House of Saud

The House of Saud ( ) is the royal family of Saudi Arabia. While the modern nation of Saudi Arabia was established in 1932, the House of Saud has been around for much longer. Prior to Ibn Saud, this family ruled the Nejd and often came into conflict with the Ottoman Empire and the Rashidis. The House of Saud is also linked with so-called Wahhabism (Saudis deprecate the term) through the marriage of the son of Muhammad ibn Saud with the daughter of Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab in 1744.

The history of the House of Saud has been marked by a desire to unify the Arabian Peninsula and to spread what it claims to be a "more pure and simple" but also controversial view of Islam embodied by Wahhabism (a term used by outsiders; adherents preferred the term Ikhwan, or Brethren, and of late, use Salafi). As such, the House of Saud has gone through three phases: the First Saudi State, the Second Saudi State, and the modern nation of Saudi Arabia.

"The royal family today is made up of an estimated 25,000 members, of whom around 200 are princes wielding influence." ^*

Political Role

The Head of the House of Saud is the King of Saudi Arabia who serves as Head of State and monarch of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The King holds great political power, and is often likened to an absolute monarch, and is sometimes referred to as a dictator.

Unlike Western royal families, the Saudi Monarchy does not have a clearly defined order of succession. Upon becoming King, the monarch designates an heir apparent to the throne who serves as Crown Prince of the Kingdom. Upon the King's death the Crown Prince becomes King, and during the King's incapacitation the Crown Prince likewise assumes power as regent. Though other members of the House of Saud hold political positions in the Saudi government, technically it is only the King and Crown Prince who legally constitute the political institution of the Saudi monarchy.

Branches

Saudi royality is split into several camps, depending on lineage.

Sons of Abdul Aziz (ibn Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi state) are from the Abdul Aziz line of the family, and have been the only members allowed to serve as King or Crown Prince. As this generation will not last forever, King Fahd decreed that their sons -- the grandsons of ibn Saud -- would also be eligible, to provide new heirs to the throne. Members of this line are referred to with the style "His Royal Majesty" or "His Royal Highness." This then means that any one styled HRH and is a male, is eligible to become Crown Prince or King, but members of the House of Saud styled HH may not become Crown Prince or King.

All other members of the House of Saud are referred to as members of the Cadet line. Members of this line are referred to with the style "His Highness."

Oppositon to the House of Saud

Due to its authoritarian and theocratic rule, the House of Saud has attracted much criticism during its rule of Saudi Arabia. Its opponents generally refer to the Saudi monarchy as tyrants or dictators.

Although many people agree with this description, it is often feared that any replacement to the House of Saud would be "worse" from the West's perspective, since it is assumed either a (more) Islamist or even Al Qaeda-related regime hostile to the West may take power and assume control of Saudi oil reserves, or the country may disintigrate into chaos and anarchy like Somalia and the former republic of Yugoslavia. The Saudi monarchy, in contrast, is an ally of the United States, although that seems to be changing, judging by recent huge oil and business ventures awarded to non-US firms, yet the opponents of the regime often accused the US government of backing or "propping up" the "Saudi tyranny".

"I just long for the day I wake up and find that the Saudi royal family are swinging from the lamp-posts and they've got a proper government that represents the people of Saudi Arabia." - Ken Livingstone ^*

Financial Situation

The House of Saud receives the vast majority of its income from the proceeds of oil exports.

Heads of the House of Saud

First Saudi State

Second Saudi State

Saudi Arabia

Most notable current members

External links

Saudi royal family | Arab groups

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