28 September 1970 – Death of Nasser

Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, hero of Arab nationalism and prominent African statesman, died of a heart attack whilst in office as president of Egypt. Nasser had become the most powerful figure in the Middle east: attempting to unify Arab nations (including the creation of the short lived United Arab Republic of Egypt and Syria), fighting two wars against Israel (1956 – the Suez Crisis – and 1967 – the Six Day War), and working as a peace broker in the Jordanian Civil War of 1970.

Nasser was succeeded as president by his oldest and closest colleague, Anwar Sadat.