The First Six Kings of Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Ibn Sa - Jean Sasson

31 Pages·2011·0.2 MB·English

by  Neal Berry

The First Six Kings of Saudi Arabia

Abdul Aziz Ibn Sa’ud
1876-1953

Sa’ud, son of Abdul Aziz
1902-1969, second king

Faisal, son of Abdul Aziz
1904-1975, third king

Khalid, son of Abdul Aziz
1912-1982, fourth king

Fahd, son of Abdul Aziz
Born 1921-2005, fifth king

Abdullah, son of Abdul Aziz
Born 1923, present ruler
KEY FIGURES
(In alphabetical order)

ABDUL Egyptian employee of Princess Sultana (married to Fatma).
King ABDUL AZIZ AL SA’UD Grandfather of Princess Sultana. Was the first king and founder of Saudi
Arabia. Died in 1953.
ABDULLAH AL SA’UD Son of Princess Sultana.
AISHA Girlfriend of Princess Maha.
ALHAAN Egyptian girl who is sexually mutilated against the wishes of her grandmother, Fatma.
ALI AL SA’UD Brother of Princess Sultana.
AMANI AL SA’UD Youngest child and daughter of Princess Sultana.
ARAFAT, YASSIR Chairman of the PLO.
ASAD AL SA’UD Brother-in-law of Princess Sultana (husband of Sara).
CONNIE Filipino maid who was employed to work in the home of Saudi friends of Princess Sultana’s.
CORA Filipino maid of Princess Sultana.
ELHAM Egyptian woman who is daughter of Abdul and Fatma (employees of Princess Sultana).
King FAHD Current ruler of Saudi Arabia who is highly regarded by Princess Sultana, his niece.
FATMA Egyptian housekeeper of Princess Sultana (married to Abdul).
FAYZA Daughter of Saudi friends of Princess Sultana’s. She elopes with Jafer, a Palestinian.
FOUAD Father of Fayza.
HANAN Younger sister of Prince Kareem (sister-in-law of Princess Sultana).
HUDA African slave who worked in the childhood home of Princess Sultana. Huda is now deceased.
JAFER Palestinian employee of Prince Kareem and close friend to his son, Abdullah. Jafer elopes with
Fayza.
KAREEM AL SA’UD A prince in the ruling family who is Sultana’s husband.
King KHAUD Fourth king of Saudi Arabia who was greatly loved by his people. Died in 1982.
KHOMEINI Iranian religious leader who led the revolution against the shah of Iran and succeeded in
establishing an Islamic Republic.
LAWAND AL SA’UD First cousin of Kareem who was confined to the woman’s room.
MAHA AL SA’UD Oldest daughter of Princess Sultana.
MAJED AL SA’UD Son of Ali (nephew of Princess Sultana).
MISHA’IL Royal cousin of Princess Sultana who was put to death for the moral crime of adultery.
MOHAMMED Brother-in-Iaw of Princess Sultana. Mohammed is married to Kareem’s sister, Hanan.
MOUSA Egyptian driver for Princess Sultana’s family.
NADA Childhood friend of Princess Sultana who was killed by her father for a crime against “honor.”
NASHWA Niece of Princess Sultana. Nashwa is the teenage daughter of Princess Sara.
NASSER Son-in-Iaw of Fatma.
NOORAH Mother-in-Iaw of Princess Sultana.
NURA AL SA’UD Oldest sister of Princess Sultana.
REEMA Child bride from Yemen.
REEMA AL SA’UD Sister of Princess Sultana.
SALEEM Brother-in-Iaw of Princess Sultana. Saleem is married to Reema.
SAMEERA Childhood friend of Tahani, who is sister of Princess Sultana. Sameera was confined to the
woman’s room until her death.
SAMIA Member of the royal family who married Fouad and is the mother of Fayza.
SARA AL SA’UD Sister of Princess Sultana. Sara is married to Asad, brother of Kareem.
TAHANI AL SA’UD Sister of Princess Sultana.
WAFA Childhood friend of Princess Sultana who was married at a young age to an old man.
YOUSIF Egyptian man who was college friend of Prince Kareem and who later joined radical Islamic
group in Egypt.
Appendix A: Glossary

ABAAYA A black, full-length outer garment worn by Saudi women.
ABU Father.
AL RAS School for girls in Saudi Arabia.
AL SA’UD Ruling family of Saudi Arabia.
ARABIC Language relating to Arabs or Arabia.
ASSIUT Village in southern Egypt.
BACKGAMMON Board game popular in Middle East.
BAHRAIN Island nation in the Arabian Gulf.
BEDOUIN A nomadic desert people, the original Arabs.
BIN (or Ibn) Following a man’s given name and preceding a man’s father’s or grandfather’s name. Means
“son of.”
CAIRO Capital of Egypt.
CHRISNANITY Religion derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ.
DHU AL HIJAH The twelfth month of the hejira calendar.
DHU AL QIDA The eleventh month of the hejira calendar.
DUBAI A city located in the federation of the United Arab Emirates bordering Saudi Arabia.
EGYPT Country in Africa and on Sinai Peninsula.
EMIRATES United Arab Emirates, which is a federation of small emirate states located on the Arabian
Peninsula.
FRENCH RlVIERA Fashionable Mediterranean resort area in south-eastern France famed for its scenery,
warm climate, and excellent beaches.
GAMAA AL ISLAMIYA Islamic extremist group formed in Egypt in the early 1980s.
GREEN BOOK Qaddafi’s Green Book: Philosophy of Colonel Qaddafi of Libya.
HADITHS Sayings and traditions of Prophet Mohammed that help to formulate Islamic law.
HAJ Annual pilgrimage to Makkah made by those of the Islamic faith.
HAJJI Pilgrim who makes the pilgrimage to Makkah (a title that denotes honor).
HEJIRA Islamic calendar that started on the date that Prophet Mohammed fled Makkah and escaped to
Madinah (622).
IHRAM Special time during Haj that all Muslims refrain from normal life and dwell on nothing but
religious matters.
IMAM Person who leads communal prayers and/or delivers the sermon on Fridays.
INFANTICIDE Practice of killing an infant. In pre-Islamic times a common practice in Arabia of ridding
the family of unwanted female children.
ISLAM Religious faith of Muslims of which Mohammed was the Prophet. Islam is the last of the three
great monotheistic religions to appear.
JEDDAH Saudi Arabian city located on the Red Sea.
JUDAISM Religion developed among the ancient Hebrews.
KAABA Islam’s holiest shrine, a sacred sanctuary for all Muslims. The Kaaba is a small building in the
Holy Mosque of Makkah, nearly cubic in shape, built to enclose the Black Stone, which is the most
venerated Muslim object.
KOHL A black powder used by Saudi Arabian women that goes on the eyelid of the eye to enhance the
beauty of a woman.
KORAN The Holy Book of all Muslims that contains the words of God as they were given to Prophet
Mohammed.
KUWAIT Small sheikhdom that borders Saudi Arabia that has more than 10 percent of the world’s oil
reserves.
LA Arabian word meaning “no.”
MADINAH Second holiest city of Islam. The burial place of Prophet Mohammed.
MAHRAM Males to whom a woman cannot be married, such as her father, brother, or uncle, who are
allowed to be a woman’s escort when traveling. Must be a close relative.
MAKKAH Holiest city of Islam. Each year, millions of Muslims travel to Makkah to perform the annual
pilgrimage.
MONOTHEISM Belief that there is only one God.
MORALS POLICE Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia who have the power to arrest those they believe
commit moral wrongs or crimes against Islam or go against the teachings of Islam.
MUEZZIN The crier who calls the faithful to pray five times a day.
MUSLIM Adherent of the religion founded by Prophet Mohammed in the year 610.
MUT’A Temporary marriage allowed to those of the Islamic faith.
MUTAWWA The religious police, also known as the morals police. Men who seek out, arrest, and punish
those who do not abide by Saudi religious law.
NAJD The traditional name for central Arabia. The inhabitants of this area are known for their
conservative behavior. The ruling family of Saudi Arabia are Najdis.
PLO Palestine Liberation Organization.
POLYGAMY Marriage to more than one spouse at the same time. Men of the Muslim faith are legally
allowed four wives at one time.
PURDAHA practice of confining women to their homes. This total seclusion of females can occur in some
Muslim countries.
PURlFICATION The ritual of cleansing prior to offering prayers to God practiced by Muslims.
RED SEA The sea between Arabia and Africa.
RIYADH The capital city of Saudi Arabia, which is located in the desert.
RIYAL Saudi Arabian currency. The exchange varies but was recently about 3.75 to the dollar.
RUB AL KHALI An enormous desert wilderness that occupies the southeast portion of Arabia. It is often
referred to as the “Empty Quarter.”
SAN’A The capital city of Yemen.
SAUDI ARABIA Country in Asia that occupies most of Arabia. Saudi Arabia has at least one quarter of
the world’s known oil reserves.
SECULAR Not religious.
SHAWARMA Popular sandwich sold in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries made of lamb, beef, or
chicken wrapped in pita bread, mixed with sauces and tomatoes and peppers.
SHAYLA Black gauzy scarf worn by women of the Muslim faith in Saudi Arabia.
SHIITE The branch of Islam that split from the Sunni majority over the issue of Prophet Mohammed’s
successor. One of two main sects.
SUNNA Traditions of the Islamic faith as addressed by Prophet Mohammed.
SUNNI The majority orthodox branch of Islam. Saudi Arabia is 95 percent populated by those of the Sunni
sect. The word means “traditionalists.” One of two main sects.
TAIF Mountain resort city in Saudi Arabia that is located close to Makkah.
TEHRAN The capital city of Iran.
THOBE A long shirt-like dress that is worn by Saudi men. It is usually made of white cotton, but can be
made of heavier, darker colored fabric for the winter months.
UMM AL QURRAH “Mother of Cities” or “The Blessed City” that is Makkah.
UMRAH A short pilgrimage (to Makkah) undertaken by those of the Muslim faith that can be made
anytime of the year.
VEIL Black fabric that is used to cover a Saudi Arabian Muslim woman’s face. The material can be sheer
or thick.
WOMAN’S ROOM Room in a man’s house used to confine Saudi Arabian women who go against the
wishes of their husbands, fathers, or brothers. The punishment can be for a short period or a life sentence.
YEMEN Country located in the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula, neighboring Saudi Arabia.
ZAKAH Obligatory alms giving required of all Muslims that is the third pillar of Islam.
Appendix B: Chronology of Key Events in Saudi Arabia

570 (A.D.) Prophet Mohammed is born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
610 Prophet Mohammed sees a vision from God proclaiming him to be the messenger of God. Islam is
born.
622 Prophet Mohammed flees an angry mob in Makkah and escapes to Madinah. This flight is forever after
known as, “the Hegira”, the great crisis of Mohammed’s mission on earth. The Muslim calendar begins on
that date and is called Hegira in honor of that journey.
632 Prophet Mohammed dies in Madinah.
650 The sayings of Prophet Mohammed are collected and written. Known as the Koran, this book, which
recorded the word of God as told by Mohammed, became the holy book of Muslims.
1446 The first documented Al Sa’ud, ancestor of Sultana, leaves the nomadic life of the desert and settles
in Dar’iyah (old Riyadh).
1744 Mohammed Al Sa’ud establishes a partnership with Mohammed Al Wahhab, a teacher who believes
in the strictest interpretation of the Koran. Combined forces of a warrior and a teacher unleash a rigid
system of punishment upon the people.
1802–1806 Sons of Mohammed Al Sa’ud and Mohammed Al Wahhab, inspired by the teachings of the
Koran, attack and capture Makkah and Madinah. They were ruthless, massacring the entire male population
of Taif, a settlement above Makkah. With this victory, most of Arabia united under one authority.
1843–1865 The Al Sa’uds extend authority southward to Oman.
1871 The Ottomans take control of the province of Hasa.
1876 Sultana’s grandfather, Abdul Aziz ibn Sa’ud, founder of the kingdom, is born.
1887 The city of Riyadh is captured by the Rasheeds.
1891 The Al Sa’ud clan flees Riyadh into the Empty Quarter.
1893–1894 The Al Sa’ud clan marches across the desert to Kuwait.
1901 (Sept.) Abdul Aziz, now twenty-five years old, along with his warriors departs Kuwait for Riyadh.
1902 (Jan.) Abdul Aziz and his men capture Riyadh. The new Al Sa’ud dynasty begins.
1912 The Ikhwan (Brotherhood) is founded based on Wahhabism; it grows quickly and provides key
support for Abdul Aziz ibn Sa’ud.
1913 Hasa is taken from the Ottomans by Abdul Aziz
1915 Abdul Aziz Al Sa’ud enters into an agreement with the British government to receive five thousand
pounds per month to fight the Turks.
1926 Abdul Aziz is proclaimed King of the Hijaz in the Grand Mosque of Makkah.
1932 Unification of the dual kingdoms of Hijaz and Najd. Named the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it becomes
the twelfth largest country in the world.
1933 King Abdul Aziz’s eldest son, Sa’ud, is named Crown Prince.
1933 (May) America wins concessions (over the British) to search for oil in Saudi Arabia.
1934 Saudi Arabia goes to war against Yemen; peace is established one month later.
1934 (May 15) In revenge for the Yemen war, King Abdul Aziz is attacked at a holy mosque in Makkab by
three knife-wielding Yemenis. His eldest son, Sa’ud, flings himself in front of his father and is wounded
instead.
1938 (March 20) Oil is discovered in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
1939 War in Europe halts oil production.
1944 Oil production in the kingdom rises to eight million barrels a year.
1945 (Feb. 14) President Roosevelt meets with King Abdul Aziz aboard the USS Quincy.
1945 (Feb. 17) Winston Churchill, the prime minister of Great Britain, meets with King Abdul Aziz aboard
the USS Quincy.
1946 Oil production soars to sixty million barrels a year.
1948 (May 14) The state of Israel is established.
1948 (May 14) The first Arab-Israeli war begins.
1948 Radio Makkah, the first radio station in the kingdom, is opened despite fierce opposition from the
Ulema (religious men).
1952 King Abdul Aziz bans alcohol imports for nonbelievers.
1953 (Nov. 9) King Abdul Aziz, Sultana’s grandfather, dies at age seventy-seven.
1953 (Nov. 9) The late king’s eldest son, fifty-one-year-old Sa’ud, becomes king. His half-brother Faisal
becomes crown prince.
1960 Saudi Arabia is a founding member of the Organization ofPetroleum Exporting Countries, known as
OPEC.
1958 (March) With the kingdom in financial turmoil, Crown Prince Faisal takes administrative control of
the government.
1960 (Dec.) King Sa’ud dismisses his brother from administrative duties and assumes control of the
government.
1962 Slavery is abolished in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most slaves continue to live with the families
that owned them.
1963 The first girls’ school opens; religious factions riot.
1964 (Nov. 3) King Sa’ud abdicates and departs the kingdom for Beirut. Faisal is declared king, and his
half-brother Khalid, crown prince.
1965 Despite protests, the first television station is opened in Riyadh.
1965 (Sept.) Prince Khalid ibn Musaid, nephew of King Faisal, is killed as he leads an armed protest
against the opening of the television station.
1967 (June) The Six-Day War begins between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Saudi Arabia sends forces.
1969 (Feb.) Deposed ex-king Sa’ud ibn Abdul Aziz dies in Athens, Greece, after spending more than
fifteen million dollars each year of his exile.
1973 (Oct. 6) The October 1973 war begins between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Saudi Arabia sends
troops.
1973 (Oct. 20) Furious at America’s military assistance to Israel, King Faisal announces a holy war and an
oil embargo against America.
1975 (March 25) King Faisal is assassinated by his nephew Prince Faisal ibn Musaid, brother of the prince
who was shot and killed during ariot in 1965.
1975 (March 25)Crown Prince Khalid is declared king. His half-brother Fahd is named new crown prince.
1977 King Khalid issues a government decree that forbids women to travel outside their homes unless
accompanied by a male family member. A second order follows that forbids women to travel abroad to
study. Both decrees resulted from the international incident of Princess Misha’il, who was publicly
executed after meeting and falling in love with another Saudi student at the American University in