Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi was born into a Bedouin family in the desert area of Sirte in Libya on 7 June 1942.
He received a traditional religious primary education before attending a preparatory school in the nearby town of Sebha where he became strongly influenced by the pan-Arab nationalism being espoused by the Egyptian leader, President Gemal Abdel-Nasser.
During the Suez crisis of 1956, Gaddafi took part in anti-Israeli demonstrations staged in Sebha, which led to his expulsion from the city.
He moved to the coastal city of Misurata where he completed his secondary education whilst beginning to organise an underground revolutionary movement.
His increasing radicalism led him to enrolling in the Military Academy at Benghazi in October 1963; in an indication of his future charisma as a leader, he managed to persuade others from the underground movement to enroll in the Academy.
In addition, he also encouraged cadets already at the Academy to join him and the members of the underground in forming the central committee of the Free Unionist Officers in 1964.
Around this time, Gaddafi also enrolled in the University of Benghazi, to complete his education by achieving a degree in history.
On graduating from the Military Academy at Benghazi, he was appointed to the rank of lieutenant and assigned to the army's Signal Corps based at Gariunis on the outskirts of the city of Benghazi.
Whilst stationed there, he continued to strengthen the power base of the movement, the full network, power and influence of which, only he was completely aware of.
He received a traditional religious primary education before attending a preparatory school in the nearby town of Sebha where he became strongly influenced by the pan-Arab nationalism being espoused by the Egyptian leader, President Gemal Abdel-Nasser.
During the Suez crisis of 1956, Gaddafi took part in anti-Israeli demonstrations staged in Sebha, which led to his expulsion from the city.
He moved to the coastal city of Misurata where he completed his secondary education whilst beginning to organise an underground revolutionary movement.
His increasing radicalism led him to enrolling in the Military Academy at Benghazi in October 1963; in an indication of his future charisma as a leader, he managed to persuade others from the underground movement to enroll in the Academy.
In addition, he also encouraged cadets already at the Academy to join him and the members of the underground in forming the central committee of the Free Unionist Officers in 1964.
Around this time, Gaddafi also enrolled in the University of Benghazi, to complete his education by achieving a degree in history.
On graduating from the Military Academy at Benghazi, he was appointed to the rank of lieutenant and assigned to the army's Signal Corps based at Gariunis on the outskirts of the city of Benghazi.
Whilst stationed there, he continued to strengthen the power base of the movement, the full network, power and influence of which, only he was completely aware of.
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