Abdulaziz Ibn Saud

Who is Abdulaziz Ibn Saud?

Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, commonly known as Ibn Saud, was the founder and first monarch of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Born in Riyadh into the House of Saud, he grew up in exile in Kuwait after his family lost control of Najd to the rival Al Rashid dynasty. In 1902 he led a daring raid that recaptured Riyadh, launching a decades-long campaign to unify the tribes and regions of the Arabian Peninsula. Over the following thirty years he consolidated Najd, the Hejaz, and other territories through military conquest, alliances, and marriages. In 1932 he proclaimed the unified Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and became its first king. The discovery of oil in 1938 during his reign transformed the country's future. He ruled until his death in 1953 and is regarded as the architect of the modern Saudi state.

Sources: Robert Lacey, 'The Kingdom: Arabia and the House of Saud' (1981) · Madawi Al-Rasheed, 'A History of Saudi Arabia' (2002, Cambridge University Press)