Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud II: Founder and first king of Saudi Arabia. King of saudi arabia

Ibn Saud Abd al-Aziz(24.11.1880, Riyadh, - 9.11.1953, Taif), from the Saudid dynasty: the religious head of the Wahhabis. In 1902-27 Emir of Najd. In an effort to create a centralized feudal-absolutist state, he waged wars with the neighboring principalities of the Arabian Peninsula. The war with the Hijaz (1924-25) ended with the conquest of the latter. In 1927 Ibn Saud was proclaimed king of the Hejaz, Najd and the annexed regions (from 1932 - Saudi Arabia).

Great Soviet Encyclopedia

IBN SAUD, ABDEL AZIZ (1880-1953), King of Saudi Arabia, son of Abdurrahman, Sultan of Najd. Born in Riyadh, the capital of the Wahhabi state of Nejd in the central part of the Arabian Peninsula. After the death of Ibn Saud's grandfather, Sultan of Najd from 1834 to 1867, the country entered a period of conflict when his two eldest sons fought for the throne. Taking advantage of the situation, the Turks gradually advanced to the south of the Arabian Peninsula, and the Arab leader Ibn Rashid advanced from the north. When Riyadh was occupied in 1891, Ibn Saud went with his family to exile in Kuwait. Abdurrahman's unsuccessful attempt to regain the throne in 1900 led to his abdication in favor of the eldest son of Ibn Saud. In 1902, Ibn Saud, with a small group of loyal supporters, unexpectedly captured Riyadh and was proclaimed the ruler of Najd and imam (head) Wahhabis... He immediately set about strengthening his power and in 1904 defeated his rival, Ibn Rashid, and his Turkish allies at the Battle of al-Buqayriyah. Ibn Saud pursued a policy aimed at the destruction of tribal traditions and the development of national identity. As a result of the military campaigns of 1907-1912, the Turks withdrew from the Arabian Peninsula, and Ibn Saud managed to establish control over most of the territory of northern Arabia. During First world war Ibn Saud adhered to a policy of neutrality. Despite his support for the actions of the allied powers, the British government, on the advice of T. Lawrence, made a bet on Hussein, Sheriff of Hejaz. Ibn Saud at first waited, and in 1919 defeated Hussein's forces. In 1921 he captured Ha'il and took control of central Arabia. Attempts by the British government to act as a mediator in April 1924 ended in failure. A few months later, Ibn Saud again defeated the troops of King Hussein, entered Mecca in December 1924 and soon established his rule over the entire Hejaz. In 1925 Ibn Saud became known as King of the Hejaz and Sultan of Najd. Despite the problem of disputed borders with Iraq, Ibn Saud's relations with the British government have improved. In 1932, his possessions and territories subject to him became known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 1933, two American companies in the country were granted oil concessions. During World War II Ibn Saud remained neutral. He led the Arab struggle against the creation of a Jewish state Israel and was one of the leaders of the Arab League. Thanks to the huge funds that came to Najd from oil concessions and the state experience, Ibn Saud became one of the most influential leaders of the Arab Middle East. Ibn Saud died on December 9, 1953.

Encyclopedia "Krugosvet".

Ibn Saud, Abd al-Aziz (b. 1880) - King of Saudi Arabia. The son of the emir (ruler) of the Arabian principality of Najd, conquered in 1885 by the neighboring Arab emir, I. spent adolescence together with his father in exile in Kovite. Using the Anglo-German struggle for domination in the Persian Gulf and Arabia, young Ibn Saud, with the help of the British, at the beginning of 1902 conquered his father's principality and became its emir. In 1904 Ibn Saud repelled the Turkish invasion of Najd. In 1913, he conquered the Al-Hasa region (on the Persian Gulf), expelling the Turks from there, and then concluded secret treaties with England, which sought to oust the Turks from the Persian Gulf, and with Turkey, which tried to use Ibn Saud to strengthen its positions in Arabia. In 1915, Ibn Saud entered into a protectorate treaty with England (see Anglo-Najd treaties). Despite England's attempts to involve Najd in the First World War on its side, Ibn Saud remained neutral. In 1919, Ibn Saud repelled an attack by King Hijaz Hussein and inflicted a serious defeat on him. Only British diplomatic intervention in Hussein's defense prevented Ibn Saud from building on his success. In 1920, Ibn Saud annexed the mountainous Asir region to his possessions, in 1921 - the emirate of Shammar and the Juf oasis. In 1921 Ibn Saud was proclaimed sultan of "Najd and annexed regions". In 1924-1925 Ibn Saud led a new war with the Hejaz, conquered it and in January 1926 was proclaimed king of the Hejaz. At the same time, Hijaz was not directly attached to Najd, but was united with him by a personal union. In 1927, Ibn Saud concluded on behalf of Hejaz-Najd the Treaty of Jiddin (...) with England, which recognized the independence of his state. In 1926, Ibn Saud established a protectorate over the emirate of Asir, and in 1930 annexed it to his state. In 1932, Ibn Saud renamed the kingdom "Hejaz-Najd and the annexed regions" to the Arab Saudi Kingdom (Saudi Arabia). This state united almost the entire Arabian Peninsula (with the exception of Yemen and the English protectorates in eastern and southern Arabia). Ibn Saud's war with Yemen in 1934 ended with Ibn Saud's victory; however, under pressure from the British, he evacuated his troops from Yemen.

The main political task of Ibn Saud was the creation of a centralized feudal absolutist Arabian state. To achieve this goal, Ibn Saud used, along with others, diplomatic means of struggle.

England, pursuing a policy of "divide and rule" in Arabia, involved Ibn Saud in conflicts with other Arabian feudal lords and in most cases hampered the activities of Ibn Saud. So, even before the First World War, England supported the uprisings of the separatist feudal lords against Ibn Saud and through her agent, the Covetian sheikh, formed coalitions hostile to him. In 1919, England prevented Ibn Saud from taking possession of the Hejaz, and in 1928-1929 she provoked riots on the Iraqi-Nejd border in order to achieve the collapse of the Saudi state. In 1932, similar riots were triggered on the border with Transjordan, as well as in Asira and elsewhere. In 1934 England prevented Ibn Saud from taking over Yemen.

However, Ibn Saud skillfully maneuvered in his relations with England and its Arab satellites in the person of the Hashemite dynasty, ruling in Iraq and Transjordan, and even concluded a number of treaties of friendship and alliance with them (see Iraqi-Nadzhi and Iraqi-Saudi agreements).

India granted the United States a number of important concessions (for the production of oil, the reserves of which Saudi Arabia is one of the first in the capitalist world, for the construction of oil pipelines, highways, air bases, seaports, etc.). The United States provides loans to Ibn Saud, designs construction on its territory railways, irrigation facilities, car factories, etc., considering Saudi Arabia as his sphere of influence Managing between the United States and England, Ibn Saud seeks to preserve the independence of his state.

In 1945, Ibn Saud participated in the formation of the League of Arab States. However, unable to secure a leadership role for himself in this league, he was reticent about its endeavors. He was especially afraid of the establishment in the Arab League of the influence of the hostile Hashemite dynasty, against which he blocked with the Egyptian king Farouk I.

The Soviet Union was the first power to recognize Ibn Saud as king of Hejaz-Najd and establish diplomatic relations with him (1926). In 1932, the son of Ibn Saud, Emir Faisal, visited Moscow. On the eve of World War II, the Soviet mission in Jeddah was closed, and diplomatic relations between the USSR and Saudi Arabia have been maintained since then through the Saudi mission in London.

Diplomatic Dictionary. Ch. ed. A. Ya. Vyshinsky and S. A. Lozovsky. M., 1948.

Read on:

Jiddin Treaty of 1927, May 20.

Iraq-Nejd Protocol 1930, 23 February.

Iraqi-Nejdi Treaty of 1931, April 7.

Minutes of interrogation of Major General O. von Niedermeier. August 28, 1945 (on Ibn Saud's ties with Nazi Germany).

Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdu-Rahman ibn Faisal Al Saud, also called simply Ibn Saud or Abdul Aziz II (November 26, 1880 - November 9, 1953) - the founder and first king of Saudi Arabia (1932-1953). He fought wars for the unification of Arabia. In 1902-1927 he was the emir of the state of Nejd, later - until 1932 - the king of the state of Hejaz, Nejd and the annexed regions.

Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud was born on November 26, 1880 in Riyadh in the Islamic State of the Saudis, whose territory was actually limited to the vicinity of Riyadh. Son of Emir Najd Abd ar-Rahman and Sarah, daughter of Ahmad al-Sudayri. The boy was more interested in playing with a saber and a rifle than religious exercises. He could read the Koran only at the age of 11. The future king dreamed of restoring family honor, of the return of the glory and wealth of the House of Saudis.

Hike to Riyadh

The Rashidi family, who seized power in the city, expelled the Saudis to Kuwait, where the young Abdul-Aziz spent his childhood. In 1901, he began to gather his own detachment to march to Riyadh. On the night of January 15-16, 1902, Abdul-Aziz with a detachment of 60 people captured Riyadh, having dealt with the governor from Rashidi.

Ikhwans (Brothers)

In 1912, Abdul-Aziz conquered the entire region of Najd, turning to "pure Islam" the same year. In an effort to gain the loyalty of the largest tribes, Ibn Saud, on the advice of religious teachers, began to transfer them to settled life. For this purpose, in 1912 the military-religious brotherhood of the Ikhwan (Arabic “brothers”) was founded. All Bedouin tribes and oases that refused to join the Ikhwan movement and recognize Ibn Saud as their emir and imam, began to be viewed as enemies of Najd. The Ikhwan were ordered to move to agricultural colonies ("hijras"), whose members were called to love their homeland, obey the imam-emir unquestioningly and not enter into any contacts with Europeans and residents of the countries they governed (including Muslims). In each Ikhwan community, a mosque was erected, which also served as a military garrison, and the Ikhwan themselves became not only farmers, but also soldiers of the Saudi state. By 1915, more than 200 such settlements were organized throughout the country, including at least 60,000 people, ready at the first call of Ibn Saud to enter the war with the "infidels."

The beginning of the war for the unification of Arabia

With the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted the support of the British Empire. In 1920, using the material support of the British, Abdul-Aziz finally defeated Rashidi. By the time the Ottoman Empire collapsed, five independent states had formed on the peninsula: Hejaz, Nejd, Jebel Shammar, Asir and Yemen. Abdul-Aziz made an attempt to annex Jebel Shammar in April-May 1921, but only in August the Wahhabis took the capital of the al-Rashidids - Khail. On November 1 of the same year, Jebel Shammar ceased to exist.

Confrontation with the Sheriff of Mecca

After this victory, Ibn Saud's main opponent was Hussein bin Ali, the sheriff of Mecca and king of the Hejaz. In 1922, Abdul-Aziz captured northern Asir without a fight, and in July 1924 called for jihad against the heretics of the Hejaz. In early September, Ikhwan detachments broke into the resort town of Et-Taif and killed mostly peaceful people here. The nobles of the Hijaz, frightened by the events in Al-Taif, opposed Hussein. He was forced to abdicate in favor of his son Ali. The new king did not have the strength to defend Mecca and took refuge with his supporters in Jeddah. In mid-October, the Ikhwans entered the Holy City, and in January 1925, the siege of Jeddah began. On December 6, Medina fell, and on December 22, Ali evacuated Jeddah, after which the troops of Najd entered the city. In the same year, Ibn Saud captured Mecca, thus ending the 700-year rule of the Hashemites. On January 10, 1926, Abdul-Aziz al-Saud was proclaimed king of the Hejaz, the kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz was formed. A few years later, Abdul-Aziz captured almost the entire Arabian Peninsula.

Ikhwan revolt

Ibn Saud was very sympathetic to European civilization. He appreciated the importance of the telephone, radio, car and airplane and began to implement them. At the same time, he began to gradually limit the influence of the Ikhwans. Feeling a change from the king, the Ikhwans revolted in 1929, and in the battle of Sibyl Ibn Saud defeated his former supporters. But the defeated went on to guerrilla warfare. Then the king unleashed all his might on them. Some European methods of struggle were adopted by him. At the end of the year, the Ikhwans were driven back to Kuwait, where they were disarmed by the British. The Ikhwan leaders - Davish and Ibn Hitlein's cousin Neyif - were subsequently extradited by the British to Ibn Saud and imprisoned in Riyadh. The movement, which played an important role in strengthening the power of Abdul-Aziz and his conquests, was completely defeated and soon came to naught. Ibn Saud assumed the title of King of Hejaz, Najd and the annexed territories.

King of saudi arabia

On September 23, 1932, Najd and Hejaz were merged into one state called Saudi Arabia. Abdul-Aziz himself became king of Saudi Arabia. This was supposed not only to strengthen the unity of the kingdom and end Hijaz separatism, but also to emphasize the central role of the royal house in the creation of the Arabian centralized state. During the entire subsequent period of Ibn Saud's rule, internal problems did not present any particular difficulties for him.

Foreign policy

The extremes of the Ikhwan led to the alienation of Saudi Arabia from most Muslim governments, which considered the Saudi regime to be hostile and resented the complete control established by Muslims of pure Islam over the holy cities and the Hajj. There was a mutual animosity between Ibn Saud and the Hashemite rulers of Iraq and Transjordan - the sons of Hussein he overthrew. Ibn Saud's relationship with the king of Egypt, whom he suspected of wanting to revive the caliphate and declare himself the caliph, could hardly be called warm. In February 1934, Ibn Saud began a war with the Imam of Yemen over the demarcation of the Yemeni-Saudi border. The hostilities ended after the signing of the agreement in May of the same year. Two years later, the border was de facto determined. Border problems also occurred in the eastern Arabian Peninsula after Ibn Saud granted an oil concession to Standard Oil of California in 1933. Negotiations with Great Britain on the demarcation of borders with neighboring British protectorates and possessions - Qatar, Treaty Oman, Muscat and Oman and the Eastern Protectorate of Aden ended in failure.

Saudi-Yemeni War

In 1932, the former emir of Asir al-Idrisi proclaimed the independence of the emirate from Saudi Arabia. After the suppression of the Assir uprising, al-Idrisi fled to Yemen. In March 1933, envoys from King Yahya of Yemen and King Abdulaziz met and discussed the possibility of restoring al-Idrisi's power. The envoys of Abdul-Aziz insisted on the transfer of northern Asir and the extradition of members of the al-Idrisi family. Bilateral negotiations were interrupted, and in May 1933 Yemen captured Nejran, which the Yemenis considered part of Yemen, and blocked transport routes from Asher to Najd. Members of the Saudi delegation were also captured in Sana'a. During the hostilities in February 1934, the Saudis occupied southern Asir and part of Tihama. Saudi troops had more modern weapons and vehicles. On the second front, Saudi Arabian forces occupied Nejran and advanced towards the major center of Sa'ad. The Western powers were forced to send warships to Hodeidah and the Saudi shores. The Arab League in Cairo offered negotiation services. Yemen, in a difficult situation, accepted the offer to negotiate. In May 1934, the Saudi-Yemeni peace treaty was signed in Al-Taif, according to which part of Nejran and Asir remained part of Arabia, and its forces were withdrawn from Yemen. Successful fighting significantly increased the authority of Saudi Arabia in the international arena.

Discovery of oil fields

In 1933, King Ibn Saud granted concessions for the exploration and production of oil to the American oil companies. It turned out that in the depths of Arabia there are huge reserves of "black gold". In 1938, colossal oil fields were discovered in Saudi Arabia. The king transferred the main rights to develop the deposits to the Aramco company. Most of the oil produced went to the United States, and almost all of the proceeds from it went directly to the royal family. Nevertheless, profits were constantly growing, and the money went to the state treasury. Saudi Arabia quickly became the richest state in the Middle East. The sale of oil enabled Abdul-Aziz to make a huge fortune, which in 1952 was estimated at 200 million US dollars. During the Second World War, he remained neutral. He led the Arab struggle against the creation of a Jewish state and was one of the leaders of the Arab League.

The second World War

The outbreak of World War II prevented the full-scale development of the Al-Hasa oil fields, but part of Ibn Saud's loss of income was reimbursed through British and then American aid. During the war, Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with Germany (1941) and Italy (1942), but remained neutral almost until its end (officially declared war on Germany and Japan on February 28, 1945). At the end of the war and especially after it, American influence in Saudi Arabia increased. On May 1, 1942, an American diplomatic mission headed by James S. Moose Jr. opened in Jeddah (since 1943 Jeddah became known as the diplomatic capital). In 1943, an American envoy arrived in Riyadh, thereby raising the level of diplomatic relations with the United States (established in 1933). The United States extended the Lend-Lease Act to Saudi Arabia. In early February 1944, American oil companies began construction of the Trans-Arabian oil pipeline from Dhahran to the Lebanese port of Sayda. At the same time, the government of Saudi Arabia allowed the construction of a large American air base in Dhahran, which the United States needed for the war against Japan.

After the Yalta Conference, the American delegation led by US President Franklin Roosevelt flew to Egypt, where the heavy cruiser Quincy was waiting for it. On February 14, President Roosevelt received Ibn Saud on board this ship. In his memoirs, the son of the American President, Elliot Roosevelt, left a description of his father's negotiations with this Arab monarch, who for the first time left his kingdom specifically to meet with Roosevelt. He arrived in a tent, spread out right on the deck of an American destroyer. On board the cruiser, US President Franklin Roosevelt and King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia signed an agreement, known as the Quincy Pact, for a US monopoly on the development of Saudi fields. Under the pact, the United States received exclusive rights to explore, develop and acquire Saudi oil, in turn guaranteeing the Saudis protection from any external threat.

Reformer

Military establishment

Until the death of Ibn Saud in 1953, the military maintained a patriarchal tribal character. Created in 1944, the Ministry of Defense did not function until 1947 and did not change anything in the tribal structure armed forces, forming only a certain modern facade. The oil dollars allowed Ibn Saud to channel significant sums of money for military and security needs, which in 1952-1953 accounted for 53% of all receipts.

Family

Abdul-Aziz became the founder of the royal Saudi dynasty. He left behind 45 legitimate sons from his numerous wives, among them all the kings of Saudi Arabia who reigned after him (the throne usually passes from brother to brother). After the death of Abdel Aziz, his son Saud became king. At present, the Saud family, the offspring of Ibn Saud, is so numerous (from 5 to 7 thousand princes-emirs) that its representatives permeated the entire state and economic life of the country. The ruling group of Saudis exercises power functions, determines the direction and solves the emerging problems in the internal and foreign policy, in the development of the economy, manages the public sector national economy, which is based on the oil and gas industry. Several sons of King Abdel Aziz have become billionaires.

2. Black Prince: Nayef ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud February 8th, 2016

In the royal family tree Saudis all factors are important. Depending on what place your father occupies in the hierarchy, your fate also depends. If your father is a direct descendant of a king, you can also become a king. Due to the fact that the Saudis have many wives and concubines, the mother's pedigree is not so great importance but still counts.

The founding father of modern Saudi Arabia was a king Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdurrahman Al Saud known in the west as Ibn Saud.

King Ibn Saud and US President Franklin Roosevelt, Cairo 1945

Ibn Saud came to power at the end of the 20th century, capturing Riyadh, and by 1930 he was the undisputed leader of the Arabian Peninsula from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf, including the two holy cities Mecca and Medina.
Have Ibn Saud was at least 22 wives and 44 sons... Since his death in 1953, six of his sons have ruled the kingdom quite successfully.

Abdullah ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, throne from 2005 to 2015

Nayef bin Abdul Azis, or Black Prince, never became king

Nayef was born in 1934. Educated in Riyadh in "School of princes".

School of Princes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was founded by the king Ibn Saud definitely to guarantee high level education for members of the Parliament of Saud and the children of other advanced Saudis.

His teachers were spiritual preachers of Wahhabism, the official religion of Saudi Arabia, one of the offshoots of Sunni Islam. Union at home Saud and Wahhabism has been going on for three centuries. Back in 1744, an itinerant preacher and clergyman named Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab teamed up with the then head of the Saudi family, Muhammad Al-Saud, to create the first Saudi kingdom. While the Saudis provided military and political leadership for the country, Wahhab and his descendants are religious. Wahhab and his disciples preached the so-called pure version of Islam, which called for intolerance against any deviation from the strict adherence to the original faith. Prophet Muhammad.

At the beginning of the 19th century, when Ottoman Empire was busy invading Napoleon in Egypt and Palestine, Saudis carried out the seizure of the Ottoman territories. Their tribes invaded the territory of today's Iraq and plundered the holy city of the Shiites. Karbalu, and then went west and conquered Mecca and Medina, clearing them of symbols Ottoman Empire and all that could compromise the Wahhabis as apostates.

At the time, much of the Islamic world viewed the Saudis and their spiritual allies as fanatics and usurpers, as Muslims view the Islamic State today. Geographically, the first Saudi state was larger than it is now, but their rule was not long. Once France was defeated, the Ottomans sent an army to Arabia to retake the holy sites and then destroy the Saudi capital, Ed Diriya, today a western suburb. Riyadh... The Saudis were expelled by Osamanmi in Kuwait, but later already Ibn Saud returned from exile with his troops and re-captured Riyadh by setting the third kingdom of saud, which still exists today.
Today, a close alliance between clergy and members of the royal family allows you to control Saudi society, monitor the implementation of Muslim laws and customs. The main ally of the Wahhabis is the Saudi Arabian Ministry of the Interior. In 1970, when Nayef's brother Fahd served as Minister of Internal Affairs, he made Naeif his deputy.

Fahd, the fifth king
Saudi Arabia
in 1982-2005

In 1975 Fahd became crowned prince, after the death of his brother the king Faisal ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud , and Nayef took the post of Minister of Internal Affairs.
On March 25, 1975, Faisal was shot and killed by his nephew, Prince Faisal ibn Musaid, who returned to the country after studying at an American university, who avenged the death of his brother Khalid bin Musaid, who was shot by police during a rally against secularization and television.

As Minister of the Interior Nayef gained a reputation as an arch-reactionary. He became close to the most puritanical representatives of the clergy, who oppose any reforms and changes, continued the oppression of the Shiite minority, which makes up 10% of the country's population and is concentrated mainly in the eastern provinces, rich in oil. He accepted any manifestations of development with great difficulty. When asked why he opposed reforms that could lead the country to a constitutional monarchy, Nayef replied "I don't want to be Queen Elizabeth." Western expatriates nicknamed Nayef Black Prince for his policy.

Faisal

In Saudi Arabia, 85-90% are Sunnis and 10-15% Shiites. The Shiite minority lives mainly in the eastern provinces, rich in their oil deposits and bordering Yemen

Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdu-Rahman ibn Faisal Al Saud(Arab. عبد العزيز بن عبد الرحمن بن فيصل آل سعود ), Also called simply Ibn Saud or Abdul-Aziz II(November 26, 1880 - November 9, 1953) - Founder and first king of Saudi Arabia (1932-1953). He fought numerous wars for the unification of Arabia.

In 1902-1926 - the emir of the state of Najd, later - until 1932 - the king of the state Hejaz, Najd and annexed areas.

Burial place: al-Aud cemetery, Riyadh

Genus: al-Saud

Father: Abdurrahman ibn Faisal Al Saud

Mother: Sarakh

1) Waha al-Hazzam
2) Tarfah
3) Jauhar al-Saud
4) Buzz
5) Jauhar al-Sudayri
6) Hassa al-Sudayri
7) Shahida
8) Fahda al-Shuraim
9) Buzz
10) Munayir
11) Moudni
12) Saida

sons: Turks, Saud, Khalid, Faisal, Saad, Muhammad, Khalid, Nasr, Saad, Fahd, Mansur, Abdullah, Bandar, Musayed, Sultan, Abdurrahman, Mutaib, Hussa, Talal, Badr, Badr, Nawaf, Nayefz, Turks, Fawwaf Salman, Ahmed, Abdel-Majid, Sattam, Hamad, Mutaib, Majid, Mikrin, etc.
daughters: Nuf, Sita, Nura, Sara, etc.

early years

Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud was born on November 26, 1880, in Riyadh, in the Islamic State of the Saudis, whose territory at that time was actually limited to the vicinity of Riyadh. He was the son of a nominal emir Najda Abd ar-Rahman and Sarakh, daughters Ahmada al-Sudayri... The boy was more interested in playing with a saber and a rifle than religious exercises. He could read the Koran only at the age of 11. The future king dreamed of restoring family honor, the return of the glory and wealth of the House of Saudis.

Hike to Riyadh

The Rashidid family, who seized power in the city of Riyadh in 1890, expelled the Saudis to Bahrain, then to Qatar and, finally, to Kuwait, where the young Abdul-Aziz spent his childhood. In 1901, he began to assemble his own detachment to reconquer Riyadh. Having set out on a campaign, against the will of his father, on the night of January 15-16, 1902, Abdul-Aziz with a detachment of 60 people captured Riyadh, losing only two fighters and cracking down on the governor from Rashidids. The father ceded the title of Emir to his son and took the vassal oath to him. He became an advisor to his son.

Ikhwans

By 1912, Abdul-Aziz had conquered almost the entire region of Nejd, turning to "pure Islam" that same year. In an effort to achieve the loyalty of the largest tribes, Ibn Saud, on the advice of religious teachers, began to transfer them to settled life. For this purpose, a military-religious brotherhood was founded in 1912. Ikhvanov(arab. "brothers"). All Bedouin tribes and oases that refused to join the Ikhwan movement and recognize Ibn Saud as their emir and imam, began to be viewed as enemies of Najd. The Ikhwan were ordered to move to agricultural colonies ("hijras"), whose members were called to love their homeland, obey the imam-emir unquestioningly and not enter into any contacts with Europeans and residents of the countries they governed (including Muslims). In each Ikhvan community, a mosque was erected, which also served as a barracks for the local garrison. Thus, the Ikhwans themselves became not only farmers, but also warriors of the Saudi state. In 1913 Ibn Saud captured the Al-Hasa region. By 1915, more than 200 Ikhwan settlements were organized throughout the country, including at least 60,000 people, ready at the first call of Ibn Saud to enter the war with the “infidels”. The beginning of the war for the unification of Arabia

With the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted the support of the British Empire. In 1920, using the material support of the British, Abdul-Aziz finally defeated the Rashidids. By the time the Ottoman Empire collapsed, five independent states had formed on the peninsula: Hejaz, Nejd, Jebel Shammar, Asir and Yemen. Abdul-Aziz attempted to annex Jebel Shammar in April-May 1921, but only in August, the capital of the al-Rashidids, Khail, was taken by the forces of Abdul-Aziz's troops. On November 1 of the same year, Jebel Shammar ceased to exist.

Confrontation with the Sheriff of Mecca

After this victory, the main opponent of Ibn Saud was Hussein ibn Ali al-Hashimi, the sheriff of Mecca and the king of the Hejaz. In 1922, Abdul-Aziz captured northern Asir without a fight, and in July 1924 called for jihad against the heretics of the Hejaz. In August 1924, on the land of the war-torn Hejaz, the Soviet consul presented his credentials to the representative of Ibn Saud. In early September, Ikhwan detachments broke into the resort town of Et-Taif and killed mostly peaceful people here. The nobles of the Hijaz, frightened by the events in Al-Taif, opposed Hussein. He was forced to abdicate in favor of his son Ali. The new king did not have the strength to defend Mecca and took refuge with his supporters in Jeddah.

In mid-October, the Ikhwans entered the Holy City, and in January 1925, the siege of Jeddah began. On December 6, Medina fell, and on December 22, Ali evacuated Jeddah, after which the troops of Najd entered the city. In the same year, Ibn Saud captured Mecca, thus ending the 700-year rule of the Hashemites. On January 10, 1926, Abdul-Aziz al-Saud was proclaimed king of the Hejaz, the kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz was formed. A few years later, Abdul-Aziz captured almost the entire Arabian Peninsula.

Completion of the unification of Arabia [edit | edit wiki text] Rise of the Ikhwan

King of saudi arabia

Foreign policy

The extremes of the Ikhwan led to the alienation of Saudi Arabia from the majority of Muslim governments, which considered the Saudi regime to be hostile and resented the complete control established by "Muslims of pure Islam" over the holy cities and the Hajj. There was mutual animosity between Ibn Saud and the Hashemite rulers of Iraq and Transjordan - the sons of Hussein who he deposed. It was hardly possible to call Ibn Saud's warm relations with the king of Egypt, whom he suspected of a desire to revive the caliphate and declare himself the caliph. In February 1934, Ibn Saud began a war with the Imam of Yemen over the demarcation of the Yemeni-Saudi border. The hostilities ended after the signing of the agreement in May of the same year. Two years later, the border was de facto determined. Border problems also occurred in the eastern Arabian Peninsula after Ibn Saud granted an oil concession to Standard Oil of California in 1933. Negotiations with Great Britain on the demarcation of borders with neighboring British protectorates and possessions - Qatar, Treaty Oman, Muscat and Oman and the Eastern Protectorate of Aden ended in failure.

Saudi-Yemeni War

In 1932, the former emir of Asir al-Idrisi proclaimed the independence of the emirate from Saudi Arabia. After the suppression of the Assir uprising, al-Idrisi fled to Yemen. In March 1933, envoys from King Yahya of Yemen and King Abdulaziz met and discussed the possibility of restoring al-Idrisi's power. The envoys of Abdul-Aziz insisted on the transfer of northern Asir and the extradition of members of the al-Idrisi family. Bilateral negotiations were interrupted, and in May 1933 Yemen captured Nejran, which the Yemenis considered part of Yemen, blocking transport routes from Asir to Najd. Members of the Saudi delegation were also captured in Sana'a. During the hostilities in February 1934, the Saudis occupied southern Asir and part of Tihama. Saudi troops had more modern weapons and vehicles. On the second front, Saudi Arabian forces occupied Nejran and advanced towards the major center of Sa'ad. The Western powers were forced to send warships to Hodeidah and the Saudi shores. The Arab League in Cairo offered negotiation services. Yemen, in a difficult situation, accepted the offer to negotiate. In May 1934, the Saudi-Yemeni peace treaty was signed in Al-Taif, according to which part of Nejran and Asir remained part of Arabia, and its forces were withdrawn from Yemen. The successful hostilities have significantly increased the credibility of Saudi Arabia in the international arena.

Oil discovery

During the Second World War, he remained neutral. He led the Arab struggle against the creation of a Jewish state and was one of the leaders of the Arab League.

World War II Ibn Saud speaks with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt (right) aboard the cruiser Quincy. February 14, 1945

The outbreak of World War II prevented the full-scale development of the Al-Hasa oil fields, but part of Ibn Saud's loss of income was reimbursed through British and then American aid. During the war, Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with Germany (1941) and Italy (1942), but remained neutral almost until its end (officially declared war on Germany and Japan on February 28, 1945). At the end of the war and especially after it, American influence in Saudi Arabia increased. On May 1, 1942, an American diplomatic mission headed by James S. Moose, Jr. opened in Jeddah. Since 1943, Jeddah has become known as the diplomatic capital. In 1943, an American envoy arrived in Riyadh, thereby raising the level of diplomatic relations with the United States established in 1933. The United States extended the Lend-Lease Act to Saudi Arabia. In early February 1944, American oil companies began construction of the Trans-Arabian oil pipeline from Dhahran to the Lebanese port of Sayda. In 1944, an American Consulate General opened in Dhahran. At the same time, the government of Saudi Arabia allowed the construction of a large American air base in Dhahran, which the United States needed for the war against Japan.

Reformer

Military establishment

Until the death of Ibn Saud in 1953, the military maintained a patriarchal tribal character. The Ministry of Defense, created in 1944, did not function until 1947 and did not change anything in the tribal structure of the armed forces, creating only a kind of modern facade. The oil dollars allowed Ibn Saud to channel significant sums of money for military and security needs, which in 1952-1953 accounted for 53% of all receipts.

Family

Abdul-Aziz became the founder of the Saudi royal dynasty. He left behind 45 legitimate sons from his numerous wives, among them - all the kings of Saudi Arabia who reigned after him (the throne usually passes from brother to brother). After the death of Abdel Aziz, his son Saud became king.

At present, the Saudid family, the offspring of Ibn Saud, is so numerous (from 5 to 7 thousand princes-emirs) that its representatives have permeated the entire state and economic life of the country. The ruling group of Saudis exercises power functions, determines the direction and solves the emerging problems in domestic and foreign policy, in the development of the economy, disposes of the state sector of the national economy, the basis of which is the oil and gas industry. Several sons of King Abdel Aziz have become billionaires. Currently, the king of Saudi Arabia is his son Salman. In addition to Salman, 12 more sons of King Abdul-Aziz are still alive:

Prince Bandar (born 1923) - did not hold public office
Prince Mishaal (born 1926) - Minister of Defense (1951-1953), Governor of the province of Mecca (1963-1971), Chairman of the Council of Devotion since 2007;
Prince Abdul-Rahman (born 1931) - Deputy Minister of Defense (1978-2011), dismissed by the king for refusing to recognize the choice of Prince Naif as heir to the throne;
Prince Mutaib (born 1931) - Deputy Minister of Defense (1951-1956), Governor of Mecca Province (1958-1961), Minister of Public Works and Housing (1975-1980), Minister of Regional Development (1980-2009);
Prince Talal (born 1931) - Minister of Communications (1951-1955), Minister of Finance and National Economy (1960-1962), in 2011 resigned from the Council of Devotion;
Prince Navwaf (born 1932) - Minister of Finance (1962-1964), Special Adviser to the King for Gulf Affairs (1968-1975), Director General of the Foreign Intelligence Service (2001-2005), Special Advisor to the King in the rank of Minister since 2005 ;
Prince of Turki II (born 1934) - Deputy Minister of Defense (1969-1978);
Prince Abdul-Illah (born 1939) - Governor of Al-Qasim Province (1980-1992), Governor of Al-Jawf Province (1998-2001), Special Adviser to the King in the rank of Minister since 2008;
Prince Mamduh (born 1940) - Governor of Tabuk Province (1986-1987), Director of the Saudi Center for Strategic Studies (1994-2004);
Prince Ahmad (born 1942) - Deputy Minister of the Interior (1975-2012), Minister of the Interior since 2012;
Prince Mashhur (born 1942);
Prince Mukrin (born 1945) - Governor of Hail Province (1980-1999), Governor of El Madinah Province (1999-2005), Director General of the Foreign Intelligence Service (2005-2012), Crown Prince from 23 January to 29 April 2015, Deputy Prime Minister since 2015.

Successor: no, the state is liquidated January 8 - November 9 Predecessor: Ali bin Hussein Successor: Saud IV September 22 - November 9 Predecessor: No Successor: Saud IV Religion: Wahhabi Islam Birth: November 26 ( 1880-11-26 )
Riyadh Death: November 9 ( 1953-11-09 ) (72 years old)
Et-Taif Buried: al-Aud cemetery, Riyadh Dynasty: al-Saud Father: Abdurrahman ibn Faisal al-Saud Mother: Sarakh Spouse: 1) Waha al-Hazzam
2) Tarfah
3) Jauhar al-Saud
4) Buzz
5) Jauhar al-Sudayri
6) Hassa al-Sudayri
7) Shahida
8) Fahda al-Shuraim
9) Buzz
10) Munayir
11) Moudni
12) Saida Children: sons: Turks, Saud, Khalid, Faisal, Saad, Muhammad, Khalid, Nasr, Saad, Fahd, Mansur, Abdullah, Bandar, Musayed, Sultan, Abdurrahman, Mutaib, Hussa, Talal, Badr, Badr, Nawaf, Nayefz, Turks, Fawwaf Salman, Ahmed, Abdel-Majid, Sattam, Hamad, Mutaib, Majid, Mikrin, etc.
daughters: Nuf, Sita, Nura, Sara, etc.

Abdel-Aziz ibn Saud(also called Ibn Saud or Abdelaziz II; Arab. عبدالعزيز آل سعود ; November 26 - November 9) - founder and first king of Saudi Arabia (-). He fought wars for the unification of Arabia. In -1927 - the emir of the state of Nejd, later - until 1932 - the king of the state of Hejaz, Nejd and the annexed regions.

early years

Abdel Aziz ibn Saud was born on November 26, 1880 in Riyadh in the Islamic State of the Saudis, whose territory was actually limited to the vicinity of Riyadh. Son of Emir Najd Abd ar-Rahman and Sarah, daughter of Ahmad al-Sudayri. The boy was more interested in playing with a saber and a rifle than religious exercises. He could read the Koran only at the age of 11. The future king dreamed of restoring family honor, of the return of the glory and wealth of the House of Saudis.

Hike to Riyadh

The Rashidi family, who seized power in the city, expelled the Saudis to Kuwait, where the young Abdel Aziz spent his childhood. In 1901, he began to gather his own detachment to march to Riyadh. On the night of January 16, Abdel Aziz with a detachment of 60 people captured Riyadh, having dealt with the governor from Rashidi. In 1904, the Rashidi asked the Ottoman Empire to help them overthrow Saud. The Turks brought their troops into Arabia, but were defeated and left.

Great war in Arabia

Ikhwans

Ibn Saud became an absolute monarch from a landless emir.

The beginning of the war for the unification of Arabia

With the outbreak of the First World War, he enlisted the support of the British Empire. In 1920, using the material support of the British, Abdel Aziz finally defeated Rashidi. By the time the Ottoman Empire collapsed, five independent states had formed on the peninsula: Hejaz, Nejd, Jebel Shammar, Asir and Yemen. Abdel Aziz made an attempt to annex Jebel Shammar in April-May 1921, but only in August the Wahhabis took the capital of the al-Rashidids, Khail. On November 1 of the same year, Jebel Shammar ceased to exist.

Confrontation with the Sheriff of Mecca

After this victory, Hussein bin Ali, the sheriff of Mecca and king of the Hejaz, became Ibn Saud's main opponent. In 1922, Abdel-Aziz captured northern Asir without a fight, and in July 1924 called for jihad against the heretics of the Hejaz. In early September, Ikhwan detachments broke into the resort town of Et-Taif and killed mostly peaceful people here. The nobles of the Hijaz, frightened by the events in Al-Taif, opposed Hussein. He was forced to abdicate in favor of his son Ali. The new king did not have the strength to defend Mecca and took refuge with his supporters in Jeddah. In mid-October, the Ikhwans entered the Holy City, and in January 1925, the siege of Jeddah began. On December 6, Medina fell, and on December 22, Ali evacuated Jeddah, after which the troops of Najd entered the city. In the same year, Ibn Saud captured Mecca, thus ending the 700-year rule of the Hashemites. On January 10, 1926, Abdel Aziz al-Saud was proclaimed king of the Hejaz, the kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz was formed. A few years later, Abdel Aziz captured almost the entire Arabian Peninsula.

Completion of the unification of Arabia

Ikhwan revolt

Ibn Saud was very sympathetic to European civilization. He appreciated the importance of the telephone, radio, car and airplane and began to implement them. At the same time, he began to gradually limit the influence of the Ikhwans. Feeling a change from the king, the Ikhwans revolted in 1929, and in the battle of Sibyl Ibn Saud defeated his former supporters. But the defeated went on to guerrilla warfare. Then the king unleashed all his might on them. Some European methods of struggle were adopted by him. At the end of the year, the Ikhwans were driven back to Kuwait, where they were disarmed by the British. The Ikhwan leaders - Davish and Ibn Hitlein's cousin Neyif - were subsequently extradited by the British to Ibn Saud and imprisoned in Riyadh. The movement, which played an important role in strengthening the power of Abdel Aziz and his conquests, was completely defeated and soon came to naught. Ibn Saud assumed the title of King of Hejaz, Najd and the annexed territories.

King of saudi arabia

Saudi-Yemeni War

In 1932, the former emir of Asir al-Idrisi proclaimed the independence of the emirate from Saudi Arabia. After the suppression of the Assir uprising, al-Idrisi fled to Yemen. In March 1933, envoys from King Yahya of Yemen and King Abdel Aziz met and discussed the possibility of restoring al-Idrisi's power. Abdel Aziz's envoys insisted on the transfer of northern Asir and the surrender of al-Idrisi's family members. Bilateral negotiations were interrupted, and in May 1933 Yemen captured Nejran, which the Yemenis considered part of Yemen, blocking transport routes from Asir to Najd. Members of the Saudi delegation were also captured in Sana'a. During the hostilities in February 1934, the Saudis occupied southern Asir and part of Tihama. Saudi troops had more modern weapons and vehicles. On the second front, Saudi Arabian forces occupied Nejran and advanced towards the major center of Sa'ad. The Western powers were forced to send warships to Hodeidah and the Saudi shores. The Arab League in Cairo offered negotiation services. Yemen, in a difficult situation, accepted the offer to negotiate. In May 1934, the Saudi-Yemeni peace treaty was signed in Al-Taif, according to which part of Nejran and Asir remained part of Arabia, and its forces were withdrawn from Yemen. The successful hostilities have significantly increased the credibility of Saudi Arabia in the international arena.

Oil discovery

In 1933, King Ibn Saud granted concessions for the exploration and production of oil to the American oil companies. It turned out that in the depths of Arabia there are huge reserves of "black gold". In 1938, colossal oil fields were discovered in Saudi Arabia. The king transferred the main rights to develop the deposits to the Aramco company. Most of the oil produced went to the United States, and almost all of the proceeds from it went directly to the royal family. Nevertheless, profits were constantly growing, and the money went to the state treasury. Saudi Arabia quickly became the richest state in the Middle East. The sale of oil enabled Abdel Aziz to make a huge fortune, which in 1952 was estimated at 200 million US dollars.

During the Second World War, he remained neutral. He led the struggle of the Arabs against the creation of the Jewish state and was one of the leaders