House of Saud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal House of Al Saudآل سعود
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| Royal house | |
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| Parent family | Al-Muqrin of house of Al-Muraydi of the Diriyah (1446) of Banu Hanifa of Banu Bakr bin Wa'il |
| Country | Saudi Arabia (current) Historical:
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| Founded | 1720 |
| Founder | Saud I (died 1725) |
| Current head | Salman |
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| Traditions | Sunni Islam; Formerly Wahhabism (followers of ibn Abdulwahhab) |
The House of Al Saud (Arabic: آل سُعُود, romanized: ʾĀl Suʿūd) is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. This family is made up of the descendants of Muhammad bin Saud. He was the founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, also known as the First Saudi State, which existed from 1727 to 1818.
The most important person in the royal family is the King of Saudi Arabia. The king has almost complete power in the country. It is thought that the family has about 15,000 members. However, most of the power and money is held by around 2,000 of them. Some people believe the family's total wealth is about $1.4 trillion. This includes the value of Saudi Aramco, which is the state oil and gas company. This makes them one of the richest families in the world.
The House of Saud has gone through four main stages in its history:
- The Sheikhdom of Diriyah (1446–1744)
- The Emirate of Diriyah (1727–1818), which saw the spread of a religious movement called Salafism.
- The Emirate of Nejd (1824–1891), which had many internal fights.
- The current state (1902–present), which became the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. This kingdom now has a lot of influence in the Middle East.
Contents
Understanding the Name: House of Saud
The name House of Saud comes from the Arabic words ʾĀl Saud. The word ʾĀl means "family of" or "House of." It is added to the name of an ancestor. For the Al Saud family, this ancestor is Saud bin Muhammad Al Muqrin. He was the father of Muhammad bin Saud, who founded the dynasty in the 18th century.
Anyone who is a descendant of Muhammad bin Saud or his three brothers (Farhan, Thunayyan, and Mishari) carries the surname "Al Saud." Other family branches, like Saud Al Kabir, are called cadet branches. Members of these cadet branches often hold important government jobs. However, they are not in line to become king. Many members of these branches marry into the main Al Saud family. This helps them keep their family ties and influence in the government.
All male members of the royal family are called Emir (which means Prince). The sons and grandsons of kings are called "His Royal Highness" (HRH). Great-grandsons and members of other branches are called "His Highness" (HH). The current king also uses the special title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
A Look at Saudi History
Early Beginnings and Origins
The first known ancestor of the Al Saud family was Mani' ibn Rabiah Al-Muraydi. He settled in a place called Diriyah around 1446–1447 with his family, the Mrudah. The Mrudah family is believed to have come from the Banu Hanifa tribe. This tribe played a big role in shaping the Middle East from the 6th century.
Mani' was invited to Diriyah by a relative. This relative was the ruler of some villages that are now part of Riyadh. Mani' and his family settled there and renamed the area Al Diriyah. The Mrudah family became the rulers of Al Diriyah. The town grew and became an important settlement in the Najd region.
The family's name, Al Saud, comes from Sheikh Saud bin Muhammad Al Muqrin. He passed away in 1725.
The First Saudi State: Emirate of Diriyah
The First Saudi State began in 1727. During this time, the state grew by taking over nearby areas. It was also a period of strong religious belief. At its largest, the First Saudi State included most of what is now Saudi Arabia. Its allies even raided areas in Yemen, Oman, Syria, and Iraq. Religious scholars, especially Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab, were very important in Saudi rule during this time.
The leaders of the Al Saud family during this first state passed power from father to son smoothly. The first leader, Muhammad bin Saud, was followed by his oldest son, Abdulaziz, in 1765. In 1802, Abdulaziz's forces attacked the holy city of Karbala in what is now Iraq. They caused a lot of damage and took many valuable items.
This attack made the Ottoman and Egyptian empires see the Saudis as a threat. Abdulaziz was killed in 1803. His son, Saud, then became ruler. Under Saud, the Saudi state reached its largest size. When Saud died in 1814, his son Abdullah bin Saud had to face an invasion by Ottoman-Egyptian forces. These forces defeated Abdullah's army and took over the Saudi capital of Diriyyah in 1818. Abdullah was captured and later executed, which ended the First Saudi State.
The Second Saudi State: Emirate of Nejd
A few years after the First Saudi State fell in 1818, the Saudis were able to regain control in the Najd region. They started the Emirate of Nejd, also known as the Second Saudi State, with its capital in Riyadh.
This second Saudi period did not expand as much as the first. It also had less religious passion. However, the Saudi leaders still used the title of imam. This state was also marked by serious internal conflicts within the Saudi family. These fights eventually led to the family's downfall. Most of the time, new leaders came to power through assassination or civil war.
The Modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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After a defeat, Abdul Rahman bin Faisal went into exile in Kuwait. In 1902, Abdul Rahman's son, Abdulaziz, decided to bring back Saudi rule in Riyadh. With a small group of followers, Abdulaziz captured Riyadh's Masmak fort. He was immediately declared the ruler in Riyadh. Abdulaziz became known as "Ibn Saud" in Western countries.
Ibn Saud spent the next thirty years working to re-establish his family's control over central Arabia. His main rivals were other powerful families and the Ottoman Turks. Ibn Saud allied with the British against the Ottomans. From 1915 to 1927, his lands were protected by the British Empire.
Ibn Saud finally defeated his rivals in 1921. This made him the ruler of most of central Arabia. He then conquered the Hijaz region in 1926. In 1932, Ibn Saud united all his lands into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 1937, huge oil reserves were discovered in Saudi Arabia. Before oil, many family members were not wealthy.
Ibn Saud had many children with his wives. He married into many important families and tribes. He also arranged similar marriages for his sons. He named his oldest living son, Saud, as his heir. The Al Saud family became known as the "royal family." All male members were called amir (prince), and females amira (princess).
Ibn Saud died in 1953. He had formed an important alliance with the United States in 1945. He is still officially celebrated as the "Founder" of modern Saudi Arabia. Only his direct descendants can use the title "his or her Royal Highness."
After Ibn Saud's death, his son Saud became king. However, Saud's spending led to a power struggle with his brother, Crown Prince Faisal. In 1964, the royal family made Saud step down. Faisal then became king. Some of Ibn Saud's younger sons, called the "Free Princes," wanted reforms. They later returned and were pardoned, but could not hold government positions.
Faisal was assassinated in 1975 by his nephew. Another brother, Khalid, became king. Khalid died in 1982 and was followed by Fahd. Fahd was the eldest of the "Sudairi Seven," who were all sons of Ibn Saud by his wife Hassa Al Sudairi. In 1986, Fahd changed the king's title to "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques." This refers to the two holy Islamic sites in Mecca and Medina.
Fahd became ill in 1995. His half-brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, gradually took over the king's duties. When Fahd died in August 2005, Abdullah became king. Abdullah died in January 2015. His half-brother, Crown Prince Salman, became the new king.
In 2017, many princes and officials were arrested in an anti-corruption campaign. The then-US President Donald Trump supported these arrests.
How Political Power Works
The leader of the House of Saud is the King of Saudi Arabia. He is the head of the country. The king has almost total political power. He chooses ministers for his cabinet. These ministers manage their government departments for him. Important ministries like Defence, Interior, and Foreign Affairs are usually held by members of the Saud family. All thirteen regional governors are also from the family.
However, many other government jobs, like Finance and Petroleum Affairs, are often given to people who are not part of the royal family. Members of the House of Saud also hold many key military and government positions. The Al Saud family has always held the most power in the kingdom. Support from religious leaders, business people, and the general public is important for the royal family to stay in power.
Senior princes often hold important government jobs for a very long time. For example, King Faisal was foreign minister for many years. King Abdullah was commander of the National Guard for a long time. These long-term roles have allowed senior princes to mix their personal wealth with the money from their government roles. They often appoint their own sons to important positions within their departments.
Unlike royal families in Western countries, the Saudi monarchy has not always had a clear way to decide who becomes king next. Historically, when a king took the throne, he would choose an heir. This heir would be the crown prince. When the king died, the crown prince would become king. If the king was unable to rule, the crown prince would take over as regent.
The royal family has different groups based on family ties and ideas. The most powerful group is called the 'Sudairi Seven'. This group includes the late King Fahd, his full brothers, and their descendants. There are also disagreements within the family about how fast and in what way reforms should happen.
Who Becomes King Next?
Since the death of the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, kings have usually been succeeded by their brothers. For example, Abdulaziz was followed by his son Saud. Then Saud was followed by his half-brother Faisal. Faisal was followed by his brother Khalid, and so on.
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King Salman changed this tradition. In April 2015, he appointed his nephew, Muhammad bin Nayef, as crown prince. This meant the next king would be an uncle's nephew. At the same time, King Salman named his son, Mohammad bin Salman, as deputy crown prince. This meant the next succession could be from cousin to cousin. However, in June 2017, King Salman made his son, Mohammad bin Salman, the crown prince. This was the first time since 1953 that the succession was set to go from father to son.
Some members of the Saudi royal family were concerned about the crown prince becoming the next king. It was reported that many princes wanted Prince Ahmed to become king instead. Prince Ahmed had also criticized the Saudi leadership.
Family Wealth
In June 2015, Forbes magazine said that Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal was the 34th richest man in the world. He is a grandson of Abdulaziz, the first king of Saudi Arabia. His estimated wealth was $22.6 billion.
As of 2020, the total wealth of the entire royal family is estimated to be around $100 billion. This makes them one of the richest royal families in the world. Some estimates even put their wealth as high as $1.4 trillion. This includes their ownership in Saudi Aramco, the huge oil company.
Genealogy
Timeline of Rulers
The Royal Flag
- The Royal Flag is green. It has an Arabic writing and a sword in white. The national emblem is embroidered in gold in the bottom right corner.
The writing on the flag is the shahada, which is the Islamic declaration of faith:
- لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ الله
- lā ʾilāha ʾillā-allāh, muhammadun rasūlu-allāh
- There is no other god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of God.
- The Royal Standard is a green flag with the national emblem embroidered in gold in the center.
See also
- Al ash-Sheikh
- King of Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Royal Guard Regiment
