King of Egypt Farouk was born in 1920. In 1938, two years after the death of his father, King Fu'ad, Farouk ousted the Wafd government led by Nashas Pasha. Farouk failed at attempted reform, and his popularity plummeted. His reign was marked by corruption, and he was branded an ineffectual leader, losing the support of the military after Egypt's poor showing in its 1948 war with Israel. In 1952 he was forced to abdicate after a military coup led by Gamal Nasser. Bibliography: Stadiem, William. Too Rich : The High Life and Tragic Death of King Farouk . 1991. Carroll & Graf Pub Inc.