Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud |
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Prince Mishaal (first from the right)
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| Chairman of the Allegiance Council | |||||
| Tenure | 2007–2017 | ||||
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Monarch
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| Governor of Makkah Province | |||||
| Tenure | 1963–1971 | ||||
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Appointed by
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| Predecessor | Abdullah bin Saud bin Abdulaziz | ||||
| Successor | Fawwaz bin Abdulaziz | ||||
| Minister of Defense | |||||
| Tenure | 1951–1953 | ||||
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Monarch
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Prime Minister
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King Saud (1953)
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| Predecessor | Mansour bin Abdulaziz | ||||
| Successor | Fahd bin Saud | ||||
| Born | 5 September 1926 Riyadh, Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd |
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| Died | 3 May 2017 (aged 90) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
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| House | Saud | ||||
| Father | King Abdulaziz | ||||
| Mother | Shahida | ||||
| Occupation | Government official • businessman | ||||
Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Arabic: مشعل بن عبد العزيز آل سعود, romanized: Misha`al bin `Abd al `Azīz as Saʻūd) was an important Saudi Arabian leader and businessman. He was born on 5 September 1926 and passed away on 3 May 2017. As a member of the House of Saud, he held several important jobs in the government. He was also the chairman of the Allegiance Council from 2007 until 2017.
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Early Life of Prince Mishaal
Prince Mishaal was born on 5 September 1926. He was the thirteenth son of King Abdulaziz, who was the first king of Saudi Arabia.
He had three full brothers and sisters: Prince Mansour, Prince Mutaib, and Princess Qumash. Their mother was Shahida, who was a favorite wife of King Abdulaziz.
Prince Mishaal's Career in Government
Prince Mishaal worked as the Minister of Defense from 12 May 1951 to 1953. He took over this role after his older brother, Prince Mansour, passed away in 1951. Before becoming minister, Prince Mishaal was the deputy minister of defense. When he became minister, his younger brother, Prince Mutaib, became his deputy.
As Minister of Defense, Prince Mishaal became very wealthy. He bought government land at low prices and made a lot of money. However, he relied a lot on advice from foreign experts because he didn't have much experience or education in this area. He had a lot of power in King Abdulaziz's government. To balance this power, King Abdulaziz appointed Abdullah bin Faisal as minister of health and interior.
King Abdulaziz also created a new ministry for the air force under Prince Mishaal. This was to keep flight-related matters separate from Prince Talal, who was the minister of communication. Because Prince Mishaal and Prince Talal couldn't agree, Saudi Arabia ended up with two separate airline fleets for a while.
Prince Mishaal stopped being Minister of Defense in 1956. He was dismissed by King Saud due to concerns about his actions and political views. Prince Fahd bin Saud, King Saud's son, took his place. In 1957, Prince Mishaal became an advisor to King Saud in the council of ministers.
In 1963, Prince Mishaal and his brother Mutaib returned to important government roles under King Faisal. Prince Mishaal became the governor of Makkah Province from 1963 to 1971. In 1969, he also became the head of the Saudi Tourism Authority. Both brothers left their jobs in 1971, though the exact reasons are not fully known.
Prince Mishaal was chosen as the chairman of the Allegiance Council on 10 December 2007. This council helps decide who will be the next king.
Why Prince Mishaal Was Not Crown Prince
Prince Mishaal believed he should have been the crown prince. He had served as both a governor and a minister, and he was older than some of his brothers. However, it is thought that a group of his brothers, known as the Sudairi Seven, kept him from becoming crown prince. One reason might have been his less strong connections with some of the important tribes.
Prince Mishaal's Influence
Prince Mishaal usually stayed neutral in family politics. However, he was known to be close to King Abdallah. His neutral position made him a good choice to lead the Allegiance Council. This role was very important, giving him a say in who would become the next king.
Prince Mishaal's Business Ventures
Prince Mishaal was a very successful businessman. He invested a lot of money in different areas, such as real estate, insurance, electricity companies, oil trading, and making cement. He was the chairman of the Yanbu Cement company, which started in 1976.
In 1970, he started Al Shoula Group. This company is a big investor in building projects across the Middle East. It worked with other large companies like Dubai's Emaar Group. Al Shoula also has a company called Dhahran Global, which works in the oil and gas industry, including building pipelines and trading oil. Prince Abdulaziz, his son, became the CEO of Al Shoula Group in the late 1990s.
Prince Mishaal also helped start the Dar Al-Maal Al-Islami Trust in 1981. Another one of his companies, Mishaal International, was a top contender to build parts of Saudi Arabia's new railway system. He also owned the Shola Shopping Center in Riyadh.
Prince Mishaal's Charity Work
In the early 1970s, Prince Mishaal set aside land in Mecca for charities. These charities helped Palestinian families whose children had been killed in conflicts.
Prince Mishaal's Personal Life
Prince Mishaal enjoyed traditional activities like camel racing and horse racing. He owned many valuable racing camels and horses. Every year, he supported camel races in Saudi Arabia. He also practiced traditional falconry, which is hunting with trained falcons.
One of his sons, Mohammed bin Mishaal, passed away in February 2005 at the age of 58. His other sons include Prince Faisal, Prince Mansour, and Prince Bandar. Prince Faisal is married to Princess Latifa, who is the daughter of former Crown Prince Sultan.
Prince Mishaal passed away on 3 May 2017 at the age of 90.
