Born: 6 October 1930 · Died: 10 June 2000 · Age: 69
Quick facts
Date of birth6 October 1930
Date of death10 June 2000
Age at death69
NationalitySyrian
BirthplaceQardaha, Syria
Editor's Take:
Al-Assad transformed himself from impoverished Alawite peasant to absolute ruler through systematic accumulation of power across military and party structures. His trajectory illustrates how Ba'athist ideology provided upward mobility for religious minorities in post-colonial Syria. The three coups reveal his patient opportunism: first joining revolutionary change, then participating in factional purges, finally eliminating all rivals. His shift from Jadid's revolutionary export to pragmatic Cold War alliances showed tactical flexibility. Yet domestic control required extreme violence, culminating in mass killings at Hama. The dynastic succession contradicted Ba'athist principles but demonstrated that personal power had superseded party ideology entirely.
Key Milestones
1946: Joined Arab Ba'ath Party as teenager
1955: Graduated flying school, commissioned as lieutenant
1971: Became president after ousting previous regime
2000: Died in office, succeeded by son
Hafez al-Assad (6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was a Syrian politician and military officer who served as the president of Syria from 1971 until his death in 2000.
Hafez al-Assad's birthday is October 6. He was born on October 6, 1930 in Qardaha, Syria.
How old was Hafez al-Assad when he died?
Hafez al-Assad died on June 10, 2000, aged 69.
Who shares a birthday with Hafez al-Assad?
Famous people who share Hafez al-Assad's October 6 birthday include Le Corbusier, Thor Heyerdahl, Ernest Walton, Louis-Philippe I and Riccardo Giacconi.
