Apr 28 1937: Saddam Hussein is born in the village al-Awja, near the town of Tikrit in north-central Iraq. His father disappeared shortly after his birth and he was raised by his stepfather and uncle. Some sources have suggested that Mr Hussein may have been born at a later date, but claimed to be older during his rise to power.

1959: The young Hussein, who has gravitated to the Arab nationalist Baath party, participates in an assassination attempt against Iraq’s then-leader Abd al-Kareem Qassem. He is wounded in the attempt but escapes, allegedly displaying considerable resource and endurance. The incident later becomes a large part of Mr Hussein’s cult of personality.