafi was a Libyan revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He led Libya for 42 years, as Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council of Libya, from 1 September, 1969 to 2 March, 1977, Prime Minister of Libya, from 16 January, 1970 to 16 July, 1972, Secretary General of the General People’s Congress, from 2 March, 1977 to 2 March, 1979, and Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution, from 2 March, 1979 to 20 October, 2011, his death. He was also Chairperson of the African Union, from 2 February, 2009 to 31 January, 2010. He was known as “Colonel Gaddafi.”
Muammar was the son of Aisha bin Niran and Mohammad Abdul Salam bin Hamed bin Mohammad, known as Abu Meniar, who was a goat and camel herder. His family were Nomadic Bedouins, and were illiterate. Muammar was from the Qadhadhfa tribal group. Like most Libyans, he was descended from Arabized Berber people. He was born in Qasr Abu Hadi, in the deserts of Tripolitania, in western Libya.
He was married to Safia el-Brasai, until his death; and, previously, to Fatiha al-Nuri. Fatiha’s father was political figure General Khalid. Muammar had at least ten children, including Muhammad Gaddafi; political figure Saif al-Islam Gaddafi; professional footballer Al-Saadi Gaddafi, who captained the Libya national team; military officer Mutassim Gaddafi; Hannibal Gaddafi; mediator, military official, and lawyer Aisha Gaddafi; Saif al-Arab Gaddafi; Khamis Gaddafi, a military commander, in charge of the Khamis Brigade of the Libyan Army; and Hana Gaddafi. Saif was Political Leader of Popular Front for the Liberation of Libya, from 26 December, 2016 to 3 February, 2026, his death. Mutassim was National Security Advisor of Libya, from 2008 to 2011.
Muammar’s paternal grandfather was named Abdessalam Bouminyar.
As is usually the case with famous dictators and the internet, there have been claims that Muammar had Jewish ancestry, on his mother’s side. There appears to be no documentary evidence for this.
Source: Genealogy of Muammar Gaddafi (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com